Chronology of Major Conflicts and Political Events - IEMed
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Chronologies
Appendices
Chronology of Major Conflicts
and Political Events
Chronologies
January 2012 cludes the structural deficit of 0% for such as transport, energy and trade, and
autonomous communities from 2020. cuts in the privileges of certain profes-
In Spain, the government submits a sional sectors.
budgetary stability bill. France announc- France
es aid to halt rising unemployment. In Malta
Italy, the Council of Ministers approves • On 10 January the Minister of Fi-
a reform plan to relaunch the economy. nance François Baroin announces that • On 26 January, thanks to the casting
Greece continues negotiating a reform France will be the first country to apply vote of the President of the Parliament,
plan with the EU and the IMF in ex- the Tobin Tax on financial transactions the government defeats a vote of no
change for more aid, which is widely as an anti-crisis measure. confidence moved by the leader of the
rejected by its citizens. In Malta, the gov- • On 18 January Nicolas Sarkozy an- Labour Party Joseph Muscat given the
ernment defeats a vote of no confidence. nounces aid of 1 billion euros to fight internal divisions in the government.
In Slovenia, Janez Jansa is appointed unemployment, branded as “insufficient”
Prime Minister. Croatia approves EU ac- by unions, which also oppose the rise Slovenia
cession in a referendum. In Cyprus, two in VAT announced by the government.
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former ministers are prosecuted for their • On 24 January the Senate passes • On 17 January Slovenia and Croatia
responsibility in the explosion of an ar- the bill that outlaws denial of the “Arme- agree the composition of the arbitration
senal in 2011. In Syria, the uprising nian genocide” 1915-1917, which since court that will settle the border dispute
against Bashar al-Assad reaches its December 2011 has caused a diplo- between the two countries.
tenth month. In Egypt, the elections to matic crisis with Turkey. On 31 January • On 25 January Janez Jansa, leader
the lower chamber of Parliament are won 141 Members of Parliament appeal of the Democratic Party (SNS, con-
by the Islamist Freedom and Justice against the law to the Constitutional servative), obtains the backing of five
Party. In Algeria, the Movement of Soci- Court. parties to be elected new Prime Min-
ety for Peace announces that it is leaving ister after Zoran Jankovic, leader of the
the government coalition the same Italy social-democratic Positive Slovenia –
month that 10 new parties are legalised. winner of the elections of December
In Morocco, Mohammed VI appoints the • On 10 January Carlo Malinconico, 2011 – lost the inaugural debate on 11
members of the new government. Mau- government Undersecretary for the January.
ritania adopts a series of constitutional Publishing Sector, resigns following his
amendments as a result of the national involvement in the corruption scandal Croatia
dialogue process. linked to the organisation of the G8
Summit in La Magdalena. • On 22 January Croatia approves EU
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Portugal • On 13 January the cruise ship Cos- accession in 2013 in a referendum with
ta Concordia runs aground off the is- 66% of votes in favour and a participa-
• On 5 January the European Financial land of Giglio, Tuscany, causing the tion of 44%.
Stability Facility (EFSF) issues a 3 billion deaths of 17 of its 4,000 passengers
euro bond with three years maturity in and the disappearance of another 15. Montenegro
support of the Portuguese and Irish Italy declares a state of emergency in
economies. the area, an important natural maritime • On 17 January Montenegro adopts
park, over fears of a spill of 2,380 the pre-accession economic pro-
Spain tonnes of fuel. gramme 2012-2014.
