EU Council

EU Council President Herman van Rompuy has announced the bloc put off for "a few days" the enforcement of new measures against Russia.

He tied the sanctions to the situation in Ukraine's Donbass region, where pro-Russian rebels signed last week a truce agreement with the government in Kiev.

The European Union is to introduce a new round of sanctions against Russia.

Her comments come after European sources told Interfax agency the bloc was determined to go with the measures against Russia.

Sanctions will be in force from Tursday depend on the situation in Ukraine and will therefore be "reversible", the BBC quotes the official as saying.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced Moscow could restrict the movement of foreign flights in its airspace if new sector sanctions are introduced against the country.

"If there are sanctions related to energy [or] further restrictions to our financial sector, we have to respond asymmetrically," Russian agency ITAR-TASS quoted Medvedev as saying.

BUCHAREST - Europe is aware that more attention should be paid to economic growth and job creation in South East Europe, Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Kori Udovicki said in Bucharest on Thursday.

BRUSSELS - The EU Council extended on Thursday the mandate for the EULEX mission in Kosovo until June 14, 2016, upon the exchange of letters between Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga and High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Asthon.

From Euractiv

Speaking after the EU summit held yesterday (27 May), Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso made it plain that the EU executive would impose infringements on Bulgaria regarding the Gazprom-favoured South Stream pipeline, the construction of which is about to begin in breach with EU laws.

The Energy Community Secretariat of the EU has asked the EU Council to examine the legality of bilateral agreements on the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline concluded between Serbia and Russia's Gazprom company.

Serbia "ignored" EU objections over South Stream

BRUSSELS -- The EU Energy Community Secretariat has asked the EU Council to examine the legality of bilateral agreements between Serbia and Gazprom.

The agreements concern the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline.

BRUSSELS - The Energy Community Secretariat of the European Union submitted a request to the EU Council to examine the legality of bilateral agreements on the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline concluded between Serbia and the Russian Gazprom company.

President Rosen Plevneliev discussed the situation of Syrian refugees in Bulgaria at a meeting with EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy in Brussels.