NATO: Serbs set fire to building along Kosovo border

cnn

By the CNN Wire Staff

July 28, 2011 6:01 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- A demonstration along the Kosovo-Serbian border turned violent Wednesday when ethnic Serbs set fire to a customs building, and attacked NATO and EU police, authorities said....more...
read more: cnn
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/07/28/kosovo.violent.demonstrations/index.html

Turkey moves to resolve crisis as top military brass step down

cnn
From Yesim Comert and Joe Sterling, CNN

July 30, 2011 5:33 a.m. EDT

Istanbul (CNN) -- The Turkish government moved Friday to resolve a crisis that erupted earlier in the day when the country's top four military officers left their jobs en masse in the latest power play between the government and the Turkish military.

Late at night, the government turned to the only top commander who has not quit his position, naming former Gendarmerie Commander General Necdet Ozel acting chief of general staff and land force commander....more...
read more: cnn
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/07/29/turkey.military.resignations/index.html

Turkish doctor suspected of human organ trafficking arrested

cnn

By the CNN Wire Staff

January 12, 2011 -- Updated 1519 GMT (2319 HKT)

Istanbul (CNN) -- A Turkish doctor arrested in an investigation into an alleged human organ smuggling ring protested his innocence Wednesday.
"There is no such crime. There is no organ trade," Yusuf Ercin Sonmez told reporters outside a courthouse, according to Turkey's semiofficial Anatolian news agency. "There can't be evidence for something that doesn't exist," he added.
He was arrested Tuesday in Istanbul's Kartal district, an officer with the financial crimes department of Istanbul Police told CNN.
Sonmez, 53, was the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant issued by the District Court of Pristina in Kosovo. The offenses listed by Interpol: crimes against life and health, people smuggling, trafficking and illegal immigration.
Sonmez was questioned by a prosecutor for about two hours Wednesday, then sent to a criminal court "with the prosecutor's demand for his arrest for 'organized organ trading,' " the Anatolian news agency said. Sonmez was then released by the court pending trial.
Last month, European authorities charged in a report that executives who control Kosovo may have stolen organs when the Kosovo Liberation Army was fighting Serbian forces in the late 1990s.
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci called it "a political accusation based on no facts or proof" and "pure fabrication."
The report said Thaci, a former leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army, was the "boss" of a prominent faction in the militia that "apparently wrested control" of "illicit criminal enterprises" from rivals across the border in Albania.
"Numerous indications seem to confirm that ... organs were removed from some prisoners ... to be taken abroad for transplantation," read the report. It suggested that illegal organ trafficking continued after the war ended.
Thaci said in December that he was looking into all legal and political possibilities to correct what he saw as the report's inaccuracies.
Dick Marty of the Council of Europe, author of the draft report, said nearly 1,900 people who disappeared during the conflict still have not been found, and another 500 disappeared after NATO troops arrived in June 1999.
The report is based partially on investigations by European Union officials and was written for the Council of Europe's Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
European Union officials in Kosovo have said that anyone with concrete evidence of war crimes or organized crime should come forward.
Kosovo was a province of Serbia but declared independence in 2008. About 70 countries have recognized the declaration, but Serbia does not, and international organizations including the United Nations and the European Union continue to have administrators in Kosovo.
The Council of Europe, an organization with 47 member countries, seeks to promote democracy and human rights.
CNN's Yesim Comert in Istanbul and Journalist Vlora Rustemi contributed to this report....more...

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Arrested Turkish doctor Yusuf Ercin Sonmez says "there is no organ trade"
He reportedly is suspected of involvement in an organ smuggling ring
Kosovo District Court issues Interpol warrant

read more...cnn

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/01/12/kosovo.organs/index.html?hpt=T2

Kosovo's PM and the organs report

reuters, eurasia review, le monde, cnn, the economist, guardian, radio free europe

-Kosovo EU police to examine report on PM Thaci

By Fatos Bytyci and Adam Tanner
PRISTINA/BELGRADE Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:59pm GMT

PRISTINA/BELGRADE (Reuters) - Kosovo's EU justice mission said Wednesday it would examine allegations in a European draft report that Prime Minister Hashim Thaci is a mafia boss, as opposition politicians rallied behind him....more...http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6BE2IH20101215

-Kosovo PM Thaci denies crime report

PRISTINA Thu Dec 16, 2010 5:01pm GMT
PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci denied Thursday criminal allegations outlined in a European report and said he would use all political and legal means to bring the truth to light....more...

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6BF3UC20101216

-Kosovo PM denies "mafia-style" crime allegations

By Fatos Bytyci
PRISTINA Thu Dec 16, 2010 7:57pm GMT
PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci rejected a European report accusing him of heading a mafia-style organisation and said Thursday he would use all political and legal means to bring the truth to light....more...http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6BF4I520101216

-Swiss investigator calls for prompt Kosovo probe

Written by: SwissInfo

SwissInfo December 16, 2010

A report accusing Kosovo’s leader of heading a mafia-style organisation should spur a formal investigation and set in motion a “dynamic of truth”, its author said.
Council of Europe investigator Dick Marty, a Swiss senator who led the two-year effort to uncover alleged crimes committed by Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, also accused officials of turning a blind eye to the atrocities....more...

http://www.eurasiareview.com/world-news/europe/swiss-investigator-calls-for-prompt-kosovo-probe-16122010/

-Selon la justice serbe, le trafic d'organes a concerné 500 victimes dans les années 90

LEMONDE.FR avec AFP 16.12.10 19h32

Le procureur serbe pour les crimes de guerre, qui mène depuis trois ans sa propre enquête sur un trafic d'organes sur des prisonniers serbes des maquisards kosovars albanais dans les années 90, a assuré jeudi 16 décembre que cette affaire concernait 500 victimes, parmi lesquelles 400 Serbes et 100 autres non-Albanais du Kosovo....more...

http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2010/12/16/selon-la-justice-serbe-le-trafic-d-organes-a-concerne-500-victimes-dans-les-annees-90_1454535_3214.html#ens_id=1451821

-Kosovo : les faiblesses du rapport sur les trafics d'organes(video)

LEMONDE.FR 17.12.10 12h05 • Mis à jour le 17.12.10 12h34

Les accusations de trafic d'organes dirigées contre le premier ministre kosovar sortant, Hashim Thaci, et publiées dans un rapport du Conseil de l'Europe, mercredi 15 décembre, ne sont pas nouvelles. Des accusations similaires avaient été portées en 2008 par l'ancienne procureure du Tribunal pénal pour l'ex-Yougoslavie (TPIY), Carla del Ponte....more...

http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2010/12/17/kosovo-les-faiblesses-du-rapport-sur-les-trafics-d-organes_1454470_3214.html

-Kosovo PM to sue EU rapporteur over crimes report

By Fatos Bytyci
PRISTINA Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:58pm GMT
PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said on Monday he would sue for slander a Council of Europe rapporteur who accused him of being an organised crime boss dealing in drugs and human organs....more...

