Status quo

Sunday's elections confirmed the demise of the old political status quo in Bulgaria - while failing to reveal the course lying ahead.

We will most likely have an expert minority government, nominated by the three new parties and at least moderately supported by the status quo parties, and in case of elections in three months the new ones in parliament will have a majority - they are yet to gain strength, told Dir.bg political scientist Evgeny Dainov.

During the last few weeks we have been witnessing the incremental execution by Turkey of a well thought-out strategic plan which aims to challenge the status quo in the Aegean and the East Mediterranean in a deliberate way, using claims, so-called evidence, maps drawn in a certain way, invoking treaties and agreements.

Rick Parfitt, the guitarist of British rock group Status Quo, died in hospital on Dec. 24 in Spain aged 68 after suffering from a severe infection. 

 
Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt has died in hospital in Spain aged 68, his manager has said.

He died from a severe infection after going to hospital on Thursday following complications to a shoulder injury.

Parfitt’s musical partnership with Francis Rossi, which spanned five decades, made Status Quo one of British rock’s most enduring acts.

Police detained 22 suspected members of the anarchist group Rouvikonas (Rubicon) on Thursday after they barged into the branch of Attica Bank on Omirou Street, central Athens, before heading up to the second floor and hung a banner protesting the use of the state-backed lender by successive governments.