All News from Balkans

Insurance scam cracked after netting 1.3 mln euros

Four police officers, two lawyers and an insurance adjuster are among 13 people arrested on Friday in connection with an insurance scam which cost at least 27 companies an estimated 1.3 million euros.

Alpha sells bulk of new shares to US and UK buyers

US and British investors bought the bulk of Alpha Banks 1.2-billion-euro new share issue, it said on Friday, providing further evidence that foreign investors are warming to Greece.

IMF disburses loan tranche to Cyprus

The International Monetary Fund said on Friday it had reviewed Cypruss economy under a bailout program and approved a loan disbursement for about $115 million.

The international lender said the disbursement brings total lending to date under the IMFs $1.4 billion program with Cyprus to about $459 million.

Greek coalition confident as reform multi-bill goes to Parliament

People line up outside a pharmacy in central Athens that was on duty on Friday. Pharmacists have been on strike for several days and have vowed to continue their action unless the government withdraws a provision for the deregulation of the over-the-counter drug market.

Greek bank deposits drop for a second month in February

Greek bank deposits dropped in February for a second month in a row and private sector lending continued to shrink, central bank data showed on Thursday, with no sign of the credit expansion needed to spur economic recovery this year.

Cyrus removes maximum daily cash withdrawal limits

Cyprus abolished maximum daily cash withdrawal limits from bank accounts on Friday, a year after it imposed capital controls to prevent economic meltdown and a flight of cash under the terms of a painful international bailout.

[Reuters]

Unionist attacked in 2008 to run in European polls

Konstantina Kouneva, a former labor union activist from Bulgaria and the victim of a notorious 2008 acid attack, will run in the coming European Parliament elections on main leftist opposition SYRIZAs ticket, it emerged Friday.

Udovicic: Privatization in sports is necessary

NOVI SAD - Serbia's Minister of Youth and Sports Vanja Udovicic said on Friday that it is necessary to engage in the changes and modernization of the sports system in Serbia.

We have set out to modernize all segments of the society, so it is necessary to modernize the sports system as well, Udovicic said in a public debate on privatization in sports, held in Novi Sad.

Gains at the closing bell for main stock index

The closing auctions helped the Greek stock markets benchmark index to post gains of almost 1 percent on Friday, as it registered a small weekly drop of 0.21 percent.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,327.87 points, adding 0.98 percent to Thursdays 1,314.99 points. The large-cap FTSE/ATHEX 25 expanded 1.05 percent to 428.65 points.

Mitrogoal back soon for Fulham, says Magath

Fulham could soon have Greece striker Costas Mitroglou back to assist in its Premier League relegation fight, manager Felix Magath said on Friday.

Mitroglou has featured just twice for the Londoners since joining from Olympiakos Piraeus for an undisclosed fee, which media reports put at 12 million pounds ($19.97 million), on transfer deadline day on January 31.

Greek president a ‘wise’ man, Pope Francis says

The legal status of religious communities, the role of religion in society, and ecumenical collaboration were at the focus of talks between Greek President Karolos Papoulias and Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday.

New Democracy, SYRIZA clash over Ecofin protest

New Democracy accused main leftist opposition SYRIZAs youth wing of heralding disturbances by issuing a call for young Greeks to voice their disapproval of the government on Tuesday, when European Union finance ministers will be in Athens for the Ecofin meeting.