Former Kurdish leader runs for president of Turkey

Selahattin Demirtas, the former leader of the Kurdish People’s Democratic Party is running for president of Turkey. Demirtas has been jailedsince November 2016 on charges of being linked to the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party. The main opposition group, the Republican People’s Party, is expected to name its contender on Friday. Early presidential and parliamentary elections are due in Turkey on 24 June.

OECD secretary general praises Greece over reforms

Greece has made “enormous” reform efforts since the beginning of its debt crisis and its international lenders must grant the country debt relief, the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Angel Gurria said. Gurria who has met with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras in Athens has encouraged Greece to go on with reforms after its third bailout program expires in August. In its latest survey of Greece OECD predicts an economic growth of 2% this year and 2.3% in 2019.

USA: Macedonia joins NATO immediately after name dispute is solved

The United States appreciates the Republic of Macedonia’s policy of opposition to Russia after Macedonia expelled a Russian diplomat and voiced support for ending Russian aggression. This has been the message of US Defense Secretary James Mattis during official talks with the Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Radmila Sekerinska. Mattis has been explicit that Macedonia will join NATO immediately after a mutually acceptable solution of the name dispute has been achieved. This has been the first meeting of a US defense secretary with his Macedonian counterpart for the past six years,

Germany exerts pressure on Romania to recognize Kosovo, ex-Romanian president claims

The former president of Romania Traian Basescu has said that Germany is exerting pressure on Romania to recognize the independence of Kosovo which according to him is impossible. In a statement aired by the Romanian TV channel B1 Basescu has said that Germany is pressurizing the five EU member states which do not recognize Kosovo to change their position. Apart from Romania these countries include Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia, “If Romania recognizes Kosovo, it should also recognize Crimea and Trans-Dniester,” Traian Basescu has argued.

Election campaign to open in Slovenia

On Friday, 4 May, an election campaign will be launched in Slovenia for the parliamentary elections dated on 3 June. Until the official start of the campaign all parties who will compete for 90 seats in parliament should submit the tickets with their candidates. For the time being, eight parties have submitted their tickets – the Modern Center Party, the Slovenian Democratic Party, the Social-Democrats, the Democratic Party of Pensioners, the List of Marjan Sarec, Good Country, the Slovenian National Party and United Slovenia.

Canal Edirne on Maritsa set to boost trade-economic ties between Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece

Already 99% of the facilities of Canal Edirne that Turkey is building on the River Maritsa have been completed. The river flows along the border of Turkey with Bulgaria and Greece. The new canal is expected to boost trade, economic ties and tourist trips between the three countries. The news has come from Murat Acu, head of the General Directorate for State Hydraulic Works in Edirne. Construction of the canal opened in November 2015. It will be 7800 m long, 50 m wide and 4.5 m deep. The facility will be unveiled in June.

Compiled by Miglena Ivanova

English Daniela Konstantinova