Strasbourg

STRASBOURG - President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Anne Brasseur has welcomed a report by special prosecutor John Clint Williamson concerning an investigation into the 1999 Kosovo organ trafficking case, expressing satisfaction that “truth’s onward march continues also in this case.”

Greek MEP Costas Papadakis was disciplined on Tuesday after interrupting French National Front leader Marine Le Pen during a session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

By Tom Körkemeier

STRASBOURG, France - Jean-Claude Juncker won broad endorsement from the European Parliament on Tuesday to be the next head of the executive European Commission after setting out a "grand coalition" investment program to help revive Europe's economy.

STRASBOURG - Future president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker has stated in the European Parliament that no Western Balkan country will become a member of the EU in the next 5 years.

Juncker told the members of the parliament from the group of liberal and progressive parties he saw no country of the region ready to join the EU in that time.

"No W. Balkans country will join EU in next 5 years"

BRUSSELS -- Future president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker says no Western Balkan country will become a member of the EU in the next 5 years.

Juncker made the statement in the European Parliament.

Turkey ordered to pay compensation to journalists

STRASBOURG -- The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Turkey to pay a total of EUR 30,000 compensation to two Turkish journalists.

They were held in detention without sufficient evidence for more than a year.

The European Court of Human Rights (EHCR) on July 8 found Turkey guilty of violating freedom of speech and the right to a free trial in the prosecution of journalists Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener, who were jailed as part of the controversial OdaTV case.

An independent judicial power is needed to control those use public opportunities as a “tool of hatred,” Turkish Constitutional Court head Haşim Kılıç said, during a speech at a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) panel in Strasbourg.

BRUSSELS - A major donor conference to raise aid for the flood-hit population in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) will be held in Brussels on July 16 and a number of officials from Europe and the world confirmed their attendance at the event.

Turkey has drawn praise from the Council of Europe for its recent judicial moves to allow citizens to apply directly to the country’s highest court ahead of a European-wide convention of constitutional court judges.