The Romanian government, which had been in office for just two months, fell on Friday (27 April) after losing a vote of confidence in parliament. A new government is expected to be formed within the next ten days.

...The social-liberal coalition, the so-called "social liberal union" (USL) hailed itself as "the only one capable of holding power" in the current political environment. Liberal leader Crin Antonescu (PNL) said he had informed president Băsescu of their position and was waiting for a response shortly.

...The government's collapse came as a mission from the International Monetary Fund was in Bucharest to discuss a re-engagement with Romania. The IMF mission stopped its negotiations and delayed the disbursement of its next tranche of funds to Bucharest.

The USL opposition  alliance's priority is battling President Băsescu, and they are close to victory. But, once in government, they will be up against an even bigger wolf.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

French Interior Minister Claude Guéant pleaded yesterday (26 April) for a Schengen revamp in line with the anti-immigration rhetoric of Nicolas Sarkozy, who faces an uphill battle for re-election  on 6 May. He obtained the support of Germany and Austria, but was rebuked by Belgium and Sweden.

Greece cannot control its borders without the cooperation of its Turkish neighbour, Greek Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrisochoidis told the European Parliament on Wednesday (25 April), denouncing France's lack of solidarity on the matter and Turkey's attempts at "blackmail".

Jeremy Hunt was under mounting pressure last night after his most senior civil servant appeared to undermine the Culture Secretary's version of events surrounding the secret briefing of News Corp during its attempted £8 billion takeover of the satellite broadcaster BSkyB.

Jonathan Stephens, the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, refused 10 times to confirm that he "agreed" to let Mr Hunt's special adviser, Adam Smith, speak to Rupert Murdoch executives about the deal - as Mr Hunt claimed in Parliament as he battled to keep his job. The revelation adds to Labour Party suspicions that Mr Hunt may have overruled his Permanent Secretary to insist on a role for Mr Smith, who on Wednesday resigned over the affair, in the takeover talks. Mr Stephens repeatedly dodged the questions from MPs on the Commons Public Accounts Committee, to their clear irritation.

BRUSSELS - Ukraine's Party of Regions (PoR) has hired Burson-Marsteller, one of the biggest PR companies in Brussels, amid a smear campaign against former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

A senior manager at the US firm's Brussels branch, Robert Mack, told EUobserver by email: "Our brief is to help the PoR communicate its activities as the governing party of Ukraine, as well as to help it explain better its position on the Yulia Tymoshenko case." One of his staff said it was hired "several weeks ago."

Its tasks include setting up press interviews for Ukraine's deputy prosecutor general, Renat Kuzmin, when he visits the EU capital on 8 to 10 May.

Kuzmin in a Burson-Marsteller-linked interview in the Financial Times on 1 April accused Tymoshenko of involvement in a 1990s contract killing. On a visit to Brussels in November he accused her of buying "cars, furs, jewellery, restaurants" while in office and declaring a tiny income.