Romania s Hours-Old Government Approves 2010 Budget (Update1) (Bloomberg)
Dec. 24 (Bloomberg) — Romania s government approved a budget for 2010 to unlock a $30 billion international bailout loan hours after Parliament voted in the administration, ending a stalemate that left the country without leadership since October.
Moldova abolishes ban on holding public posts by people with dual citizenship (People’s Daily)
Moldova’s parliament Wednesday passed amendments allowing Moldovans with dual citizenship to hold public posts, abolishing a prohibition in this respect imposed by the former government. The amendments were voted by the parliamentary majority at the initiative of Prime Minister and MP Vlad Filat. The law in force was discriminatory to Moldovans holding dual citizenship, stressed Filat when …
New Romanian governement sworn in (AFP via Yahoo! News)
The new Romanian centre-right government was sworn in at the parliament on Wednesday, ending a two-month political crisis, lawmakers announced.
2010 roster revelations: Heeeeere’s… Belarus (NBC Olympics)
On Wednesday, Belarus was the first of 12 nations to announce its men’s hockey roster for the Vancouver Games. There were no surprises, as the four Belarusians playing in the NHL — brothers Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn of Montreal; Mikhail Grabovski of Toronto; and Ruslan Salei of Colorado — were named to the team. The other 19 players were drawn from either the KHL, Russia’s elite league, or …
New Romanian government sworn in (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Romania’s new centre-right government was sworn in at the parliament on Wednesday, ending a two-month political crisis, lawmakers announced.
Transneft Concerned Bulgaria May Back Out of Bosporus Pipeline (Bloomberg)
Dec. 24 (Bloomberg) — OAO Transneft, Russia s state-run pipeline operator, is concerned that Bulgaria s new government will back out of a proposed oil pipeline designed to relieve tanker congestion in the Turkish Bosporus Straits.
Turkish military breaks silence over new plot story (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Turkey’s military broke its silence on Wednesday over reports that two officers had been detained on suspicion of plotting to assassinate a deputy prime minister, saying they were premature as police investigations were incomplete.
Court says Bosnian constitution discriminatory (CNN)
Bosnia’s constitution violates European human rights law by banning Jews, Roma and other ethnic minorities from running for president or the upper chamber of Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights ruled.
Greek parliament adopts 2010 crisis budget (AFP via Yahoo! News)
The Greek parliament has adopted a crisis budget for 2010 in a bid to bring order to its chaotic public finances and restore its badly dented credibility with foreign investors and the European Union.
Greece passes austerity budget amid debt crisis (AP via Yahoo! Finance)
Greece’s Socialist-led parliament approved a 2010 budget aimed at reducing the country’s high deficit by boosting tax revenues while slashing spending and restricting salaries and new appointments in the public sector.