• On 20 January the Government • On 31 January, after 10 days of pro-
• On 27 January the government pass- passes the economic reform plan that tests against the rise in the price of
es a budgetary stability bill, which in- includes the deregulation of sectors electricity announced by the govern-ment, President Igor Luksic receives • On 23 January the Head of the Re- opposition groups to carry out their mis-
Appendices
representatives of public institutions and publican Guard is arrested, accused of sion, the large number of demonstrators
NGOs to study an agreement. the deaths of four demonstrators during arrested or disappeared, and the major
the protests against the government in military deployment. After assessing the
Kosovo under UN Security Council January 2011. report, the Arab League contact group
Resolution 1244 for Syria decides to continue with the
Greece mission increasing the 165 experts to
Chronologies
• On 11 January Hashim Rexhepi is 200 and requesting aid from the UN to
acquitted of the five corruption charges • On 17 January a strike by transport, support their tasks. On 10 January the
made against him in 2010 and which health, education, press and justice per- Secretary of the Arab League Nabil al-
led to his resignation as Governor of the sonnel against the austerity measures Arabi condemns the attacks suffered by
Central Bank. paralyses Attica, coinciding with the the members of the observer mission,
• On 14 January there are confronta- visit of the representatives of the troika making the Damascus government re-
tions at the Merdare border crossing (EC, ECB and IMF), which in December sponsible for their safety. On 11 January
with Serbia between Kosovo police and 2011 urged Athens to reduce the min- the Arab League announces that it has
demonstrators of the pro-independence imum wage. delayed sending new observers.
movement Vetevendosje! who are trying • On 15 January Bashar al-Assad an-
to stop the entry of Serbian products Turkey nounces a general amnesty for all those
into Kosovo. arrested since the start of the uprisings
• On 19 January Kosovo and the Eu- • On 13 January 32 Kurdish activists in March 2011, in addition to the re-
ropean Commission start negotiations are arrested in 17 provinces for links lease of 552 prisoners announced on
for Kosovo to form part of the Schengen with the terrorist organisation PKK. 5 January.
zone. • On 19 January thousands of people • On 22 January the Arab League con-
• On 31 January Parliament votes, 83 demonstrate in Istanbul commemorating tact group for Syria and the Foreign
to 13, in favour of requesting the full the fifth anniversary of the murder of Ministers of the Arab countries meet to
independence of Kosovo in late 2012. Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink assess the report on the observer mis-
and demanding justice, two days after sion deployed to Syria, agreeing to ex-
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedo- the Istanbul Criminal Court rules that tend it for one month. The Gulf Coop-
nia (FYROM) there is insufficient evidence to allege eration Council countries decide to
317
that Dink’s murder was the result of the withdraw their observers.
• On 17 January Athens and Skopje action of a Turkish ultranationalist group.
conclude two days of meetings with the Jordan
United Nations mediator Matthew Niem- Cyprus
etz over the name dispute without mak- • On 10 January an employee of Am-
ing progress. • On 11 January Cyprus and Israel man City Council dies after having set
• On 25 January the Constitutional sign two defence cooperation agree- himself on fire the previous day to pro-
Court paralyses the implementation of ments during the official visit to Israel test his economic situation.
12 articles of the Lustration Law, which by the Minister of Defence Demetrio
pursues collaborators with the former Eliades. Egypt
communist regime. • On 24 January the former Minister of
Defence Costas Papacostas and the • On 17 January the trial resumes
Albania former Minister of Foreign Affairs Mar- against Hosni Mubarak, six of his advi-
cos Kyprianou are prosecuted for man- sors, his sons Gamal and Alaa and the
• On 16 January the former Prime Min- slaughter and gross negligence for the former Minister of the Interior Habib
ister Ilir Meta is acquitted by the Su- explosion of an arsenal that killed 13 al-Adli.
preme Court of corruption charges in people in 2011. • On 21 January the definitive results
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relation to irregular public contract bid- • On 25 January a new round of talks of the elections to the People’s Assem-
ding for a hydroelectric plant. on the reunification of Cyprus, under the bly, started on 28 November 2011 and
• On 18 January Parliament approves auspices of the UN, concludes in New completed on 11 January, confirm the
with the votes of the governing Demo- York with limited progress. victory of the Democratic Alliance led
cratic Party (DPA, liberal-conservative) by the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP,
the formation of an investigative com- Syria Islamist, linked to the Muslim Brother-
mittee to demand the resignation of hood) with 235 of the 508 seats. It is
Kreshnik Spahiu, vice-Chairman of the • On 8 January the Arab League ob- followed by the Islamist Coalition, led by
High Council of Justice, whose post is servers sent to Syria present a report in al-Nour (Salafi), with 124 seats. The
deemed incompatible with the formation Cairo which reflects the climate of vio- Wafd Party (liberal) wins 38 seats, fol-
of the nationalist organisation Red and lence endured in the country, the diffi- lowed by the Egyptian Bloc (liberal-left)
Black Alliance. culties found by the government and with 34.• On 23 January the new Egyptian • On 17 January Mohamed Laid Khelfi, European Union
Appendices
Parliament holds its first session, elect- Wali (Governor) of Illizi, is kidnapped in
ing as President of the Assembly the Timeroualine. On 19 January he is re- • On 1 January Denmark takes over
current Secretary General of the FJP leased in Libya by the country’s secu- the six-month EU Presidency with
Mohamed Saad al-Katatni. The Military rity forces. budgetary consolidation, economic
Junta transfers legislative power to Par- • On 24 January the Ministry of the dynamism, sustainable development,
liament. Interior authorises the legalisation of 10 strengthening of information and com-
Chronologies
• On 25 January the state of emer- new political parties. munication technologies, and security
gency in force since 1981 comes to of the external borders as priorities.
