Eastern Europe

Worried by the declining use of their ancient script, councillors in the Serbian capital, Belgrade on Friday adopted a decision to reward companies that promote use of Cyrillic.

The adopted by-law offers a 5-per-cent discount to companies and people who rent city-owned offices if they write their names in Cyrillic.

The joint celebration of the Centennial of Romania's Greater Union and the Independence Centennial of Poland offer the two states cooperation opportunities for emphasizing their modern history's reference moments, added to the Romania-Poland strategic partnership, the Romanian ambassador to Poland, Ovidiu Dranga, told AGERPRES in an interview.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Melescanu said on Tuesday that Romania's efforts next year, during its term at the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will focus on the optimization and the practical implementation of the goals of EU's overall strategy, in line with political consensus.

Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu participated on Monday in Brussels in the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting, context in which the head of the Romanian diplomacy pleaded for the EU to maintain its attention and support, so that the process of implementing the Association Agreement / the Free Trade Agreement continue in the relationship with Ukraine.

Fifth Eastern Partnership summit will be held today in Brussels. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is also expected to take part in it, reports sega. 

Russian Patriarch Kirill has said that he always thinks about Serbia with special feelings, and feels at home here.

The agreement will be signed by Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, the Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. Reports BNT. 

The Apostoli charity of the Athens Archbishopric and the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) organization have donated 15 tons of medical supplies worth more than 2 million dollars to the Attica region's health department in aid of cash-strapped hospitals and medical centers.

An international conference about the contribution of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to the rescue of Bulgarian Jews is taking place in Sofia, Focus News Agency reported.

Serbian Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Ana Barnabic says she "deeply respects the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC)".