Eastern & Central Europe

Latest news about eastern and central Europe and EU enlargement.

Estonia wants EU to review budget plans — 26 May 2012, 00:53 CET

Estonia wants the European Commission to review plans to cut transfers for member states to 2.5 percent of a country's gross domestic product (GDP), an official said Friday.

Ukraine's Tymoshenko to bring case to European rights court — 26 May 2012, 00:52 CET

Ukraine's ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko is weak yet combative and will turn to the European Court of Human Rights to rule on her case, Belgium's former prime minister Guy Verhofstadt said Friday.

Romania probes top official for interference in graft case — 25 May 2012, 15:48 CET

Romania's anti-graft prosecutors on Friday launched a probe against a top official who allegedly interfered in a high-level corruption case implicating former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase.

EU's Kosovo mission downsized due to 'progress' — 25 May 2012, 13:36 CET

The EU's police, customs and judicial mission in Kosovo, the bloc's largest ever civilian operation abroad, is being downsized significantly as responsibility shifts to Pristina, officials said Friday.

Danish FM urges Turkey to be 'brave' on EU reforms — 25 May 2012, 13:34 CET

The foreign minister of Denmark, which currently holds the rotating European Union presidency, on Friday called on Turkey to be "brave" in carrying out reforms to bring it closer to the bloc.

Football: England star's family snub Euros over racism fears — 25 May 2012, 12:43 CET

England star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's family have become the latest to decide against supporting their son at Euro 2012, amid fears about racism in tournament co-hosts Ukraine.

Castle blaze sparks ethnic tension in Slovakia — 25 May 2012, 12:22 CET

A blaze that engulfed a historic castle in Slovakia has ignited ethnic tensions, with a far right party out to evict Roma blamed for sparking the fire from a nearby shanty town.

Football: Auschwitz bans flags, football gear for Euro 2012 — 25 May 2012, 12:43 CET

Visitors to the museum at the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz in southern Poland will be banned from bringing in football accessories for the duration of the Euro 2012 tournament, officials said.

Football: England star's family snub Euros over racism fears — 25 May 2012, 11:43 CET

England star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's family have become the latest to decide against supporting their son at Euro 2012, amid fears about racism in tournament co-hosts Ukraine.

Croatia hopes to use more EU financial aid — 24 May 2012, 20:07 CET

Croatia, set to join the European Union in 2013, last year used only around one-third of aid funds from Brussels and wants to double that figure, a top official said on Thursday.

Romania's PM sacks official after interference scandal — 24 May 2012, 16:47 CET

Romania's new Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Thursday sacked a top official he had just appointed after he was accused of interfering in a graft case against a prominent party member.

Nikolic's first official trip will be to Brussels — 24 May 2012, 15:30 CET

Serbian president-elect Tomistlav Nikolic will make Brussels his first official visit after he takes office in the coming weeks, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak told media Thursday.

Bulgarian PM says against joint eurobonds — 24 May 2012, 13:42 CET

Bulgaria is against the issuing of eurobonds for joint borrowing by strong and weak EU members together but supports a financial transaction tax, the government press office announced Thursday.

International monitors to pull out of Bosnia's Brcko — 23 May 2012, 22:57 CET

International monitors decided Wednesday to pull out of the sensitive Bosnian town of Brcko, whose neutral status has been a source of tensions in the ethnically-divided Balkan state.

Latvia eyeing euro entry despite crisis: prime minister — 23 May 2012, 17:21 CET

Latvia intends to join the eurozone in 2014 despite the debt crisis, hoping it will bring an element of economic stability to the country, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said on Wednesday.

Growth not possible without fiscal discipline: Basescu — 23 May 2012, 15:28 CET

Economic growth is not possible without fiscal discipline by European Union member states, the Romanian President Traian Basescu said before leaving for an informal EU summit on Wednesday.

Warsaw cabbies threaten strike on Euro 2012 launch — 23 May 2012, 15:28 CET

Warsaw cab drivers blocked traffic Wednesday to protest at government deregulation plans and vowed to strike again on day one of the Euro 2012 football championships if their concerns are unaddressed.

Bulgaria warned over quake response — 23 May 2012, 23:58 CET

Europe's Disaster Commissioner told Bulgaria it needs to boost its preparations to deal with emergencies after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake triggered panic among sleeping residents.

Doing business in Bulgaria: Sustainability — 23 May 2012, 13:14 CET

This guide outlines the corporate social responsibility standards that businesses in Bulgaria have to comply with.

Bulgaria: country overview — 23 May 2012, 13:16 CET

Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, averaged more than 6% growth from 2004 to 2008, driven by significant amounts of foreign direct investment.

Warsaw commuter trains crash head-on, two hurt — 23 May 2012, 15:40 CET

Two commuter trains collided head-on in Warsaw Wednesday, injuring two people, on a stretch of railway near Poland's new national stadium where the Euro 2012 football championships kick off in June.

Romania minister calls for review of EU graft monitoring — 22 May 2012, 18:50 CET

Romania's new justice minister on Tuesday said European Union scrutiny on corruption was "extremely useful" but should be reviewed later this year.

Remains of 12 missing from Kosovo war returned to families — 22 May 2012, 18:50 CET

The remains of 12 Kosovo Albanians who had gone missing during the 1998-1999 war, and were later mostly found in mass graves in Serbia, have been handed over to their families in Kosovo, the EU mission said Tuesday.

Latvia launches veggie offensive against Brussels — 22 May 2012, 18:53 CET

Latvian authorities have sprouted a green thumb planting vegetables in flower beds outside government offices in Riga as part of a push for higher EU farm subsidies.

Bulgarian parliament backs Nabucco gas pipeline — 22 May 2012, 18:49 CET

Bulgaria's parliament on Tuesday formally backed an agreement to support the 4,000-km (2,500-mile) Nabucco pipeline project to bring Caspian gas to Europe, its press office said.