Five Stories from Europe You May Have Missed [View all]

[rpannier]

1. Croatian election: Social Democrat Zoran Milanović beats incumbent president in runoff vote

Zoran Milanović, the leader of Croatia's centre-left Social Democratic Party, was leading the country's presidential race on Sunday, beating incumbent Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, according to exit polls.

Former Croatian PM Milanović won 52,73% of the vote, against 47,27% for outgoing president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, according to official figures from the country's electoral commission based on results from 98% of Croatian polling stations.

The result is a blow for the ruling conservatives while Croatia holds the European Union's rotating presidency, and before a parliamentary election later this year.

snip

Milanovic's win is a rare victory for a left-wing official to a major post in central Europe where populists and conservatives have been winning elections in recent years

https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/04/croatia-presidential-election-voters-choose-head-of-state-days-after-starting-six-month-eu


2. Bulgaria To Cull 24,000 Pigs Amid Swine Fever Outbreak

Bulgarian veterinary authorities say they will cull 24,000 additional pigs amid signs of an outbreak of African Swine Fever at a pig farm in the northeast of the country.

The report on January 3 represents a continuation of an outbreak that was first detected at six breeding farms in the summer and led to the culling of more than 130,000 pigs in August 2019.

Health officials said there were 42 registered outbreaks of African Swine Fever in the country in 2019.

snip

In August, industry officials expressed concerns that the virus could hit the nation’s entire pig herd of some 500,000 and cause more than $1.1 billion in damages

https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-to-cull-24-000-pigs-amid-swine-fever-outbreak-/30360126.html


3. Belarus, Russia Officials Reach Deal To Reopen Oil Deliveries

Oil executives say they have reached agreement to restart Russian crude-oil supplies to Belarus following a cutoff over transit fees on January 1.

Belarus agreed to abandon a supplier's premium on the oil that it imports from its much larger neighbor, Belarus's Belneftekhim said in a statement on January 4.

The deal should allow for continuous operation of Belarusian refineries in January, they said.

snip

The halt in Russian oil supplies left oil bound for Europe unaffected but could have carried a wallop for Belarus, which depends on Russia for more than 80 percent of its energy.

https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-russia-officials-reach-deal-to-reopen-oil-deliveries/30360183.html


4. Tiny Italian enclave in Switzerland transferred back to Italy and the EU's customs union

Campione d'Italia, a tiny Italian enclave located in Switzerland was returned to Rome and the EU's customs union on January 1st, raising fears among residents accustomed to the enclave's special status.

Ownership of the enclave, located on the banks of Lake Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino around 20 kilometres from Italy, has ping-ponged between the two countries since at least the 7th century as the map of Europe took shape.

Following the unification of Italy in 1861, the two countries exchanged land and Campione as it was known then, acquired its unique status as an Italian territory in Switzerland's customs union.

That meant that although the roughly 2,000 residents paid their taxes in Italy, most of the public services were carried out by Swiss providers. Their rubbish was collected by a Swiss company, the telephone supplied by Swisscom, their cars had Swiss licence plates and shopping was mostly done in Swiss francs.

https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/03/tiny-italian-enclave-in-switzerland-transferred-back-to-italy-and-the-eu-s-customs-union


5. Montenegro Slams Serbia Over 'Uncivilized' Embassy Attack

Montenegro has criticized Serbia after thousands of ultranationalists in Belgrade attacked the Montenegrin Embassy in protest over a law that could target Serbian Orthodox Church property.

The ultranationalists, many of them characterized by authorities as soccer hooligans, targeted the embassy in the Serbian capital in the evening on January 2, setting off fireworks that burned Montenegro’s flag outside.

In a Twitter post, Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic called the embassy attack an “uncivilized” act and that it was “stunning” Serbian police did not protect the embassy during the incident, as well as at other recent protests. Montenegro also summoned the Serbian ambassador on January 3 to lodge an official protest.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the embassy was protected and accused Markovic of “telling notorious falsehoods,” though he did not appear to comment on the flag burning itself.

https://www.rferl.org/a/montenegro-slams-serbia-over-uncivilized-embassy-attack/30359059.html