Government

The European Parliament voted Tuesday to make "Made-in" labelling mandatory for non-food products sold on the single market.

The EP voted on plans to tighten up product safety requirements and market surveillance rules so as to strengthen consumer protection in the EU.

BELGRADE- The central committee of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) adopted on Tuesday a report by SNS President Aleksandar Vucic and authorized him to continue the talks on forming the next government and present a proposal of its composition, SNS Vice President Nebojsa Stefanovic has said.

BELGRADE - The only item on the agenda of the inaugural session of the Serbian parliament on Wednesday will be verification of MPs’ mandates, and after the Serbian Orthodox Easter holidays, the parliament will elect its speaker, deputy speaker and all parliamentary bodies, outgoing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) MP group leader Zoran Babic has said.

Bulgaria's National Ombudsman Konstantin Penchev has announced he found his signature included in the EU elections registration of a party that splintered off Ataka.

The ombudsman Konstantin Penchev referred to the Constitutional Court  parts of Electronic Communications Act regarding gathering of information on users' internet activities. 

The prosecutor heading an investigation into a secretly filmed video showing former cabinet secretary Panayiotis Baltakos in conversation with the spokesman of neofascist Golden Dawn, Ilias Kasidiaris on Tuesday sent the case file to Parliament which is to decide on whether to lift the latter's immunity to prosecution on charges of making and using an illegal recording.

BELGRADE -Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin has said that Serbia and Russia should
hold a joint news conference, dedicated to the centenary of the beginning of World War I, in Belgrade on May 5-6.

A delegation of the Russian State Duma led by Speaker Sergey Naryshkin will take part in the conference, Chepurin told Itar-Tass.

Putin and Obama urge each other to "use their influence"

WASHINGTON, MOSCOW -- U.S. President Barack Obama appealed on Russian President Vladimir Putin to convince "pro-Russian groups" in eastern Ukraine to lay down their arms.

As announced by the White House, Obama last night held a telephone conversation with Putin.

BELGRADE- The Serbian Progressive Party's (SNS) presidency reached a decision Monday to create a coalition government with the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (SVM) and to let SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic conduct talks with other parties about possible expansion of the ruling coalition.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin has called on the EU to guarantee gas supplies from Russia to Ukraine and gas transit to the remaining part of Europe.