Romania's opposition Social Democrat party says Sunday's presidential election was rigged and plans to contest the result. Official results showed incumbent President Traian Basescu with a winning margin of less than 1%. Earlier, exit polls had predicted victory for his Social Democrat rival, former Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana. Both candidates had claimed victory on Sunday night in what correspondents describe as a bitter contest. "We have proof of fraud," Social Democrat vice-president Liviu Dragnea was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Official results showed incumbent President Traian Basescu with a winning margin of less than 1%.
Earlier, exit polls had predicted victory for his Social Democrat rival, former Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana.
Both candidates had claimed victory on Sunday night in what correspondents describe as a bitter contest.
"We have proof of fraud," Social Democrat vice-president Liviu Dragnea was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Moldova's new Western-leaning coalition made an unsuccessful attempt today (7 December) to get its candidate elected as president by parliament and end months of deadlock. The troubled country now heads for early parliamentary elections. Moldovan Communist Party lawmakers walked out of parliament in Chisinau while a crucial vote to elect a new president was held. Marian Lupu, the candidate of the Alliance for European Integration, obtained only 53 votes, short of the 61 needed to have him elected as head of state. By leaving parliament, the Communist lawmakers, marshalled by former President Vladimir Voronin, repeated a strategy they had already used on 10 November, preventing communist dissidents from voting for Lupu. According to Moldova's constitution, after two failed attempts to elect a president the country now heads for early parliamentary elections.
Moldovan Communist Party lawmakers walked out of parliament in Chisinau while a crucial vote to elect a new president was held. Marian Lupu, the candidate of the Alliance for European Integration, obtained only 53 votes, short of the 61 needed to have him elected as head of state.
By leaving parliament, the Communist lawmakers, marshalled by former President Vladimir Voronin, repeated a strategy they had already used on 10 November, preventing communist dissidents from voting for Lupu. According to Moldova's constitution, after two failed attempts to elect a president the country now heads for early parliamentary elections.
A dispute over control of European Union foreign policy is breaking out less than a week after the 27-nation bloc adopted the Lisbon treaty, designed to improve decision-making procedures and enhance the EU's global influence. The clash pits countries that want to promote the authority of Lady Ashton, the Briton nominated as EU foreign policy supremo, against nations such as France and Spain, determined to defend the role of national governments in external relations. EU foreign ministers will debate the matter at a two-day meeting, starting on Monday, which will set the stage for a summit of all 27 heads of state and government on Thursday and Friday.
The clash pits countries that want to promote the authority of Lady Ashton, the Briton nominated as EU foreign policy supremo, against nations such as France and Spain, determined to defend the role of national governments in external relations.
EU foreign ministers will debate the matter at a two-day meeting, starting on Monday, which will set the stage for a summit of all 27 heads of state and government on Thursday and Friday.
EU officials are working on a global intellectual property treaty which could rewrite national legislation on copyright but which is being put together in a secretive process which helps to "launder" policies that may be too unpopular to pass through normal democratic channels. The EU and industrialised countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and Japan have since last spring been negotiating a trade pact known as Acta - the Anti-Counterfeit Trade Agreement. The treaty has been presented first and foremost as a way of tackling physical forgeries, such as designer handbags or or pirated DVDs. But leaks reveal that it will also have a much broader scope, including the sensitive issue of intellectual copyright on the internet.
The EU and industrialised countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and Japan have since last spring been negotiating a trade pact known as Acta - the Anti-Counterfeit Trade Agreement.
The treaty has been presented first and foremost as a way of tackling physical forgeries, such as designer handbags or or pirated DVDs. But leaks reveal that it will also have a much broader scope, including the sensitive issue of intellectual copyright on the internet.
But leaks reveal that it will also have a much broader scope, including the sensitive issue of intellectual copyright on the internet
A Murdoch sponsored clampdown on the Creative commons ? The end to "fair use" ? If it's driven by corporates then it won't be good for free expression keep to the Fen Causeway
Italy is refusing to give up its bid for the presidency of the Eurogroup and is challenging the informally announced re-appointment of Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker to the job, EurActiv has learned. The battle could also involve the appointment of the new president of the European Central Bank. "Negotiations over the appointment of the chairman of the Eurogroup are still open," Italian Minister for European Affairs Andrea Ronchi told journalists on Friday (4 December). "The last word is up to the European Council," Ronchi added, referring to an EU summit which opens in Brussels this week, on Thursday and Friday (10-11 December).
"Negotiations over the appointment of the chairman of the Eurogroup are still open," Italian Minister for European Affairs Andrea Ronchi told journalists on Friday (4 December).
"The last word is up to the European Council," Ronchi added, referring to an EU summit which opens in Brussels this week, on Thursday and Friday (10-11 December).
The European Union's foreign ministers are meeting today (7 December) in Brussels to decide the next steps on the integration of EU hopefuls. But leading MEP Eduard Kukan told EurActiv that he is "sceptical" regarding the outcome on Macedonia, a result of what he described as Greece's unwillingess to compromise over the so-called 'name dispute'. Foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels for a two-day meeting, which for the first time will be called by two new titles, the 'General Affairs Council' and 'Foreign Affairs Council' (GAC & FAC), replacing the previous 'General Affairs and External Relations' (GAERC) Council. The changes are prompted by the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the advent of an EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security.
Foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels for a two-day meeting, which for the first time will be called by two new titles, the 'General Affairs Council' and 'Foreign Affairs Council' (GAC & FAC), replacing the previous 'General Affairs and External Relations' (GAERC) Council. The changes are prompted by the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the advent of an EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security.
AFP - EU foreign ministers decided Monday to boost ties with Serbia, bringing an end to an 18-month standoff over Belgrade's lack of cooperation with a UN war crimes court, diplomats said. The move was made possible after the Netherlands, the only nation blocking the deal, dropped its opposition during the ministerial meeting in Brussels. "The Dutch have said that they are making a gesture (towards Serbia) while keeping up the pressure" for it to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY)," a European diplomat said on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
The move was made possible after the Netherlands, the only nation blocking the deal, dropped its opposition during the ministerial meeting in Brussels.
"The Dutch have said that they are making a gesture (towards Serbia) while keeping up the pressure" for it to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY)," a European diplomat said on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
However, the EU is still not ready to activate the full Stabilisation and Association Accord (SAA), which is deemed the first official step to EU membership.
Venezia, in verità, già aveva anticipato la capitale nel pomeriggio in cui, lo scorso due ottobre, il Comitato olimpico internazionale premiò Rio de Janeiro per il 2016 e bruciò Obama e la sua Chicago. L'annuncio ufficiale per la candidatura al 2020, pochi secondi dopo la chiusura della partita Rio, venne firmato insieme da Cacciari e Galan. Roma e Alemanno, che dall'estate aveva parlato delle sue intenzioni, furono presi in contropiede. Nei giorni successivi, poi, s'ingrossò un corteo di candidature improbabili - Bari, Palermo, la Romagna - che il Coni ha fermato per lasciare spazio alla grande gara delle città d'arte: Roma contro Venezia, ecco. Entro giugno 2011 l'Italia esprimerà la sua città candidata.