an end. Morocco • On 17 January the German social-
democrat Martin Schultz succeeds the
Libya • On 3 January Mohammed VI ap- Polish liberal Jerzy Buzek as President
points the 30 members of the coalition of the European Parliament (EP).
• On 10 January in Tripoli the UN and government under President Abdelilah • On 30 January the European Coun-
the interim government sign the agree- Benkirane, leader of the Justice and cil adopts, with the exceptions of the
ment establishing the presence in the Development Party (PJD, Islamist) win- United Kingdom and the Czech Re-
transition process of the United Nations ner of the November 2011 elections, public, the economic and monetary
Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). formed by Istiqlal (nationalist), the Peo- stability treaty that limits the deficit
• On 22 January Abdelhafiz Ghoga, ple’s Movement (MP, liberal), the Pro- that can be incurred by Member
Vice-President of the National Transi- gress and Socialism Party (PPS) and States.
tional Council (NTC), announces his five independents.
resignation after the incidents in Beng- • On 15 January Nabila Mounib, of the Arab League
hazi in January following demonstrations Unified Socialist Party (PSU), becomes
against the continued presence in gov- the first woman to be Secretary Gen- • On 22 January the Arab League
ernment institutions of members of the eral of a Moroccan party. urges the Syrian President Bashar al-
old regime. • On 18 January four youths who par- Assad to transfer his powers to the
ticipated in a two-week rally in front of vice-President of the country and form
Tunisia the Ministry of Education in Rabat set a government of national unity within a
themselves on fire to protest against the period of two months.
318
• On 14 January, on the first anniver- large number of unemployed graduates
sary of the Jasmine Revolution, the Min- in Morocco. On 23 January the Gendar-
istry of Justice announces the commuta- merie prevents a group of 120 workers February 2012
tion of 122 death sentences to life from setting themselves on fire in Ben-
imprisonment and full amnesty for 3,868 guerir to demand their readmission into Spain approves labour market reform.
prisoners as well as the granting of pa- the state-owned phosphate company In Italy, Silvio Berlusconi is acquitted
role to another 4,975. OCP. in the Mills case. Janez Jansa forms
• On 28 January around 12,000 peo- a new government in Slovenia. The
ple called by the secular, liberal and Mauritania Serbian majority of North Kosovo re-
centre-left parliamentary opposition jects Kosovo institutions in a referen-
demand that the governing Ennahda • On 10 January the National Assem- dum by 99.74%. Greece’s second
party and the other Islamist forces re- bly (lower chamber) adopts several bailout is approved by the eurozone
spect fundamental liberties and rights constitutional amendments agreed in in virtue of new austerity measures
in Tunisia. December 2011 in the national dialogue approved by Athens. Turkey prohibits
process, in particular the criminalisation Israeli cargo planes from flying over
Algeria of coups d’état and slavery, recognition its airspace. In Syria, new sanctions,
of the multicultural character of the a UN resolution of condemnation, the
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• On 1 January the Movement of So- country and the formation of an inde- meeting of the so-called “Friends of
ciety for Peace (MSP, Islamist) an- pendent electoral commission. The Syria” Group or the holding of a con-
nounces that it is leaving the govern- Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD) and stitutional referendum are unable to
ment coalition after months of the Islamist party Tawasul boycott the put an end to the conflict. In Egypt,
disagreement with the National Libera- vote as they consider the period for de- the elections for the Shura Council
tion Front (FLN, socialist) although it bate on reforms that leave all power in (upper chamber) end with a new Is-
keeps its ministers in the government. the hands of the President to be insuf- lamist victory the same month that
• On 16 January Mourad Dhina, former ficient and that the National Assembly bloody confrontations in the Port Said
leader of the Islamic Salvation Front is illegal as its mandate expired in No- football stadium add fuel to demon-
(FIS) and founder of the opposition vember 2011 without holding the elec- strations against the Military Junta. In
movement Rachad, wanted by Algeria, tions scheduled for October and post- Libya, the main threat is still domestic
