Updated 12:21 am CDT, Sunday, October 7, 2018 A man selling balloons crosses the street in the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. Bosnians decide in a tense election this weekend whether to cement the ethnic divisions stemming from the 1992-95 war by supporting nationalist politicians or push for changes that would pave the way toward European Union and NATO integration. less A man selling balloons crosses the street in the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, 240 kms northwest of Sarajevo, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. Bosnians decide in a tense election this weekend whether to cement the ethnic ... more Photo: Darko Vojinovic, AP Photo: Darko Vojinovic, AP Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Image 1 of 1 A man selling balloons crosses the street in the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, 240 kms … [Read more...] about Bosnians vote in divisive election testing potential EU bid
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Italy says ‘no plan B’ to spending plans despite EU alarm
Updated 4:50 am PDT, Saturday, October 6, 2018 Italian Deputy Premier and Labour Minister Luigi Di Maio speaks during a question time session at the Senate, in Rome, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. Stocks in Europe rose after Italy's economy minister backed down on spending plans that would keep the country's deficit at an elevated level for three years. That relieved investors who were worried about Italy's debts and the possibility of tensions between the country and the European Union. (Maurizio Brambatti/ANSA via AP) less Italian Deputy Premier and Labour Minister Luigi Di Maio speaks during a question time session at the Senate, in Rome, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. Stocks in Europe rose after Italy's economy minister backed down on ... more Photo: Maurizio Brambatti, AP Italian Deputy-Premiers Luigi Di Maio, left, and Matteo Salvini attend a press conference at Chigi Palace Premier office in Rome, Wednesday, … [Read more...] about Italy says ‘no plan B’ to spending plans despite EU alarm
Italy bows to EU pressure, promises to rein in deficit
Italy's Finance Minister Giovanni Tria. Photo: Riccardo Pareggiani/AFP Italy's populist government bowed to pressure from the European Union over its spending plans with an offer on Wednesday to taper budget deficit targets beyond 2020, as it looked to reassure nervous markets. Rome sparked disquiet last week by unveiling a budget that set the public deficit at around 2.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for the next three years, earning a rebuke from the EU and stoking investor fears that Italy's mammoth debt could grow further. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte moved to row back slightly on Wednesday, saying the country was now eyeing deficits of 2.1 percent in 2020 and 1.8 percent in 2021. He had earlier vowed to speed up Italy's efforts to reduce its public debt, which is at a sky-high level of 131 percent of GDP -- the eurozone's second biggest after Greece. The announcement came after Finance Minister Giovanni Tria said the deficit would be squeezed after 2019 because … [Read more...] about Italy bows to EU pressure, promises to rein in deficit
EU chief says British EU-Soviet comparison unwise, insulting
Updated 6:08 am PDT, Thursday, October 4, 2018 British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt addresses a meeting of the United Nations Security Council during the 73rd session of the U.N. General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt addresses a meeting of the United Nations Security Council during the 73rd session of the U.N. General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. Photo: Jason DeCrow, AP President of the European Council Donald Tusk addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. President of the European Council Donald Tusk addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. Photo: Richard Drew, AP window._taboola = window._taboola || []; … [Read more...] about EU chief says British EU-Soviet comparison unwise, insulting
Danish EU competition commissioner says second term unlikely
Margrethe Vestager. Photo: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo/Ritzau Scanpix EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager acknowledged Wednesday that her country, Denmark, "doesn't appear very keen" on renewing her five-year term after it expires next year. "My native member state doesn't seem to be, well at least not the government... doesn't seem too enthusiastic about giving me a second mandate" after next spring's European elections, Vestager said at a press conference in Paris. And that is "an understatement," she added. Vestager served as Denmark's minister for the economy and interior affairs before being named for the EU competition job in 2014 by the country's Social Democrat-led government. But after 2015 elections the right-wing Venstre party knocked out the leftist coalition and installed Lars Løkke Rasmussen as prime minister. Vestager has emerged as one of the most high-profile commissioners after taking on US giants such as Amazon, McDonald's and Apple after … [Read more...] about Danish EU competition commissioner says second term unlikely