The Balkan Chronicle

Turkish mediterranean energy hub plan faces hurdles

Israel's rapprochement with onetime strategic ally Turkey is a vital element in Ankara's drive to become the intercontinental east-west energy hub in the Mediterranean and many expect it to produce an energy alliance that will transform the region.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Recep Erdogan has, since taking power in 2002, transformed his country's economic prospects through a wide-ranging diplomatic drive aimed at restoring Turkish leadership in the region.

He has long sought to transform Turkey, which has no energy resources of its own, into the unassailable central hub for transporting oil and gas from the eastern Mediterranean, the new hot zone, to Europe and maybe to Asia as well.

Russian Extremists Held in Serbia and Ukraine Over High-Profile Murders

Two alleged Russian nationalists suspected of involvement in a number of high-profile murders, including the audacious 2009 shooting of a human rights lawyer in downtown Moscow, have been detained in Serbia and Ukraine, Russia's Investigative Committee said Monday. Some of the gruesome murders such as slaughter of Tajik Muslim were filmed and later released over the internet.

Ilya Goryachev and Mikhail Volkov had been on the international wanted list as part of the criminal case opened into the BORN (Battle Organization of Russian Nationalists) extremist group on multiple charges related to a string of killings.

Boyko Borisov is tough enough to be Bulgarian PM again

Former bodyguard Boyko Borisov, is elected for another term as Bulgaria's prime minister in elections on Sunday, and he is as charismatic as he is tough.

But the dramatic way his first term ended in February makes it clear that these qualities may not be enough to tackle the deep problems faced by the European Union's poorest country. Nevertheless, he is now elected for a second term.

The 53-year-old quit the first term after anger about poverty, utility prices and corruption erupted into sometimes violent mass street protests. Seven people set themselves on fire.

The burly bruiser claimed he had been appalled by the sight of blood at a Sofia rally that got out of hand the night before he resigned, but analysts detected crocodile tears.

EU entry brings stiff competition to Croatian farm and food industry

Croatia's forthcoming admission to the European Union, set for 1 July is a great challenge for the national agriculture and food industry that will have to be prepared to operate in conditions of tight competition, and therefore farmers and producers are advised to be organised in co-operatives and clusters, it was said at a round table discussion held in Zagreb on Wednesday.

During the debate on "The Food Market After Croatia's Admission to the EU", organised by an association of Croatian reporters covering the agricultural sector, Deputy Agriculture Minister Snjezana Spanjol said that farmers and food producers must be aware of the necessity of being organised in associations and clusters in order to reduce costs and to boost their competitiveness.