is arrested in France. poned until March 2012. security.Spain 3,000 people due to exposure to the Serbia
Appendices
asbestos processed by the company in
• On 9 February the National Court Italy. • On 15 February Serbia announces
judge Baltasar Garzón is sentenced to • On 14 February the vice-President that it will request the extradition of the
11 years’ disqualification by the Su- of the Region of Umbria Orfeo Goracci three members of “Arkan’s Tigers” ar-
preme Court for perverting the course is accused, among other crimes, of con- rested in Valencia, Spain, on 9 February
of justice during his investigation of the spiracy and abuse of office. and accused of assassinating the Ser-
Chronologies
Gürtel corruption case. On 27 February • On 25 February the Milan Court dis- bian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic in
the Supreme Court acquits Garzón of misses the charge of bribery against 2003.
the charges of perverting the course of Silvio Berlusconi made in the Mills case.
justice in another case, the investigation Kosovo under UN Security Council
of crimes by the Franco regime, al- Slovenia Resolution 1244
though it considers that his action was
erroneous. • On 10 February 50 of the 90 Mem- • On 14 and 15 February three Ser-
• On 11 February the government bers of Parliament give their vote of bian municipalities in North Kosovo re-
passes a structural reform of the labour confidence to the new government of ject the institutions of the Republic of
market which includes, among other 12 ministers proposed by Prime Minis- Kosovo by 99.74% of the votes in a
measures, making it more flexible ter Janez Jansa. referendum.
through a reduction of compensation for • On 22 February negotiations be-
dismissal, clarification of economic Croatia tween Belgrade and Pristina resume in
causes for dismissals and a limit on link- Brussels, concluding in an agreement
ing temporary contracts. • On 15 February the government, for Kosovo to attend regional forums
• On 16 February Parliament approves trade unions and employers’ organisa- under the denomination of “Kosovo un-
reform of the banking sector, which calls tion reach an agreement under which der UN Security Council Resolution
on banks to capitalise 5.2 billion euros 5,000 public employees will be made 1244.” At the same time, KFOR reach-
to balance their accounts. redundant and salaries and benefits will es an agreement with the municipalities
be cut to save over 500 million euros in in North Kosovo to cross the Brnjak and
France 2012. Jarinje checkpoints.
• On 25 February Kosovo police arrest
319
• On 8 February the former Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina four Serbian police officers in Gnjilane
Labour Eric Woerth is accused of pas- charged with threatening Kosovo’s legal
sive influence peddling in the framework • On 3 February Bosnia adopts the order and obstructing police officers in
of the investigation into the funding of law to conduct a census of the popula- the execution of their duty.
Nicolas Sarkozy’s campaign in 2007, tion in 2013.
related with the L’Oréal case. • On 13 February Emir Suljagic, Min- Albania
• On 17 February France and the ister of Education of the Sarajevo Can-
United Kingdom agree the joint devel- ton, resigns following the death threats • On 2 February, following an order
opment of nuclear energy. received after having proposed the re- issued by the Supreme Court, Parlia-
• On 22 February Dominique Strauss- moval of religion as a compulsory sub- ment lifts the immunity of three socialist
Khan is released without charges after ject in school. Members of Parliament suspected of
making a statement to the police in Lille • On 13 February the federal govern- participating in the riots against the gov-
on the Carlton case, the third sex scan- ment adopts a joint position to approve ernment in January 2011.
dal in which the former head of the IMF the 2011 budget, which will provide a
has been involved. basis for adopting that of 2012. Until Greece
• On 28 February the Constitutional then, the State had been operating with
Council rules the law passed by Parlia- a temporary budget because of the po- • On 7 February the first general strike
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ment in December 2011 outlawing de- litical crisis in Bosnia. of the year is held in protest against cuts
nial of the Armenian genocide in the in public spending requested by the EU
Ottoman Empire as unconstitutional. Montenegro and the IMF.
