Press review

New concerns arose over the presence of both Serbia and Kosovo to the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sarajevo. Furthermore, insufficient constitutional and electoral-law reforms remain significant obstacles to Bosnia’s democratic process.

The EU target for poverty reduction under the ‘Europe 2020’ economic plan, still faces a lot of criticism from Eastern European EU countries. Elsewhere, the Ugandan government’s controversial ‘Anti-Counterfeiting Bill’ has been amended after civil society organisations campaigned against provisions in the bill. In addition, women voters are ambivalent on the need to increase female representation in the Mauritian parliament.

Concern is growing over the political commitment of Macedonia to its pro-EU reforms. Furthermore, the European Parliament is to call on Serbia to take "a pragmatic attitude toward Kosovo" Elsewhere, 50 journalists from Niger devoted themselves to the creation of a self-regulation watchdog for the press.

The European Commission announced an allocation of 3 million Euros in humanitarian aid for programmes to support Somali refugees in Kenya’s Dadaab camps. Elsewhere, Ukrainian journalists protested against restrictions on the media during a rally in Lviv. In addition, a referendum in Slovenia may revive the country’s border dispute with Croatia.

Eurozone states and the IMF have agreed a three-year lending package for Greece worth €110 billion. Elsewhere, Croatia is struggling to conclude membership negotiations with the European Union.

The European development NGO community is adamant that development co-operation will not be taken out of the hands of the commission. Furthermore, the EU wants to spur concrete reforms in Ukraine's economy and justice system. In addition, a new report by think tank ‘Freedom House’ shows that the world’s press became less free in 2009, due to a trend of efforts by repressive or semi-repressive governments to consolidate existing control over the media.

Diplomatic moves to normalise relations between Turkey and Armenia have faltered recently. Furthermore, European Commission chief Mr. Barroso urged Romania to honour its commitments. Elsewhere, the collapse of the coalition of the Belgium government could cause embarrassment for Belgium as the country prepares to take on the EU’s rotating presidency for six months on the 1st of July.

The European Commission is hoping that the travel chaos caused by the Icelandic ash cloud will lead to a more harmonised European airspace.Elsewhere, Romania’s hopes of achieving the EU poverty reduction goals seem “unrealistic”. Furthermore, the regional director of UN-habitat in Africa and Arab countries, urged financial institutions to channel their investments into African urban centres instead of rural areas.

The European Commission presents its priorities to modernise and harmonise EU justice and home affairs policies in the ‘Stockholm Programme’. In addition, European reporters launch a campaign to press the EU to strengthen journalism and to protect information pluralism. Elsewhere, Lady Ashton said that the EU would be willing to provide political, financial and technical support to the new Kyrgyz government if it proves to be committed to democracy and human rights.

The European Commission calls on member states to issue transit visas to people stranded at airports. Elsewhere, the Turkish parliament has begun debating changes to the constitution that would shift powers away from the highly secular judiciary and army. In addition, Croatia closed another chapter in its membership talks with the European Union.