European Union

Crisis-hit Greeks remain deeply skeptical of many aspects of the European project despite signs of rebound in overall sentiment, an opinion poll carried out by the Pew Research Center and published on Monday has found.

Bulgaria maintains significant levels of unemployment and gray economy, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Laszlo Andor believes.

He also announced that an additional EUR 50 M will be granted to Bulgaria to tackle youth unemployment under a special EU-wide program.

PM Plamen Oresharski and the European Commissioner Laszlo Andor have discussed the future of the Bulgarian pension reform, as well as the structural unemployment, Monday.

The European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Laszlo Andor has met with Prime Minister Oresharski earlier Monday during his two-day visit to Sofia.

By Lucy Meakin and Neal Armstrong

The advance in euro-area government bonds that pushed the 10-year yields of Ireland, Italy and Spain to record lows today is about to end, according to investors from BlueBay Asset Management LLP to BlackRock Inc.

BELGRADE - Poland's Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz stated on Friday that Poland supports Serbia's EU pathway, stressing that Serbia is one of the most important countries in the region.

BELGRADE - Minister without Portfolio in charge of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic said Friday that Serbia is ready to press ahead with the reforms that are crucial for the opening of most important chapters in the EU accession talks, aimed to strengthen institutions and the rule of law.

A spokesman for the International Monetary Fund, one of Greece's three international creditors, acknowledged in comments to reporters late on Thursday that Greek debt is high and added that Greece's eurozone partners had agreed to debt relief.

In the period January-February 2014, Bulgarian exports to the EU decreased by 0.1% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and amounted to BGN 4B.

EU praises new procurement law in BiH

In an effort to end corruption in purchasing of goods from outside sources, the BiH parliament adopted a new law.

Parliament adopted the law on April 30th. [parliament.ba]

THESSALONIKI - Foreign ministers of the EU member states and the Western Balkan countries attending a ministerial conference in Thessaloniki Thursday expressed their support for European integration of the Western Balkan region and announced a EUR 1 billion pre-accession assistance by 2020.