News archive of June 2014

BELGRADE - The Serbian government appointed on Monday Marijana Radovanovic as acting director of the Privatisation Agency, Tanjug has learned from the Justice Ministry.

Radovanovic was previously an executive director within the agency, and the government decided on Saturday to have her replace Vida Uzelac as the head of that institution.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta said on Monday he would like Sorin Oprescu (Bucharest mayor - editor's note) to candidate for President on behalf of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), but this is a decision that has to be taken at party level.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has announced party co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş as its candidate for the upcoming presidential elections in August.

The HDP, which could become the kingmaker in a possible second round, had previously stated that it would run with its own candidate during the first round of polls on Aug. 10.

Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency will conduct an extensive nation-wide checkup of currency exchange bureaus.

The reason for the tightened control is the upcoming summer tourist season, when the frauds increase.

According to the law, currency exchange bureaus operate at an exchange rate within 5% of the one fixed by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper reported on Monday that Serbian Prime Minister Aleksander Vucic is to offer veteran British politician Mandelson an advisory contract.

“He’s is one of the brightest guys I’ve ever met,” said Vucic, according to the Daily Mail.

The TV7 and BBT TV channels filed for bankruptcy with the Sofia City Court, in accordance with the Commercial Act, reports Dnevnik.bg. 

“With this move the company hopes to protect itself from invalid claims of creditors,” said the management of the two connected companies in a statement to the media. 

Locals in the Boğazpınar village in the southern province of Mersin are set to organize a culture and art festival for the third consecutive year on Aug. 16 and 17 to raise their voice against several hydroelectric plant (HES) construction plans in the area.

Two Egyptian police officers were killed defusing bombs near the presidential palace in Cairo Monday, almost a year to the day after a military takeover unleashed a wave of repression and militant attacks.
      

Around 30 migrants have been found dead on a boat in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and the North African coast.

The fishing boat had been overcrowded, with some 600 people on board. The cause of the deaths is most likely asphyxiation from being crammed into a compartment below the decks, the BBC revealed.

Alil Demiri, Afrim Ismailovic, Agim Ismailovic, Fejzi Aziri, Haki Aziri and Sami Ljuta were found guilty on Monday of killing five ethnic Macedonians at Orthodox Easter in 2012 and given the longest possible sentence for terrorism offences, life in prison.

The court said that the murder was planned and carried out in a “vicious manner”.