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6BJ3C020101220

-Kosovar PM Says To Sue EU Investigator For Slander

December 20, 2010
Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has vowed to sue an EU investigator over a report accusing him of running a crime ring involved in trafficking organs. Council of Europe investigator Dick Marty released the EU-commissioned report last week, charging Thaci with running what it calls a "mafia-like" criminal network trafficking in heroin, weapons, and organs from Serbian victims at the end of the 1998-99 Kosovo war. ...more...

http://www.rferl.org/content/kosovo_thaci_organs_slander/2254246.html

-La Serbie souhaite une enquête sur les trafics d'organes au Kosovo

LEMONDE.FR avec AFP 20.12.10 12h20

La Serbie s'engage dans une offensive diplomatique de grande envergure afin de réclamer une enquête après le rapport du Conseil de l'Europe évoquant un trafic d'organes sur des prisonniers serbes organisé par des maquisards indépendantistes kosovars à la fin des années 1990....more...

http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2010/12/20/la-serbie-souhaite-une-enquete-sur-les-trafics-d-organes-au-kosovo_1455783_3214.html

-Trafic d'organes : le Kosovo pour l'ouverture d'une enquête

LEMONDE.FR avec AFP 21.12.10 15h16 • Mis à jour le 21.12.10 15h22

Le président par intérim du Kosovo, Jakup Krasniqi, a plaidé, mardi 21 décembre, pour l'ouverture d'urgence d'une enquête, après la publication du rapport du Conseil de l'Europe évoquant un trafic d'organes présumé, organisé par des indépendantistes albanais sur des prisonniers serbes à la fin des années 1990. "Plus l'enquête sera rapide et ses résultats diffusés, plus cela permettra d'amoindrir les dommages publics qui nous (au Kosovo) ont été infligés" jusqu'à présent, ajoute M. Krasniqi dans son communiqué....more...

http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2010/12/21/trafic-d-organes-pristina-pour-l-ouverture-d-une-enquete_1456372_3214.html

-Albania Prosecutor Reacts to Organ Harvesting Report

Written by: Balkan Insight

By Besar Likmeta

Balkan Insight December 21, 2010
“The Albania prosecutors’ office has no evidence to suggest the existence of an organ transplant center in the [town] of Fushe Kruja, or anywhere else in Albania,” the Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement issued on Monday..

“Nor it has ever received information or a request for criminal investigation by an international investigative body,” it adds...more...

http://www.eurasiareview.com/world-news/europe/albania-prosecutor-reacts-to-organ-harvesting-report-21122010/

-Kosovo PM calls for inquiry over organ trafficking claims

Hashim Thaçi says authorities will be 'very co-operative' in dealing with allegations made in Council of Europe report

Associated Press in Pristina

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 21 December 2010 20.03 GMT

Kosovo's prime minister, Hashim Thaçi, says he wants an independent investigation to "dispel the mist" over allegations he led a gang that murdered detainees to sell their kidneys.

Thaçi said he had "nothing to hide" and pledged Kosovo authorities would be "very co-operative" in dealing with allegations in a report by Council of Europe investigator Dick Marty that the Kosovo Liberation Army, led by Thaçi, killed Serb and Albanian civilian captives to sell their organs in 1999.
"It is a mist that I must and will work to dispel," Thaçi said.
He said the allegations were aimed at undermining Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia....more...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/21/kosovo-hashim-thaci-inquiry

-Kosovo's PM fires back over stolen organs report

From Vlora Rustemi, For CNN

December 21, 2010 -- Updated 0226 GMT (1026 HKT)

Pristina, Kosovo (CNN) -- Kosovo's prime minster lashed out at critics Monday over a recent report alleging that officials may have stolen organs from prisoners of war and political rivals, calling it "pure fabrication."
European authorities charged in a report released last week that executives who control the country may have stolen organs when the Kosovo Liberation Army was fighting Serbian forces in the late 1990s....more...

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/20/kosovo.organs/index.html

Thaci in the soup

Dec 21st 2010, 0:01 by T.J.
THE storm raised by Dick Marty's Council of Europe report [PDF] is not yet fading. Among other things, the report accuses Hashim Thaci, Kosovo's prime minister, of involvement in organ trafficking in the wake of the 1999 war. Mr Thaci says the allegations are slanderous and that he will sue Mr Marty. Unsurprisingly, the response to the report has been joyous in the Serbian media and defensive in Kosovo's. The best analysis I have seen comes from a senior diplomat in Kosovo, who has agreed to share his views anonymously with readers of Eastern Approaches. The report, notes our source, is:...more...

http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2010/12/kosovos_organ-trafficking_scandal

-Serbia investigates alleged organ harvesting

SETimes December 21, 2010

Written by: SETimes

By Igor Jovanovic

Serbian war crimes prosecutors are investigating three separate cases based on the Council of Europe report by rapporteur Dick Marty, a spokesman told SETimes.
“I can only say that we have gone further in that investigation than Marty, but I cannot disclose any details,” Bruno Vekaric said. “We gathered a lot of evidence, including witness testimonies, and discovered the identities of certain victims.”...more...

http://www.eurasiareview.com/world-news/europe/serbia-investigates-alleged-organ-harvesting-21122010/

-Thaci Allegations Don’t Change The Broader Perspective On Kosovo

December 21, 2010
By Gordana Knezevic
If it bleeds, it leads, the old journalism rule-of-thumb runs. And it is hard to find another end-of-the-year story that bleeds quite like the accusation that the prime minister of Kosovo was involved in the trafficking of human organs and other criminal activities during the 1999 conflict, which ended following NATO intervention to drive Serbian forces out of Kosovo....more...

http://www.rferl.org/content/thaci_kosovo_organ_trafficking/2254972.html

read more: reuters, eurasia review, le monde, cnn, the economist, guardian, radio free europe

Turkish town cashes in on Saint Nick legacy

cnn.com (pictures)

By Ivan Watson, CNN

December 22, 2010 -- Updated 1305 GMT (2105 HKT)