• On 13 February Parliament approves
Italy • On 10 February protestors in Bijelo new austerity measures, which enables
Polje and Podgorica denounce the in- activation on 20 February of the 1.3 bil-
• On 13 February the Turin Court sen- crease in the price of electricity. lion euros of the second bailout, while
tences Stephan Schmidheiny, owner of • On 26 February 10 people are ar- riots continue in the streets.
the Swiss construction company Eternit, rested in Podgorica in relation to the • On 17 February the Minister of Cul-
and his Belgian partner, Jean-Louis de burning of vehicles of the newspaper ture Pavlos Gerulanos resigns after the
Cartier de Marchienne, to 16 years’ im- Vijesti that took place in summer robbery of 70 pieces from the Museum
prisonment for the death of around 2011. of Olympia, which comes within theworrying increase in the crime rate due lution drafted by Saudi Arabia and Qa- followed by several days of violence
Appendices
to the crisis. tar denouncing human rights violations in demonstrations that demand the
in Syria and asking for the Arab League transfer of powers from the Military
Turkey roadmap to be implemented and for the Junta.
UN to send a special envoy to the • On 5 February the Ministry of Jus-
• On 9 February 13 PKK terrorists and country. tice takes into police custody 43 work-
a soldier die in confrontations in Hakka- • On 24 February the former UN Gen- ers from diverse NGOs accused of
Chronologies
ri and Bingol. On 14 February another eral Secretary, Kofi Annan, is appointed failing to observe Egyptian legislation.
10 terrorists die in confrontations in as UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy The EU supports American condemna-
Sirnak. to Syria. tion and threatens Egypt with suspen-
• On 27 February Turkey announces • On 24 February Tunis hosts the sion of its economic cooperation.
restrictions for Israeli air traffic as a re- meeting of the “Friends of Syria” • On 22 February the elections to the
sult of the attack on the ship Mavi Mar- Group with the participation of the EU Shura Council (lower chamber) end.
mara in May 2010, in which several and Arab League countries, some The Freedom and Justice Party wins
Turkish activists died. This is in addition countries of the Organization of the with 58.8% of the votes - 107 seats -
to another similar measure against Islamic Conference (OIC), USA, Chi- while al-Nour comes second with
French flights announced in December na and the Syrian National Council 25.5% - 46 seats.
2011 after the French National Assem- (SNC), which announces the sending
bly passed legislation outlawing the of humanitarian aid and proposes the Libya
denial of the Armenian genocide during creation of a non-military intervention
the First World War. force. • On 5 February the first trial against
• On 26 February the referendum 40 members and supporters of Muam-
Cyprus called by Bashar al-Assad on the pro- mar Gaddafi starts in Benghazi.
ject of a new Constitution is approved • On 13 February the spokesman of
• On 2 February Parliament unani- by 89.4% of the votes, a result quali- the National Transitional Council (NTC),
mously passes a resolution against UN fied as “not very credible” by the UN. Mohammed al-Harizi, announces the
Envoy Alexander Downer due to the lack • On 27 February the EU approves appointment of the members of the new
of objectivity in his mediation of the new economic sanctions against Da- Transitional Justice Committee.
Cypriot conflict. mascus. • On 14 February around one hundred
320
• On 15 February the European Parlia- Libyan militias announce their grouping
ment (EP) adopts a joint position to urge Lebanon into a new federation led by Mokhtar
Turkey to return Varosha, a sector oc- Fernana to increase pressure on the
cupied since the Turkish invasion in • On 10 February at least two people NTC to speed up the reforms demand-
1974, to its legitimate owners. die in confrontations in Tripoli between ed by the revolution.
• On 16 February the Israeli Prime residents of the Sunni neighbourhood • On 20 February Misrata holds elec-
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Cy- of Bab al-Tabbaneh and the Alawi tions to choose its Municipal Council.
prus to activate a strategic partnership neighbourhood of Jabal Mohsen, forcing • On 22 February the number of
between the two countries in energy, a military intervention in the face of fears dead as a result of the conflict start-
trade, tourism, agriculture and research. that the Syrian crisis could spread. ed 10 days before in Kufra between
the Arab Zuwaya and the African
Syria Jordan Tubu is 131.
