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Czech Republic, Romania mull shale gas moratoriums

The Sofia Echo staff — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:18:00 +0300

Governments in Prague and Bucharest could soon join Sofia in instituting temporary moratoriums on shale gas exploration.

Putin takes Russian presidency for historic third term

VOA News — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:18:00 +0300

World leaders acknowledged Putin's victory with reservations, and international observers say the election was skewed in the former president's favour.

France elects first socialist president in nearly two decades

Lisa Bryant - VOA News — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:56:00 +0300

Hollande's call for more spending and economic growth has struck a chord with French voters.

Serge Sarkisian’s ruling party wins Armenian parliamentary elections – exit polls

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:23:00 +0300

Gallup International Association poll gives president Sarkisian’s party 44 per cent, while three main challengers alleged ‘machinations’ by ruling party in what – in contrast to 2008 – reportedly was a largely peaceful election.

Serbia: Tadić leads as presidential elections head for second round

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:33:00 +0300

Coalition around ruling Democratic Party has largest share of vote in Serbia's parliamentary election, according to exit polls.

Greek voters punish major centre-right, socialist parties at polls

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Sun, 06 May 2012 22:56:00 +0300

Centre-right New Democracy is said by exit polls to have largest share of votes, but diminished even from its 2009 defeat, while socialists Pasok – the 2009 victors – gets somewhere around 14 to 17 per cent.

Report: Only 14.5 per cent of people have access to free press

Suzanne Presto - VOA News — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:35:00 +0300

The Freedom House report says the media environment in the Middle East and North Africa underwent major improvements in 2011, but remained the worst-performing part of the world.

Don’t like the job, time to move on

Rafaela Frietas - The Budapest Times — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:29:00 +0300

Dissatisfaction with jobs is a global phenomenon and two-thirds of workers all over the world intend to look for another job in the near future, the survey concluded.

Poland slams calls for Ukraine Euro 2012 boycott

The Warsaw Voice — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:40:00 +0300

Led by German chancellor Angela Merkel, leaders of several EU countries have called off scheduled visits to Ukraine during the Euro 2012

France prepares for final round of presidential election

VOA News — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:36:00 +0300

National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who came in third in the first round election last month, would not vote for either Hollande or Sarkozy.

Global food prices ease, but stay high, FAO says

Clive Leviev-Sawyer — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:04:00 +0300

The global food import bill in 2012 could decline to $1.24 trillion, down slightly from last year’s record of $1.29 trillion.

Bulgarian Olympic champion sentenced to nine years' jail in Brazil

The Sofia Echo staff — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:48:00 +0300

Boevski has been under arrest in Brazil since October, when he was arrested at Sao Paulo's international airport with nine kg of cocaine in his luggage.

Activists call for national strike

Jennifer Rigby - The Prague Post — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:00:00 +0300

Trade unions band together in anti-government protest.

Government faces Roma challenges

Michaela Terenzani-Stanková - The Slovak Spectator — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:41:00 +0300

'We need to decide whether we’ll have a third generation of people without any perspective in life, fully dependent on the state, or we’ll start taking measures to stop this trend,' Fico says.

Cries for death penalty

Attila Leitner — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:02:00 +0300

Spate of murders across country.

France's Sarkozy, Hollande clash ahead of Sunday's runoff election

VOA News — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:41:00 +0300

The lively debate occurred one day after far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who finished third in the first round of balloting last month, said she will not support either candidate in the runoff.

French far Right key to election outcome

VOA News — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:25:00 +0300

Sarkozy is expected to lose without a massive amount of National Front support.

May Day rallies draw protesters around the world

VOA News — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:53:00 +0300

In Europe, workers filled the streets in Athens, Paris, Madrid and elsewhere, where protests were fuelled by growing anger at the austerity measures governments have imposed to cut their budget deficits.

Deal on OSCE role in Serbian elections welcomed

The Sofia Echo staff — Wed, 02 May 2012 08:31:00 +0300

An agreement reached with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will allow voters with dual citizenship in Kosovo to vote in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Serbia.

Poland may have more shale gas than PIG estimates - RPS Energy study

The Warsaw Voice — Wed, 02 May 2012 08:14:00 +0300

However, experts are skeptical whether all deposits are as rich as in the three licence areas.