Demre, Turkey (CNN) -- The hometown of the man who inspired the legend of Santa Claus is a long way from the snow and arctic lights of the North Pole.
The land Saint Nicholas is originally from rarely sees snowflakes -- it is a village of palm trees and orange groves on the Mediterranean Sea in what is modern-day Turkey. Nicholas, patron saint of sailors and children, lived and died there nearly 18 centuries ago.
The legend of the 4th century bishop who gave gifts to the poor has spread since the earliest days of Christianity.
Eventually, Saint Nicholas evolved from the bald and bearded man depicted in Orthodox icons -- dressed in long robes and clutching a bible -- to the more rotund and secular character of jolly old Saint Nick.
Though Santa Claus is today inextricably intertwined with Christmas, hardly any of the residents of Saint Nicholas' hometown celebrate the holiday.
Demre is an overwhelmingly Muslim town where the call to prayer periodically echoes from minarets over the sun-bleached stones of chapels and a sprawling Roman amphitheater that was constructed long before the days of Saint Nicholas.
"Nobody celebrates Christmas here. It's interesting," said Baris Yuksel, speaking in his shop amid a sea of gold-framed icons of Saint Nicholas -- a man locals know here as "Noel Baba," or Father Christmas.
Like many other residents of Demre, Yuksel grows and exports tomatoes from some of the many greenhouses that surround this small community.
But in recent years he has also made a lucrative business selling images of Demre's most famous son to the hundreds of thousands foreign tourists who visit the Church of Saint Nicholas every year.

"We are so happy with Saint Nicholas," Yuksel said. "After lots of centuries we are earning money thanks to Saint Nicholas."
Demre's gratitude is evident in the town's official logo -- which features the familiar bearded face of Santa Claus -- and a bronze statue of a slimmer Saint Nicholas holding hands with two smiling children, which overlooks the central town square.
The man behind the legend is believed to have died in Demre in 343 AD, when the city was then known as Myra and many of the inhabitants spoke ancient Greek.
"Nicholas is a real man. He lived here and he died here, and he talked about Christianity in a widespread area," said Nevzat Cevik, a Turkish archaeologist unearthing history about one of the world's earliest Christian civilizations.
Cevik said Nicholas of Myra was a Christian bishop, who is depicted in ancient engravings chopping down a tree that symbolizes the region's earlier pagan Roman religion.
"He destroyed pagan temples also," Cevik said, referring to the Temple of Artemis, which is believed to have been razed to the ground on Nicholas' order. "They destroyed the pagan buildings ... and then they used the materials of those buildings to build their churches."
As evidence, Cevik points to a 12th century Byzantine chapel his team recently discovered buried next to the house of an elderly Turkish man named Ahmet Gezer, whose bushy white beard was surprisingly Santa shaped.
Part of the floor of the chapel is constructed out of stones pillaged from the sarcophagi of earlier pagans.
After his death, Saint Nicholas was honored as a martyr. Cevik argues that his legend began to grow after it was retold by another Christian priest named Nicholas of Sion, who lived in the area more than 100 years after Saint Nicholas' death.
Cevik theorizes that Christian believers began combining the stories of the two men named Nicholas. "After the 6th century AD, there are 2 Nicholases in one figure," Cevik said. "They come together and we know only one Saint Nicholas."
In subsequent centuries, the tomb of Saint Nicholas became a place of pilgrimage for Christians traveling from around the Mediterranean Sea.
Gradually, other European cultures adopted the popular saint, and added their own twists to his image.
The Santa Claus we see today appears to have evolved out of a Scandinavian version of the saint, who was later popularized by 19th century American writers and U.S. companies like Coca Cola, which used Santa's image to promote their products.
The mayor of Demre is a big fan of this contemporary Santa Claus, which some Turks refer to as the "Coca Cola Santa."
"Indeed, he is something that the Americans invented," said Mayor Suleyman Topcu, "[but] he is nice and colorful."
Topcu said he planned to put a big red Santa statue up overlooking the new street and beach he recently named after Father Christmas.
But some of Demre's younger residents want to set the record straight on their town's most famous son.
"He didn't have magic powers or flying reindeer. That's only in the cartoons," said 10-year old Habip Erdogan. His friend, Batuhan Katilimis, also 10, said: "He was a good man who gave gifts."
No matter what version you believe in, everyone in Demre seems to agree -- it is the spirit of Saint Nicholas giving to those who are in need that is the legendary man's most enduring legacy.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Hometown of the man who inspired the Santa Claus legend is in Turkey
Muslim-majority Demre gets Christian and Orthodox tourists
Santa Claus photos on sale alongside Saint Nicholas icons
Shopkeeper Baris Yuksel: After lots of centuries we are earning money thanks to Saint Nicholas

read more: cnn.com

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/21/turkey.saint.nicholas/index.html

Corruption sweep in Bosnia and Herzegovina snares public officials

cnn.com

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 11, 2010 -- Updated 2247 GMT (0647 HKT)

(CNN) -- Prosecutors in Bosnia and Herzegovina announced a large-scale crackdown on corruption on Saturday that included the arrest of 30 people, including public officials and police.
About 400 European Union and Bosnian police were involved in making Saturday's arrests. Suspects are being detained in Bihac and surrounding areas, police said.
Saturday's "show of force" involved flights over Bihac conducted by a European Union Black Hawk helicopter, European Union Force spokesman Andy Mullins said.
In a recent report, the European Commission said the former Yugoslav republic was plagued by corruption and that it was choking the nation's development.
Transparency International, a non-governmental corruption monitoring group known for its Corruption Perception Index (CPI), gave Bosnia and Herzegovina one of the highest corruption scores in Europe, ranking 91 in the 178 countries it monitors worldwide.
On Friday, Ivo Sanader, a former prime minister for neighboring Croatia, was arrested in Austria after prosecuters slapped him with an international arrest warrant on charges of corruption.
According to the U.S. State Department, Bosnia and Herzegovina was among the poorer areas of the old Yugoslav Federation and remains one of the poorer countries in Europe.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Bosnia and Herzegovina police crack down on corruption with help from European Union
30 people are arrested on Saturday
On Friday, a former prime minister of neighboring Croatia was arrested on corruption charges

read more: cnn.com

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/11/bosnia.corruption/index.html

Flooding forces evacuations in Albania

cnn.com

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 5, 2010 -- Updated 0743 GMT (1543 HKT)