• On 23 February the former Prime
• On 3 February an army bombing on • On 9 February Mohammed al-Daha- Minister Mahmoud Jibril announces the
Homs kills at least 260 people and in- bi, former Head of the Intelligence Ser- creation of a new coalition, the moder-
jures 500 in one of the bloodiest attacks vices, is taken into police custody for 14 ate Islamist National Forces Alliance,
since the start of the uprisings. days at the request of the Anti-Corrup- which brings together 44 parties, 236
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• On 4 February Russia and China tion Office. civil organisations and representatives
veto for the third time a draft resolution, of the Amazigh, Tuareg and Tubu com-
prepared by Morocco and backed by Egypt munities.
the West and the Arab League, con- • On 24 February the NTC establishes
demning the Syrian regime before the • On 1 February a football match in a national council to watch over the
UN Security Council. On 10 February Port Said between the al-Ahli and the state of security in Libya and manage
thousands of Syrians protest against al-Masri teams ends in a pitch battle the crises related to it.
Moscow. leaving 74 dead and 300 injured. The
• On 16 February the UN General As- Muslim Brotherhood accuses factions Tunisia
sembly passes by 137 votes in favour of the former regime of inciting the
and 12 against – among them Russia, riots and the Military Junta of doing • On 25 February a demonstration in
China and Iran – the non-binding reso- nothing to stop them. This event is Tunis condemns the attacks that tookplace on 20 and 21 February against European Union the government of Foro Asturias (re-
Appendices
offices of the General Union of Tunisian gionalist) did not manage to approve
Workers (UGTT) in several cities and • On 2 February the Treaty establish- the annual budget. The pact between
coinciding with the start of a national ing the European Stability Mechanism, the Socialist Party (PSOE), United
strike by municipal workers to demand the successor to the European Financial Left (IU) and Union, Progress and
contract improvements. Stability Facility, is signed. Democracy (UPyD) forms a govern-
• On 16 February the EP approves the ment.
Chronologies
Algeria liberalisation of trade between Morocco • On 29 March a general strike called
and the EU for agricultural and fishery by the two main leftwing unions pro-
• On 6 February a court in Algiers sen- products. tests against the government’s cuts to
tences to up to 12 years’ imprisonment reduce the deficit and February’s la-
the AQIM terrorists who survived the bour reform.
suicide attack in Bouira that killed 12 March 2012
people in 2008. France
• On 21 February 11 AQIM terrorists Portugal and Spain hold general
die in a large-scale security operation strikes in protest against the austerity • On 11 March Nicolas Sarkozy
in Beni Khalifa which began on 19 plans of their governments. The Italian threatens that France will leave Schen-
February. government implements an ambitious gen if there is no reform to ensure that
• On 25 February Algeria deploys an economic reform programme. Slovenia all countries apply identical border con-
important humanitarian and security op- incorporates a limit on public debt into trol criteria and he advocates introduc-
eration on the border with Mali to con- the Constitution. The Croatian Parlia- ing protectionist measures similar to
front the possible consequences of the ment ratifies EU accession. Serbia those of the USA.
Tuareg conflict endured by Azawad for achieves candidate status for EU ac- • On 23 March Mohamed Merah, sus-
national security. cession while in Kosovo tension over pected of links with al-Qaeda and re-
• On 25 February the three main Al- the holding of Serbian elections in sponsible for the murders on 11 March
gerian Islamist parties – the Society and May increases. In the Former Yugoslav in Toulouse of the soldier Imad Ibn Za-
Peace Movement (MSP), Ennahda and Republic of Macedonia there are epi- ten, on 15 March in Montauban of Cor-
Al-Islah – announce the creation of a sodes of ethnic violence. Greece poral Abel Chennouf and the soldier
coalition to run for the parliamentary agrees with its creditors to restructure Legouad Mohamed and on 19 March of
321
elections on 10 May 2012. its debt. Cyprus remodels its govern- another four people in the Jewish school
• On 26 February the Ministry of the ment. One year has passed since the Ozar Hatorah in Toulouse, dies in a
Interior authorises eight new political start of the uprisings in Syria. In Leba- shootout with police.
