The Prague Post Online: News: European Roundup

December 1st, 2008

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AUSTRIA Austria’s two far-right parties have hailed the results of snap general elections, which saw their support doubling since the 2006 poll, the BBC reported Sept. 29. The Freedom Party and the Alliance for the Future of Austria took nearly 29 percent of the vote. However, experts expect a grand coalition between the mainstream Social Democrats and People’s Party to block the extremists’ rise to power.

GEORGIA An EU mission to monitor the ceasefire in Georgia is fully deployed, and has met Russian forces to discuss their pullback from positions deep inside the Caucasus country, a senior EU official told Reuters Sept. 29. Under a deal brokered by France after August’s Russia-Georgia war, Russian forces are due to withdraw from two “security zones” adjacent breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Oct. 10.

EU A group of European tourists and their Egyptian guides who were kidnapped 10 days ago by gunmen have been freed, the BBC reported Sept. 29. Italian officials confirmed that the hostages — five Italians, five Germans, a Romanian and their guides — were freed in an operation involving Sudanese troops, and that half of the kidnappers were killed. No ransom was paid. The group has now arrived at a military base in the capital, Cairo.

BELARUS Parliamentary polls in Belarus, in which the opposition failed to win a seat, “fell short” of international standards, the BBC reported Sept. 29. However, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said there were “minor improvements” during the Sept. 28 elections. According to OSCE monitors, the vote was well conducted. However, monitors were denied full access to more than one-third of the polling stations for the count, and found several cases of deliberate falsification of results at other locations.

FRANCE An inmate in a French prison has been shot dead by a sniper from outside the jail, the BBC reported Sept. 29. The gunned-down prisoner was about to be questioned in a murder case, and had links to organized crime. Another prisoner was injured in the shooting. The suspected gunman was arrested shortly afterward. According to officials, this is the first time in France that a prisoner has been killed from outside the jail.

RUSSIA Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wants to develop a civilian nuclear power program with Russia’s help, the BBC reported Sept. 29. Mr. Chavez emphasized that he wanted nuclear power only for peaceful ends, citing energy and medical purposes. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready to consider nuclear cooperation with Venezuela last week. Such a move would likely increase U.S. concerns, experts said.

ITALY A billion-euro bailout of Italian airline Alitalia has won the support of the last two unions who had been opposing the deal, the BBC reported Sept. 29. The support for the rescue package could help clear the way for a relaunch of Italy’s flag carrier.

RUSSIA The European Union expects Russia to supply it with helicopters for its Chad peace mission despite its dispute with Moscow over Georgia, Reuters reported Sept. 29. A chronic shortage of available helicopters forced the European Union last year to delay by months a security mission to protect refugees in eastern Chad and Central African Republic.

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