(CNN) -- Torrential rains have forced the evacuation of 12,000 people from their homes in parts of Albania as floodwaters wash over roads and cause massive landslides, the country's government said.
More than 2,500 homes have flooded and more than 13,900 hectares (34,500 acres) of land are underwater, according to a statement from Albania's president after a late-night government meeting Saturday.
Officials have declared a state of emergency in affected areas as rains triggered massive floods, the statement said.
Albania's official ATA news agency described the situation as "critical" Saturday, with many major national roads impassable. Troops and police were assisting in rescue efforts, ATA said.
Residents in at least one neighborhood in the northwestern city of Shkoder were forced to use boats to travel, ATA said.
Alban Thika, who took pictures from a rescue helicopter used to distribute food to isolated homes, told CNN's iReport that nearly a quarter of the city had flooded after three weeks of heavy rains.
"If you look through the pictures, you would think there is a sea, but it's all land covered with water," he said.
Albania has asked for assistance from NATO, Thika said, but more aid is needed.
"These people are all stranded. They're getting very little help," he said.
CNN's Aliza Kassim and journalist Sokol Balla contributed to this report.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: The country's president says more than 2,500 homes have flooded
A witness says the heavy rains started three weeks ago
The government has declared a state of emergency in some areas
Some residents are forced to travel by boat because of the flooding

read more: cnn.com

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/05/albania.flooding/index.html

Richard Holbrooke cnn obituary

cnn

-Wesley Clark: Holbrooke larger than life (video)

Added On December 13, 2010
Former NATO commander Wesley Clark remembers his friend and confidant Richard Holbrooke.

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/12/14/robertson.holbrooke.impact.cnn

-Reaction to the death of Richard Holbrooke (video)

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 14, 2010 -- Updated 1858 GMT (0258 HKT)

(CNN) -- Richard C. Holbrooke, the high-octane diplomat who spearheaded the end of the Bosnian war and most recently served as the Obama administration's point man in the volatile Afghan-Pakistani war zone, died Monday at George Washington University Hospital in Washington. Following are reactions to his death:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
"Tonight, America has lost one of its fiercest champions and most dedicated public servants. Richard Holbrooke served the country he loved for nearly half a century, representing the United States in far-flung war-zones and high-level peace talks, always with distinctive brilliance and unmatched determination. He was one of a kind -- a true statesman -- and that makes his passing all the more painful. From his early days in Vietnam to his historic role bringing peace to the Balkans to his last mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard helped shape our history, manage our perilous present, and secure our future. He was the consummate diplomat, able to stare down dictators and stand up for America's interests and values even under the most difficult circumstances. He served at every level of the Foreign Service and beyond, helping mentor generations of talented officers and future ambassadors. Few people have ever left a larger mark on the State Department or our country. From Southeast Asia to post-Cold War Europe and around the globe, people have a better chance of a peaceful future because of Richard's lifetime of service."...more...

-Bosnia's progress a tribute to Holbrooke

By Denis Prcic, Special to CNN

December 14, 2010 -- Updated 1332 GMT (2132 HKT)

Editor's note: Denis Prcic is the president of the American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
(CNN) -- Richard Holbrooke believed in Bosnia. As we mourn his passing, we also mark the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords, the agreement that culminated his efforts in the Balkans.
The physical damage of the war has been largely repaired. While many psychological scars linger, progress is evident in Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...more...

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/14/prcic.bosnia.peace/index.html

read more: cnn

Ivo Sanader in jail

cnn, telegraph

-Former Croatian PM arrested in Austria on corruption allegations

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 10, 2010 -- Updated 1719 GMT (0119 HKT)

(CNN) -- Former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has been arrested in Salzburg, Austria, an Austrian Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said Friday.
His arrest came after an international warrant was issued by Croatian prosecutors accusing him of abuse of position and power, according to Croatia's Ministry of Interior....more...

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/10/croatia.arrest/index.html

-Former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader arrested

telegraph.co.uk

Former Croatian prime minister, Ivo Sanader, wanted in connection with an anti-corruption probe, was arrested in Austria on Friday.

5:17PM GMT 10 Dec 2010
Mr Sanader left Croatia on Thursday shortly before parliament lifted his immunity from prosecution. Earlier yesterday, an international arrest warrant had been issued for him.
Prosecutors suspect him of being behind a plan to create slush funds for his conservative HDZ party when he was in power from 2003 to 2009. ...more...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/croatia/8194829/Former-Croatian-prime-minister-Ivo-Sanader-arrested.html

read more:

cnn, telegraph

Turkey News

cnn, atlantic-community.org, telegraph

-Turkey's Islamist Adventure

December 14, 2010

Niklas Anzinger: Turkey’s leading political party is shifting away from its Western orientation. This is a consequential step of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s agenda of de-secularizing Turkish democracy. Ankara’s reorientation remains an obstacle not only to Western influence in the Middle East but also a NATO missile defense shield.
In September 2010, the Turkish government lead by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) won a national plebiscite on constitutional amendments that was in fact designed to remove obstacles to its gaining further power. These amendments attack judicial independence by giving the government control over judicial appointments. The secular independent judiciary has been a stumbling block against the AK party's Islamist ambitions....more...

atlantic-community.org

http://www.atlantic-community.org/index/articles/view/Turkey%27s_Islamist_Adventure

-Why Turkey Is Still European at Heart

Fintan Hastings: Far from drifting closer toward Islamism, Turkey remains very Europe oriented. Its policy of “Zero Problems with Neighbors” means open engagement with surrounding countries of all religions. The EU needs to harness these benefits for greater energy and regional cooperation as Brussels and Ankara share the same long-term security goals.
There has been much discussion and speculation in recent years about the perceived ‘drift’ in Turkish foreign policy away from Europe and towards radical Islam. It has been suggested for instance, that Turkey’s closer relations of late with Iran and its changing domestic political situation at home are evidence of this ‘drift’ away from Europe and the west and towards a new Islamic alliance in the Middle East....more....

atlantic-community.org

http://www.atlantic-community.org/index/articles/view/Why_Turkey_Is_Still_European_at_Heart

-Turkey's booming border town
From Mohammed Jamjoom, CNN
December 14, 2010 -- Updated 1001 GMT (1801 HKT)
CNN's global series i-List takes you to a different country each month. In December, we visit Turkey and look at changes shaping the country's economy, culture and social fabric.
Gaziantep, Turkey (CNN) -- Once considered a charming and provincial border town, business today couldn't be better in Gaziantep, a booming industrial city in southeastern Turkey.
Located on the ancient Silk Road trading route, Gaziantep is enjoying newfound prosperity, thanks to an easing of old regional tensions, which has helped fuel both trade and tourism....more...
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/14/turkey.gaziantep/index.html