parties. non, a fifth member of Hezbollah is
charged with the assassination of Italy
Morocco Rafiq Hariri. In Libya, the aspirations
of Cyrenaica open the debate on na- • On 1 March the Senate approves the
• On 4 February, on the occasion of tional unity. government’s ambitious economic plan
the celebration of Muhammad’s birth, providing for the liberalisation of numer-
Mohammed VI pardons three Islamists Portugal ous sectors.
imprisoned for the Casablanca attacks • On 12 March the Italian National In-
in 2003. • On 22 March a general strike takes stitute of Statistics (Istat) confirms that
• On 4 February Morocco announces place in protest at the government’s Italy entered recession in the fourth
the dismantling of a terrorist cell linked austerity measures, precarious work and quarter of 2011.
to the Islamic Liberation Party that unemployment. • On 23 March the government ap-
might have been planning attacks in the proves a labour reform that increases
country. Spain flexibility of dismissals, simplifies con-
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tracts and provides for benefits for the
Mauritania • On 20 March the former President unemployed.
of the Balearic Islands, Jaume Matas, is
• On 6 February Wane Abdoul Bi- sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for Malta
rane, coordinator of the “Don’t Touch the Palma Arena corruption case.
My Nationality” movement, who con- • On 25 March Andalusia holds elec- • On 9 March the Malta Environment
demns the Mauritanian population cen- tions in which the People’s Party (PP, and Planning Authority (MEPA) sanc-
sus which he considers racist against conservative) wins although without a tions Enemalta with 177,000 euros and
the black population, is arrested in big enough majority to govern, leaving an additional 428 euros for each day
Nouakchott. On 8 February Birane is the government in the hands of the that the Marsa Plan, which has exceed-
released, following a demonstration in coalition of socialists and communists. ed its operation and pollution limits,
Nouakchott. Asturias also holds early elections as continues operating.• On 10 March Malta holds elections ing threats by Pristina to obstruct elec- of the governing AKP in Istanbul injures
Appendices
in 35 of its local councils, in which the tions in its territory. 16 police officers.
Labour Party wins with almost 56% of • On 21 March five Turkish police of-
the votes. FYROM ficers die in confrontations with the PKK
in Sirnak, one day after the death of a
Croatia • On 1 March 10,000 Macedonian police officer during demonstrations to
Albanians protest in Gostivar over the mark the Kurdish New Year.
Chronologies
• On 9 March the Sabor (Parliament) murder two days earlier of two youths
ratifies the EU accession treaty. by a Slav police officer. Cyprus
• On 8 March 10 people are injured in
Bosnia and Herzegovina three episodes of intercommunity vio- • On 5 March the Turkish Minister for
lence in Skopje. Since the start of the EU Affairs Egemen Bagis states that if
• On 12 March the mandate of the year the number of people injured by a solution on reunification is not
parliamentary commission for the con- interethnic tension is 38. achieved before the Cypriot EU Presi-
stitutional reform requested in 2009 by • On 14 March a court in Skopje sen- dency, Ankara does not rule out a solu-
the Strasbourg Court on the Sejdic- tences Velija Ramkovski, owner of the tion based on two independent states
Finci case expires, without the six main defunct television channel A1, to 13 or the annexation of the north of the
parties having reached an agreement years’ imprisonment for corruption. island.
on ethnic minorities having access to • On 23 March the government passes • On 8 March Parliament passes a law
high office. a new Lustration Law draft after the ruling that restricts air traffic controllers’ right
• On 12 March the President of the of the Constitutional Court in January that to strike, whose protests against the
Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik declared the previous text illegal. cuts paralysed the country the previous
threatens a referendum in the Serbi- month.
an-Bosnian entity on belonging to Albania • On 19 March Demetris Christofias
NATO if it approves Bosnian member- remodels his government. The banker
ship. • On 9 March the Public Prosecutor’s Vassos Shiarly replaces Kikis Kazamias,
Office files corruption charges against who resigned on 16 March for health
Montenegro the former Minister of Finance Dritan reasons, as Minister of Finance. The
Prifti and the former Deputy Minister Minister of the Interior Neoclis Sylikiotis
322
• On 7 March Olivera Lakic, a Vijesti Leonard Beqiri. replaces Praxoulla Antoniadou as Min-
journalist, is brutally beaten in Pod- • On 14 March eight poll commission- ister of Trade and Industry. Eleni Mavrou,
gorica in yet another attack against the ers of the Democratic Party of Albania former Mayor of Nicosia, becomes Min-
media investigating corruption cases. (PDS, rightwing) are accused of fraud ister of the Interior.
