Politics of Europe

Sergey Stanishev, the leader of ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), said he would go to Brussels as MEP, but only for a month.

Speaking for public broadcaster BNR, he cited the "commitment" to propose current EP President Martin Schulz as a EU Commission President candidate of the S&D group within the European Parliament.

The head of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) provincial branch in Ankara has resigned, apparently as part of a reorganization of the party according to results of the March 30 local elections.

UK Independence Party (UKIP)'s leader Nigel Farage has made fresh remarks referring to Southeastern Europe in an interview with a US TV channel.

"I haven't got a problem with Romanians. I have a massive problem with Romania," Farage told CNBC on Thursday.

The leader of the main opposition Democratic Front, Miodrag Lekic, on Thursday said negotiations with the Socialist People's Party and the coalition of the Social Democratic Party and Positive Montenegro on forming an authority in the capital would start after June 10.

Chairman of the joint Senate and Chamber of Deputies committee regarding Romania's accession to the Schengen zone, Social Democrat (PSD) senator Mircea Geoana, vehemently condemns the statements of British politician Nigel Farage regarding Romania, deeming them unacceptable.

In a recent interview to Agerpres, Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Thorbjorn Jagland voices satisfaction over the fact that Romania has not taken the same route in the European elections as France and other countries did, setting a good example and showing that there is a culture in Romania of not going with the flow.

Former interior minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov was sentenced to four years in prison for obstructing justice on May 29 in the latest political scandal to rock the country.

Less than five ministers will be replaced, said Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski in parliament after his Government survived the fourth no confidence vote on Friday morning. 

He refused to say which ministers will be replaced, because he still hasn't discussed the matter with the coalition leaders Sergei Stanishev and Lyutvi Mestan. 

Nikos Chrysoloras & Eleni Chrepa

Greece’s main opposition leader distanced his group from other protest parties that made gains in the European elections, calling the U.K. Independence Party and the National Front in France “monstrosities.”

BELGRADE - Serbian and Slovenian presidents Tomislav Nikolic and Borut Pahor agreed on Thursday that bilateral relations are excellent and that no open issues exist between the two countries.