-Military 'coup plot' trial opens in Turkey
Around 200 Turkish soldiers, among them senior commanders, went on trial on Thursday in a landmark case over an alleged 2003 plot to oust the Islamist-rooted government.
6:54PM GMT 16 Dec 2010
The case marks the toughest challenge yet to the once-omnipotent Turkish army, which has unseated four governments since 1960 but has seen its clout wane under the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The trial started in a huge courtroom inside a prison complex in Silivri town, near Istanbul. ...more...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/8207499/Military-coup-plot-trial-opens-in-Turkey.html

-Traffic chaos as snow hits Turkey
Ankara's transport system has struggled to cope as freezing weather brings havoc to the streets with many crashes on the roads.
7:00AM GMT 16 Dec 2010
The State Meteorology Directorate had warned that temperatures could fall below 1 degree Celsius in Istanbul over the weekend.
Cold weather battered many provinces across the country throughout the day reaching the eastern and southern parts of the Marmara region, the northern Aegean and the western Black Sea. ...more...
telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/8204661/Traffic-chaos-as-snow-hits-Turkey.html

read more:
cnn, atlantic-community.org, telegraph

Κosovo organ trafficking scandal

guardian, cnn, telegraph

-Kosovo physicians accused of organ trafficking racket
A gang of Kosovan organ traffickers operated an elaborate international network that traded in the organs of people living in extreme poverty, a court heard.
6:42PM GMT 14 Dec 2010
The men, including a former senior Kosovan Health Ministry official, promised poor people from Moldova, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkey up to €14,500 (£12,300) for their organs. ...more...
telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/kosovo/8202149/Kosovo-physicians-accused-of-organ-trafficking-racket.html

-Kosovo's prime minister 'key player in mafia-like gang'
Kosovo's prime minister, Hashim Thaci, was the head of a "mafia-like" organised crime ring in the late 1990s that was involved in organ trafficking, assassinations and other crimes, according to an investigation by the Council of Europe.
11:12PM GMT 14 Dec 2010
A draft report, released a day after Kosovo's election commission said Mr Thaci's party won the first post-independence election on Sunday, accused Western powers of complicity in ignoring the activities of the crime ring headed by Mr Thaci. ...more...
telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/kosovo/8202700/Kosovos-prime-minister-key-player-in-mafia-like-gang.html

-Kosovo must probe organ harvesting accusation, official says (video)
By the CNN Wire Staff
December 16, 2010 -- Updated 1934 GMT (0334 HKT)
Paris (CNN) -- Authorities in Kosovo must conduct a "tough, independent investigation" into allegations of organ harvesting from prisoners of war, a leading European human rights activist demanded Thursday.
"These things were known by intelligence agencies in various countries, by police, by many people," said Dick Marty, whose report into the allegations was approved by a Council of Europe committee Thursday....more...
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/16/kosovo.organs/index.html

-Κosovo organ trafficking scandal (video)

Added On December 16, 2010
CNN's Jill Dougherty reports on allegations the Kosovo Liberation Army trafficked prisoners' organs....more...
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/12/16/dougherty.kosovo.organ.trafficking.cnn

-Kosovo militia may have stolen prisoners' organs, report alleges (video)
By the CNN Wire Staff
December 16, 2010 -- Updated 1206 GMT (2006 HKT)
(CNN) -- The authorities who control Kosovo may have stolen organs from prisoners of war and political rivals when the Kosovo Liberation Army was fighting Serbian forces for control of the territory, European authorities allege in a new report.
"Numerous indications seem to confirm that ... organs were removed from some prisoners ... to be taken abroad for transplantation," according to a draft report from the Council of Europe.
Investigators have "made progress" toward "proving the existence of secret KLA places of detention in northern Albania where inhuman treatment and even murders are said to have been committed," draft author Dick Marty says....more...
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/15/kosovo.organs/index.html

-EU poised to investigate Kosovo PM over 'organ trafficking' (video)
The European Union is poised to investigate allegations that Hashim Thaci, the Kosovo prime minister, is involved in an organ trafficking ring.
7:00AM GMT 16 Dec 2010
A Council of Europe report has accused Mr Thaci of heading a group within the ethnic-Albanian guerrilla Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which fought Serbia in 1998 and 1999, that set up a network of unofficial prisons in Albania.
It alleges one of Mr Thaci's allies operated a ring for the "forcible extraction of human organs for the purposes of trafficking" from the prisoners, mainly Serbs....more...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/kosovo/8205260/EU-poised-to-investigate-Kosovo-PM-over-organ-trafficking.html

-The doctor at the heart of Kosovo's organ scandal
As Kosovo's prime minister denies links to organ trafficking, 'Doctor Vampire' is the subject of an international manhunt
Paul Lewis in Pristina
guardian.co.uk, Friday 17 December 2010 20.43 GMT
The Turkish donor and the Israeli recipient were laid down on beds beside each other before the kidney was exchanged. Both men would later confirm that their eyes met for a brief few seconds before the anaesthetic took effect.
Yilman Altun, 23, was the desperate young Turk who said he was promised a rich reward for his organ by a broker in Istanbul. Alongside him lay Bezalel Shafran, a 74-year-old Israeli who had paid £76,400 for the black-market kidney he hoped would prolong his life....more...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/17/kosovo-medicus-organ-clinic

-Kosovo's prime minister denies 'mafia' claims
Council of Europe report accused Hashim Thaci of leading criminal organisation linked to organ trafficking
Paul Lewis
guardian.co.uk, Friday 17 December 2010 20.09 GMT
Kosovo's prime minister has strongly denied allegations that he was the leader of a "mafia-like" criminal organisation with links to organ and drug smuggling....more...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/17/kosovo-pm-denies-mafia-claims

-Kosovo organ donor ring: the Israeli connection
Most international trafficking rings have involved wealthy Israeli patients on 'transplant tours'
Paul Lewis
guardian.co.uk, Friday 17 December 2010 19.50 GMT
It is fitting that the man described as the "fixer" in Kosovo's alleged organ ring was an Israeli of Turkish descent. Moshe Harel, a fugitive wanted by Interpol in connection with the case, is accused of matching potential donors recruited in Turkey with recipients, many if not all of whom had connections with Israel.
The Israeli market for donor livers has been well-documented, and most international trafficking rings have involved wealthy Israeli patients on so-called "transplant tours". Organ donation in Israel is low due to concerns in the Orthodox community about the body after death....more...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/17/kosovo-organ-donor-ring-israel

