Twin bomb attacks in Istanbul

Two bomb explosions in Istanbul on Saturday cost the lives of close to 40 and wounded more than 150. The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for the terrorist attacks. The UN Security Council condemned in the strongest terms “the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks” and underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice. US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter issued a statement stressing that “this attack only redoubles our resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Turkish allies in condemning these attacks and relentlessly combatting terrorism.”

 Greece adopts 2017 budget

After five days of discussion in parliament, Greece adopted its state budget for 2017. Its adoption was seen as a major test for the government of PM Alexis Tsipras, whose approval rating has plummeted in recent months. According to latest surveys, Tsipras has the approval of no more than 24 percent of Greeks, coming 6th out of 8 leading politicians in the country. The list is topped by opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis with 45 percent. Eighty-seven percent of the respondents say they are against the economic reforms proposed by the international creditors.

Left-wing Social Democratic Party ahead in parliamentary elections in Romania

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is way ahead in the parliamentary elections held in Romania on Sunday, exit polls indicate. The return of the social democrats comes one year after they were forced to step down. The catalyst a year ago was the dramatic fire that broke out at a night club in Bucharest. The SDP wins around 45 percent of the votes, placing it way ahead of the centre-right liberals.

VMRO-DPMNE wins early elections in Macedonia

The State Election Commission in Macedonia has made public preliminary results of the early parliamentary elections. With 99.34 percent of the ballots counted, the greatest number of votes goes to VMRO-DPMNE and the Coalition for a Better Macedonia, followed by the opposition Social Democratic Union. Four Albanian formations enter parliament – Ali Ahmeti’s Democratic Union for Integration, the BESA Movement, the Albanian Coalition and the Democratic Party of Albanians. All political forces that took part in the elections described them as free, democratic and fair.

Prime Ministers of Kosovo and Montenegro meet in Albania

The Prime Ministers of Kosovo Isa Mustafa and of Montenegro Dusko Markovic met in Shkoder, Albania for talks on bilateral and regional issues. According to the official statement issued, the talks centred on intensifying cooperation, most of all in the economic sphere. No explanation has been given as to why the meeting took place in Albania, nor is any mention made whether the two prime ministers discussed the question of a ratification by Kosovo of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. The demarcation agreement is contested by the opposition parties in Kosovo which say that it concedes territories to Montenegro though the government rejects that claim.

PM of Serbia refuses more money to army and police

In response to protests by the army and police in front of the Serbian government building, PM Aleksandar Vucic stated they can protest all they want and that even if they threatened to go and “throw themselves in the river” they will not be given more money than what has already been set down for them. I shall not back down and “if they don’t like it, they can leave state administration and go and work wherever they will make more money, I have no problem with that,” said Vucic. The police trade union says money has been promised that has not been paid out. The army trade union is accusing the government of spending public money indiscriminately while army men and women live in dire conditions.

Compiled by Stoimen Pavlov

English version: Milena Daynova