Electoral fraud

Voter turnout in the Russian presidential election reached 67.4% as of 6.52 a.m. Moscow Time, Russia's Central Election Commission reported.

The Central Election Commission continues counting the votes on Monday.

Russia's incumbent head of state Vladimir Putin has garnered 76.67% of the vote in the March 18 election with 99.79% of the ballots counted.

The Council of Europe’s Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) has noted “a worrying lack of progress” in Turkey regarding preventing and combatting corruption, stressing concerns that the contentious and much discussed constitutional change appears to put the configuration of Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) even “more under the control of the executive branch.”

BELGRADE - The voter turnout in Sunday's elections for the Belgrade city assembly was 7.24 pct by 10 am and the voting is underway without any problems for the time being, president of the City Electoral Commission Zoran Lukic said, denying allegations about subsequent voter registration at a polling station in the municipality of Mladenovac.

BELGRADE - The polling stations for the Belgrade local elections closed at 8 pm on Sunday.

Only those voters who were still at the polling stations at the time of the closure were allowed to vote.

Greece needs to step up efforts to prevent corruption by lawmakers and judges and improve transparency of party financing, the Council of Europe said in two reports on Thursday.

Dragan Sikimic, who was appointed director of Serbia's Anti-Corruption Agency, an independent state body tasked with monitoring parties' finances, on 17 January, is closely involved with Serbia's ruling Progressive Party, BIRN can reveal.

The Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption, GRECO, has criticised Romania's parliament in a report for adopting justice legislation without a proper consultation process and despite protests.

The Kremlin has prepared recommendations for Russian regions to introduce games that could boost the presidential election on March 18, RBK said, citing sources in power and documents drafted by the presidency.

The caging of a wild cat in a mall in the Turkish capital Ankara has provoked an outcry, with social media users and animal rights groups calling on the Nata Vega Outlet mall to ensure the safe release of the animal.

The government has taken as its priority the systematic fight against corruption at all levels of government and the adoption of anti-corruption legislation by the end of the year.