-Endorsement for report alleging Kosovo PM links to organ trade racket
Report claims Hashim Thaci, Kosovo's PM, was 'the boss' of a mafia-like organisation that killed people for organs
Paul Lewis
The Guardian, Friday 17 December 2010
An official report accusing Kosovo's prime minister of links to a "mafia-like" network that killed captives in order to sell their organs on the black market was yesterday endorsed by a Council of Europe committee....more...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/17/endorsement-kosovo-organ-trade

-Leave Kosovo to decide its future
The Guardian, Saturday 18 December 2010
One question emerging from the publication of Dick Marty's report (Kosovo's PM 'controls illegal trade in organs', 15 December) is why has it take so long to produce. Perhaps because the US and her allies knew about the allegations, but for the sake of stability wanted to ignore them....more...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/18/kosovo-to-decide-its-future

read more:\
guardian, cnn, telegraph

Kosovo elections summary

cnn. com, telegraph.co.uk

-Kosovo votes for first government since declaring independence

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 12, 2010 -- Updated 1122 GMT (1922 HKT)

(CNN) -- Voters in Kosovo are electing their first new government since declaring independence from Serbia.
The snap poll pits outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's Democratic Party of Kosovo against the Democratic League of Kosovo, led by Isa Mustafa, and various smaller parties....more...
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/12/kosovo.elections/index.html

-Kosovo elections: PM wins first post-independence vote

Hashim Thaci, the incumbent prime minister, has claimed victory in Kosovo's first general election since the province declared independence from Serbia, as an independent exit poll showed his Democratic Party of Kosovo 6 percentage points ahead of its rival.

3:25AM GMT 13 Dec 2010
"This is a vote for a European Kosovo," Mr Thaci said. "It is a referendum for good governance."
According to the exit poll, conducted by Kosovo-based Gani Bobi Center, Mr Thaci won 31 per cent of the vote, with former coalition partners Democratic League of Kosovo trailing at 25 per cent. If the results are confirmed it means Mr Thaci will have the upper hand in forming a government. Official results are expected on Monday....more...

telegraph.co.uk

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/kosovo/8198189/Kosovo-elections-PM-wins-first-post-independence-vote.html

-Kosovo election marred by fraud allegations

The incumbent prime minister of Kosovo has claimed victory in parliamentary elections marred by fraud allegations and a boycott by the region's Serb minority.

By Matthew Day, Warsaw 4:53PM GMT 13 Dec 2010
In the territory's first poll since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Hashim Thaci said "victory is ours" after exit polls put his Kosovo Democratic Party (PKD) ahead with 31 per cent of the vote.
But with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), which got 25 per cent, close on the PKD's heels, Kosovo faces a period of uncertainty as parties struggle to form a coalition government. ...more...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/kosovo/8199269/Kosovo-election-marred-by-fraud-allegations.html

-Kosovo PM's party leads landmark election

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 14, 2010 -- Updated 0315 GMT (1115 HKT)

Pristina, Kosovo (CNN) -- Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's ruling party led Kosovo's weekend elections but will need to find allies from among other parties to form a new government, the fledgling nation's electoral commission reported Monday....more...

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/13/kosovo.elections/index.html

read more:cnn.com, telegraph.co.uk

16 skeletons found in Romanian mass grave

cnn

By Cosmin Stan, For CNN
November 5, 2010 -- Updated 2039 GMT (0439 HKT)

Bucharest, Romania (CNN) -- Romanian officials are trying to determine whether 16 skeletons found in a mass grave were Jews slain by the country's troops during World War II.
Archeologists embarked on a dig in the village of Popricani near the eastern town of Iasi to follow up on information that Jews were killed and buried there.
Two military prosecutors and one civilian prosecutor launched a probe after the remains were found, authorities said.
The prosecutors intend to use anthropological expertise to determine the age and sex of the remains, and experts will be looking for signs of violence.
The A.D. Xenopol Institute of History and the Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania discovered the graves Thursday.
Statistics show that almost 750,000 Jews were living in Romania before the war, but the population is only 10,000 today.
Popricani is one of two places in Romania where mass graves have been unearthed since World War II.
In the nearby Romanian town of Stanca Roznovanu, three mass graves found in 1945 revealed 311 bodies.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Popricani is one of two places in Romania where mass graves have been unearthed
The Jewish population has dwindled in that country
Prosecutors have launched a probe

cnn

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/05/romania.mass.grave/index.html

Dozens of journalists face charges in Turkey

cnn

By Ivan Watson and Yesim Comert, CNN
November 10, 2010 -- Updated 1211 GMT (2011 HKT)

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Investigative newspaper reporter Ismail Saymaz thought he faced 10 criminal cases against him for articles he had written.
But when he logged on to a Turkish government website to check his legal status, Saymaz discovered an unpleasant surprise: two new cases filed against him.
"They are asking for up to 95 years imprisonment for me in these 12 [cases]," he said.
The charges against Saymaz range from violating secrecy to influencing judicial processes.
Media watchdog organizations warn growing numbers of Turkish journalists now face not only the threat of lawsuits and fines for their work, but also possible jail sentences.
According to the International Press Institute, as of September 30, 50 press workers were incarcerated in Turkish prisons and at least 50 more were facing possible jail sentences.
The climate of intimidation led the European Commission to accuse Turkey of not sufficiently guaranteeing freedom of expression.
"Concerns remain as regards political attacks against the press," the European Commission announced Tuesday, in its annual progress report on Turkey's bid to become the first predominantly Muslim country to join the European Union.
The European report comes on the heels of a decision by the association Reporters Without Borders to downgrade Turkey's rating on a press freedoms index.
In two years, Turkey has dropped from 102 to 138 on the association's index, and now sits among the bottom 40 countries of the world when it comes to freedom of the press.
"These declines can be explained," Reporters Without Borders wrote, "by the frenzied proliferation of lawsuits, incarcerations, and court sentencing targeting journalists."
At a speech in England on Monday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul conceded his country faced shortcomings when it comes to freedom of the press.
"There are unfortunately certain cases that have been brought before the courts about journalists and it is a cause of concern for us as well," Gul said. "There are certain legal amendments that will be introduced on this subject."
Gul's Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has instituted historic reforms since it first swept to power in 2002. Strict taboos imposed by the once politically-dominant Turkish military have been relaxed.
"The taboos have changed. The military is not taboo anymore," said Mehmet Ali Birand, a veteran journalist who was black-listed and lost his job for his critical reporting on the military-dominated regime.
But as power has shifted over the past decade from military to civilian rule, the AKP government has introduced laws that make it easier to prosecute journalists.
A 2005 change to the Turkish penal code established prison sentences for press-related crimes such as "breach of secrecy" and "influencing of a fair trial."
The journalistic red lines are now much harder to discern, said Mehmet Ali Birand -- who anchors the prime-time evening news on Turkey's Kanal D.
"We knew what the military censorship was," Birand said. "The problem with civilian government -- you don't know. ... It's very, very unpredictable now."
Last year, the Turkish government slapped Birand's employer, Dogan Media Group, with a $2.5 billion fine for unpaid taxes.
At the time the assets of Dogan Group, Turkey's largest media conglomerate (and a business partner of CNN's parent company Turner Broadcasting), was valued at $2.8 billion.
Tuesday's European Commission assessment report argued the penalty against Dogan Group amounted to a political attack against the press.
Throughout Dogan Group's subsequent battle over tax evasion charges, several journalists working for the conglomerate -- speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of losing their jobs -- told CNN they routinely self-censor reports to avoid arousing further anger from the government.
But journalists said they are also frequently targeted by court cases launched by the political opposition. Investigative journalist Ismail Saymaz said roughly half the cases he faces stem from articles critical of the AKP government, while the other half come from articles critical of Turkey's older secular establishment.
"In a country like Turkey, where political polarization is widening between traditional power-holders from the military and Kemalists on the one hand and conservative liberals on the other, ... we journalists become the ones who take the first bullet," he said.
In 2007, Armenian newspaper editor Hrant Dink was gunned down outside his office in downtown Istanbul.
The man accused of Dink's murder was caught on security camera moments after he allegedly shot the editor. Three years later, he has not been convicted.
In the meantime, newspaper columnist Nedim Sener has been fighting in court after publishing a book accusing Turkish police of not doing enough to stop Dink's murder.
At one point, Sener faced a possible 32 years in prison -- a stiffer penalty than the one potentially faced by the alleged murderer.
Last summer, a court acquitted Sener. Several police officers named in his book are trying to appeal the decision, he said.
During a state visit to England, Turkish President Abdullah Gul urged observers to appreciate the democratic reforms his government achieved over the past nine years.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Media watchdog organizations say Turkish journalists face lawsuits, jail sentenced
50 press workers imprisoned in Turkey; 50 more facing possible jail sentences, says report
"Everyone in Turkey today can express their opinion," says Turkey's president

