Social Issues

BELGRADE - An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will visit Serbia for talks on a new three-year arrangement with the country shortly after its new government is formed, Finance Minister Lazar Krstic has announced, adding that public debt reduction will be one of the goals of the new government, making major budget cuts a necessity.

"Parliament to have MPs from 7 lists, in 12 clubs"

BELGRADE -- Serbia's new parliament, elected on Sunday, will have MPs from seven electoral lists - and they plan to form 12 "deputy clubs."

In a report issued on Wednesday, following discussing between the Albanian government and the Fund from October to December, the IMF said Albania’s economy had weakened and macro-economic imbalances had widened.

Request for transfer of another Serb detainee to KM

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- Dragoljub Delibašić's lawyer says he requested that his client be transferred from the Priština detention center to northern Kosovska Mitrovica.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that all the practicalities surrounding Crimea’s accession into the Russian Federation will be completed this week.

Deputy Interior Minister Leonidas Grigorakos on Wednesday removed from a draft immigration law a provision that foresaw the immediate expulsion from Greece of any migrants that made a false complaint to authorities.

The provision met with criticism from opposition parties.

SYRIZA MP Vassiliki Katrivanou called it “racist and dangerous.”

More than 8,000 doctors and nurses who are employed by the National Organization for Healthcare Provision (EOPYY) but have been in a labor mobility scheme for the past month have been asked to visit the EOPYY polyclinics on Thursday ahead of the scheduled launch next week of the Primary National Healthcare Network (PEDY) which is to replace EOPYY.

BELGRADE - The new Serbian government should carry out significant reforms related primarily to the public sector, but also to adopting systemic laws and improving the business environment in the country, Matteo Patrone, the director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) office in Belgrade, said on Wednesday.

The delayed monthly financial aid for refugees will be paid by Friday, Vasil Danov of Bulgaria's State Agency for Refugees confirmed.

The February payments of BGN 65 have been delayed by the Financial Ministry and the Interior Ministry, Danov told Darik news.

A Special Court in Belgrade has placed an alleged drugs baron who surrendered to the authorities on Monday after more than four years on the run in custody for 60 days.