European Union

By Jonathan Stearns

Jean-Claude Juncker staked a claim to the European Commission presidency after his Europe-wide party won parliamentary elections, setting up a potential clash with national government leaders over the high-profile post.

BELGRADE - At the invitation of European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi, National Bank of Serbia (NBS) Governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic is attending a three-day forum on central banking, hosted by the ECB in Sintra, Portugal, on May 25-27, the NBS said in a statement on Monday.

Svetoslav Malinov, the Reformist Bloc's "number two" in the coalition's European elections list, is to become MEP instead of top candidate Meglena Kuneva.

Malinov has "ousted" former EU Commissioner Kuneva as preferred MEP candidate by the Reformist Bloc's voters, according to reports by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

World War Two hero Manolis Glezos is set to be elected to European Parliament at the age of 91 following Sunday’s vote in Greece. He is set to be joined in Brussels and Strasbourg by the former captain of Greece’s Euro 2004-winning soccer team, Theodoros Zagorakis.

By Evgenia Tzortzi

The program for the 2014-20 European Union subsidy funding period will entail the investment of 26 billion euros. On top of the 20.8 billion set to come from Brussels, another 5.2 billion from Greece will be added. This includes an extra 2 billion euros that the Greek side will attempt to obtain in 2016 by utilizing the revision clause.

The controversial member of the Movement of Rights and Freedoms (DPS) Delyan Peevski announced that he would not enter the European Parliament.

Peevski was second in DPS’s list at the European elections. The party will send 4 MEPs according to the latest preliminary results.

By Ian Wishart

Voters across the European Union give their verdict today on policy makers’ handling of the euro- area debt crisis in elections to the European Parliament that may shape the future of the 28-nation bloc.

By Paul Taylor

Draped down the side of the European Commission's headquarters, a 13-storey-tall banner urged citizens to vote in the European Parliament elections, proclaiming in English, French and Dutch: "This time it's different."

Well maybe, but maybe not.

The honorary President of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Ion Iliescu, said that it is very important for Romanians to show up and vote on Sunday, so that the country can consolidate its status in the European Parliament as a full member of the European Union.

BELGRADE - European Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn said in Belgrade Saturday that the EU treats Serbia as a member state and will do anything to show that and help Serbia in the difficult situation caused by the recent heavy flooding in the country.