cnn

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/10/turkey.journalists.targeted/index.html

Kosovo no-confidence vote paves way for elections

cnn

From Vlora Rustemi, For CNN
November 2, 2010 -- Updated 1936 GMT (0336 HKT)

Pristina, Kosovo (CNN) -- A no-confidence vote in Kosovo's parliament brought down Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's government Tuesday and paved the way for snap elections.
More than half of the 120 lawmakers voted for the measure, initiated by the Alliance New Kosovo.
Kosovo's constitution says snap elections have to be called within 45 days under such a circumstance.
The acting president, Jakup Krasniqi, will have to set a date for the polls.
The political turmoil in Kosovo comes after the Constitutional Court ruled that former President Fatmir Sejdiu violated the constitution by holding two posts at the same time, that of the president and the leader of his party.
The political crisis may affect European Union-sponsored talks between Kosovo and Serbia, which does not recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia agreed to talks with Kosovo after international pressure.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged both sides to start negotiations during recent visits to Pristina and Belgrade -- the capitals of Kosovo and Serbia, respectively.
Kosovo declared its independence in February 2008, nearly a decade after NATO bombings against Serbia in 1999 ended the deadly campaign against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
Since independence, Kosovo has been recognized by 70 countries, including the United States and most European Union member states.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Snap elections have to be called soon
The crisis may affect Serbia, Kosovo talks

cnn

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/02/kosovo.government/index.html

Kurdish splinter group issues claim for Istanbul bombing

cnn

From Yesim Comert, CNN
November 4, 2010 -- Updated 1247 GMT (2047 HKT)

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- A splinter nationalist group from the Kurdistan Workers' Party has claimed responsibility for Sunday's suicide bombing in Istanbul, Turkey, according to the group's statement on its website.
The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, said the attack, which injured at least 32 people, was "an act of revenge" and carried out by Vedat Acar, who died in the strike.
"We as TAK claim responsibility for the action carried out against the police force of Turkish fascism at Istanbul's Taksim Square on Oct 31, 2010," the statement said.
Acar is described a member of the group's command from Van, an eastern border province populated by ethnic Kurds who have signed up with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.
The PKK has been battling the Turkish government since the early 1980s initially for a separate Kurdish homeland.
Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, was labeled a terrorist group by the United States in 2008. It claimed responsibility for the bombing of a bus that carried Turkish military personnel and their families in Istanbul. The attack, which occurred in June, killed five people.

More than 30,000 people, mostly ethnic Kurds, have been killed during the fighting between Kurdish militants and the Turkish military. In recent years, rebels say they have given up their demands for an independent Kurdish state and are instead fighting for more linguistic and cultural freedoms.
The Taksim Square bombing occurred the same day that the PKK cease-fire was expected to end, raising suspicions in the Turkish media.
In a statement Tuesday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul called on citizens to stand "in unity against terrorism."
But he also sounded a conciliatory note toward the PKK's cease-fire announcement, saying, "I hope the decision to lay down arms is permanent."
While the PKK has denied responsibility for Sunday's attack and extended its unilateral cease-fire until Turkey's general elections in summer 2011, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons declared in their statement that they had nothing to do with the cease-fire and their "actions will continue."
On Monday night, a small group of well-wishers placed candles on the pavement in Taksim Square and held a vigil for victims of the attack.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons shunned a cease-fire

It claimed responsibility for June bus bombing

The attacker hails from a PKK hotbed

cnn

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/04/turkey.kurds.blast/index.html

Serbia moves closer to EU membership

By the CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Serbia has moved a step closer to membership in the European Union.
The European Union Council, the main decision-making body of the European Union, has referred Serbia's application for EU membership to the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU.
The commission plans to review Serbia's application, submitted in December 2009, with a particular focus on Serbia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, said Stefan Fule, the European commissioner for enlargement and European neighborhood policy.
The European Union Council "also calls for progress in the process of dialogue between" Serbia and Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 -- a declaration Serbia opposes, the council said in a statement.
Serbia can demonstrate its cooperation with the tribunal by helping authorities arrest two of the remaining fugitives from the war in the Balkans in the early 1990s, the statement said.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Serbia applied to join the European Union in 2009
Its cooperation with a war-crimes tribunal will be reviewed

cnn

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/25/serbia.european.union/index.html

