International relations

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg is preparing a new pilot-judgment procedure, the third in a row, against Bulgaria over poor prison conditions.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has invited Moldova to sign an association and free trade pact with the European Union on June 27 in Brussels.

BELGRADE - The first festival of Korean film in Serbia has opened at the Yugoslav Film Archive in Belgrade with a screening of Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow, an action comedy directed by Kim Suk-Yoon.

The festival marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Serbia.

IMF economist Nadeem Ilahi, who led a team from the IMF visiting Tirana from April 30 to May 13, on Tuesday said the country's fiscal performance was in line with programme targets in the first quarter of 2014.

“The authorities remain committed to further fiscal consolidation in 2015 in order to begin to reduce public debt as envisaged under their economic program,” Ilahi noted.

Bulgaria's energy watchdog DKEVR will present on Wednesday the results of the regulation audit of the three electricity distribution companies (EDCs). 

The audit started in the beginning of this year and reviews the activities of  EVN Bulgaria Electricity Distribution, CEZ Distribution Bulgaria and Energo-Pro Grids since 2008. 

Forty percent of Bulgarians are pro-EU, while 22% would like Bulgaria to join the Russia-led Eurasian Union, shows a survey of the Alpha Research agency. 

The question Alpha Research asked the respondents in the end of April was “If today was held a referendum for the joining of Bulgaria to the EU or the Eurasian Union, which would you choose?”

Nikolic met with Mohammed Nabhan, the ambassador of Palestine in Belgrade, and discussed the forthcoming visit of the President of Palestine to Serbia and the strengthening of economic cooperation.

The date of the Abbas visit has yet to be set. According to the Serbian President's office, Nikolic said that relations with Palestine are "on an upward trend in all segments".

By Alexis Papachelas

The sight of thousands of visitors from countries around the world strolling around the streets of central Athens is a sheer delight.

It feels as if the city is coming alive, with hotels often operating at full capacity while there are high expectations that this year will prove one of the best ever for the Greek tourism sector.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras continued an election road trip that will take him around the country with a visit to the island of Lesvos on Tuesday but the campaign for the local and European Parliament elections is expected to peak on Friday when he is due to set out his growth plan, also known as Greece 2021.

Registry Agency fee reduction will cost individuals and businesses nearly BGN 7M less by the end of 2014, Bulgarian Deputy PM and Justice Minister Zinaida Zlatanova said Tuesday.

During a business conference, Zlatanova pointed out that these funds can be invested in the economy, rather than go to administrative fees, BGNES informs.