Politics

Golden Dawn MP for Larissa, in central Greece, Chrysovalantis Alexopoulos, on Saturday announced he was leaving the ultranationalist party and would continue as an independent.

Fifty-nine undocumented migrants were rescued on Saturday from a boat that was in distress west of Paxoi, a small group of islands in the Ionian Sea, on Saturday.

According to initial reports, the operation was carried out by two coast guard vessels and one of the agency’s helicopters in association with the EU border monitoring agency, Frontex.

Members of Parliament who may be considering voting against the proposed bill outlining the likely deal between the coalition government and the country’s partners and creditors – the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund – ought to properly consider the effects that their decision could have.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Russia’s capital Moscow to attend rallies both in support of and against the referendum in Crimea.

The Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported 15,000 people marched in support of Crimea’s secession, while the counter-rally had numbered around 3,000.

Russia will wait for the results of Ukraine’s Presidential elections in May before making further payments from the USD 15 B loan package.

The first USD 3 B of the deal, agreed between ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and Vladimir Putin was transferred to Kiev in December.

The leader of Bulgaria’s Socialist Party (BSP) and former PM, Sergey Stanishev, will lead his party’s list for the upcoming European Parliament elections.

The decision was made late on Friday by the BSP’s executive committee, Standartnews informs.

The pre-election silence lasts from midnight Thursday until polling day on Sunday, when people will vote for national and provincial parliaments as well as for local assemblies.

A Crimean Tatar youth holding a sign reading ‘No illegal referendum’ as pro-Ukrainian demonstrators marched in the streets of Simferopol on Friday.

By John Kittmer *

A choice isn’t a choice when it is made with a gun to your head.

WASHINGTON - The US State Department has said in it latest report on the international strategy against narcotics that Serbia is not among the large producers or consumers of narcotics, but a transit country in narcotics trafficking.

Minister: Kosovo army completely unacceptable

BELGRADE -- Aleksandar Vulin, minister without portfolio in charge of Kosovo and Metohija in the Serbian government, say a Kosovo army would be "completely unacceptable."

"Serbia does not intend to, within the Brussels dialogue or otherwise, negotiate this issue," he said on Friday.