Seaside town elects Slovenia's first black mayor

By Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN

(CNN) -- The small, seaside town of Piran, Slovenia, is thousands of miles away from Washington, but headlines are heralding its new mayor as the city's Barack Obama.
Peter Bossman beat out an incumbent Sunday to become the first black mayor in Slovenia's history, securing 51.4 percent of the vote in a run-off election.
The 54-year-old doctor from Ghana said race rarely came up during the campaign -- though opponents did try to use his accent when speaking Slovenian against him.
"They weren't really very harmful comments. It was more comments like, 'We would prefer to have a real Slovenian be mayor,'" he told CNN Tuesday morning.
There are only about 200 African immigrants in Slovenia, he said.
But Bossman is hardly new to the European nation, which declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. He first arrived in the country's capital of Ljubljana as a medical student in the late 1970s, and he has lived in Piran with his wife for more than 20 years.
Bossman, a general practitioner, posted pictures on his Facebook page of campaign promises written on prescription paper -- including history, diagnoses and recommendations for treatment of the city's problems.
His plans for the city of 17,000 include encouraging people to drive electric cars down its narrow streets, building a golf course to draw more tourists and promoting local products.
"We have so many thing going for us here. It's a shame that we don't promote them more," he said.
His campaign strategy paid off at the polls, and captured media attention across the country.
Several weeks before the election, the headline of a column in the Dnevnik newspaper -- sold nationwide -- read, "Peter Bossman for President* (well, first as mayor)."
"When the Americans made a historic move and elected Obama for president, this was a tectonic shift. A new chapter of national history...The real question is whether we are able to do what the Americans did," columnist Vlado Miheljak wrote.
The Obama analogy started at the beginning of his campaign -- and stuck, Bossman said.
"I said that I'm flattered by the comparison, but I'm in no way Obama. I'm Peter Bossman, and I'm just running for mayor of a small town," he said.
And Bossman says he has no plans to seek higher office once his four-year term as mayor ends.
"I want to be a good mayor. I want to help people," he said. "I'm not really thinking about what I'm going to do in the future."

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Peter Bossman is Slovenia's first black mayor
The 54-year-old doctor from Ghana is a Social Democrat
He writes proposals for fixing his city's problems on prescription paper

cnn
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/26/slovenia.black.mayor/index.html

Romanian teacher on hunger strike over cuts

By Denisa Morariu, for CNN

October 21, 2010 2:44 p.m. EDT
(CNN) -- A Romanian teacher on hunger strike for 59 days lambasted officials in her country's government Thursday for ignoring her protest over drastic austerity cuts, accusing them of treating her as if she did not exist.
Cristiana Anghel has refused to eat since August 24 in protest at 25 percent salary cuts imposed on public servants. In common with many other countries across Europe, thousands of people have been protesting on the streets of Bucharest after the parliament passed the measures in June.
Ten days ago the 55-year-old, who is married with a grown-up daughter, was admitted to hospital in Bucharest and is now under continuous medical supervision.
"The moment I saw nobody cares about a law being broken, and most important, that nobody cares if a human being is on hunger strike, risking her health and life in the name of a principle, I decided I will stop only when I sensitize (the politicians) and make them respect the law," Anghel told CNN.

Cristiana said she was most angered by the "complete silence of politicians from the power structures."
"It is as if I didn't exist." she added.
Doctors have now put Cristiana, who lives in Caracal, in southern Romania, under perfusion of water and sugar, ensuring her brain and liver continue to work, but she maintains she is still on hunger strike.
She has refused to be given perfusions with amino acids that feed her body, and vowed to continue her protest. "I will not stop until the politicians understand that Romania is our country and we want it the way it should be."
She only drinks water, sometimes adding a few drops of orange juice, to get some vitamins. She has been close to death on three occasions when her heart almost stopped beating and she had renal failure.
But Cristiana maintains she does not want to commit suicide, and says her protest will end when doctors say they fear she will die. She does not want to repeat the gesture of her friend Maria Corcoveanu, a colleague at the same school who committed suicide last month because she feared she could not live on the reduced wage.
CNN attempted to contact officials from the Romanian education ministry, but officials declined to comment on the case.

"I will not stop until the politicians understand that Romania is our country and we want it the way it should be".--Cristina Anghel, Romanian teacher on hunger strike

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Cristiana Anghel has been on hunger strike for 59 days
Teacher is now in hospital under medical supervision
Cristiana says she will stop when doctors warn her she might lose her life
Romanian parliament cut salaries of public sector workers in June by 25 percent

cnn

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/21/romania.teacher.strike/index.html

Turkish leader to boycott meeting if Israeli counterpart attends

By the CNN Wire Staff
October 19, 2010 -- Updated 1338 GMT (2138 HKT)

Athens, Greece (CNN) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he won't attend a climate change conference in Greece later this week if his Israeli counterpart is there, Greek TV reported.
Erdogan -- who made the remark Monday to Skai TV -- is angry with Israel over its policy toward the Palestinian territory of Gaza and the deadly commando raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship in May.
Eight Turks and a ninth person with dual Turkish-U.S. citizenship were killed in the confrontation.
"A prime minister who is proud of such an armed intervention is a prime minister with whom I do not agree to talk," Erdogan told the television station, referring to Benjamin Netanyahu.
"On this issue, I think that Israel is close to the point of losing a very important friend in the Middle East and that is Turkey," he said.
"I think that they must pay for this audacity that characterizes the policy of this government."
Grigoris Delavekouras, a spokesman for the Greek Foreign Ministry, said Netanyahu was not on the list of conference speakers.
Israel and Turkey had been strategic allies, with the countries' militaries cooperating closely.
The rift with Turkey began with Israel's 2009 assault on Gaza, which Israel said was necessary to stop rocket attacks from that region. It brought harsh criticism from the international community, which accused Israel of using excessive force.
Erdogan angrily stormed out of a public appearance he had with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the Davos Economic Forum, accusing Israel of war crimes. Turkey also refused to participate in planned joint military exercises with Israel and the United States.
Then came the assault on the Turkish-flagged ship by Israeli commandos and the deaths of the nine Turkish nationals. Israel says it acted in self-defense, accusing the Turkish activists of using violence against the Israeli soldiers. Turkey says the attack was unprovoked and has demanded an official apology from Israel.
However, a warming of relations between Israel and Greece has intensified amid Israel's deteriorating relations with Turkey, Greece's historical rival.
Journalist Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
The remarks were made on Skai TV
Israeli-Turkish ties are deteriorating
Israel's relations with Athens are getting closer

cnn

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/19/greece.turkey.israel/index.html

video (in greek)

http://www.skai.gr/player/TV/?MMID=206323