• On 18 March thousands of Monte- in Dajc during the local elections of May
negrins protest against corruption in 2011. Syria
Podgorica.
Greece • On 1 March Russia and China ac-
Serbia cept a non-binding draft declaration by
• On 9 March the government the UN Security Council asking Damas-
• On 1 March Serbia becomes a can- achieves the support of creditors to un- cus to allow immediate entry of a UN
didate for EU accession. dertake the largest debt restructuring in delegation.
its history. • On 7 March the Minister of Oil and
Kosovo under UN Security Council • On 10 March Yorgos Papandreu re- Mineral Resources Abdo Hussameddin
Resolution 1244 signs as President of the Pahhellenic deserts and joins the revolution.
Socialist Movement (PASOK). On 18 • 15 March marks one year since the
• On 21 March the acquittal of the March Evangelos Venizelos is elected uprisings with a total of 7,500 deaths
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former Minister of Transport Fatmir Limaj President and candidate for the early and 10,000 displaced people. Thou-
and another nine former members of the elections in April. On 19 March Venizelos sands of Syrians go onto the streets of
Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) results is replaced as Minister of Finance by his the main cities in a new “Day of Rage.”
in protests by Serbian victims of the Deputy Minister Filippos Sachinidis. There are also marches supporting
Kosovo conflict. • On 21 March Parliament ratifies the Bashar al-Assad.
• On 23 March the United Nations eurozone’s and the IMF’s second aid • On 21 March the UN Security Coun-
Interim Administration Mission in Koso- plan for an amount of 1.72 billion euros. cil ratifies a draft resolution based on
vo (UNMIK) decides that it cannot be Kofi Annan’s Plan that ensures non-
involved in the organisation of Serbian Turkey external interference and urges the par-
elections in Kosovo to avoid violating ties to abandon violence, start mediation
UN Security Council Resolution 1244, • On 1 March an attack by the terrorist and not obstruct the supply of humani-
in response to a Serbian request follow- organisation PKK near the headquarters tarian aid.Lebanon • On 6 March 3,000 tribal represent- • On 10 March the congress of the
Appendices
atives of Cyrenaica support a declara- Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD,
• On 2 March the UN Special Tribunal tion of autonomy and the recovery of Berber nationalist) elects Mohcine Be-
for Lebanon announces that a fifth mem- the federal system prior to Gaddafi. On labbas as its new leader, replacing Said
ber of Hezbollah might have been ac- the same day, the creation of a Re- Sadi.
cused of participation in the assassina- gional Transitional Council is an- • On 14 March an Algerian court sen-
tion of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in nounced, led by the former founding tences to death in absentia the AQIM
Chronologies
2005. member of the NTC, Ahmed al-Senus- leaders Abdelmadek Droukdel and
• On 4 March the Lebanese govern- si. On 9 March there are marches Bouderbala Fatah and 14 other terrorists
ment reinforces borders with Syria against federalism and division in sev- for the attacks on 11 April 2007 that
due to the increasing number of citi- eral cities. resulted in 24 deaths and 222 injured.
zens entering the country fleeing the • On 13 March the National Recon-
bombings. The army blocks access to ciliation Conference, promoted by Morocco
Beirut where there are protests by Prime Minister Abderrahim al-Kib, be-
supporters and detractors of Bashar gins in Zliten. • On 12 March there are riots in Im-
al-Assad. • On 16 March Abdullah al-Senussi, zouren when the police disperse a dem-
• On 14 March the Ethiopian Alem Head of Muammar Gaddafi’s Military onstration marching to Beni Bouayach,
Dechasa commits suicide to avoid be- Intelligence, is arrested at Nouakchott where there had been different protests
ing returned to the man for whom she airport. by unemployed Riffs and pro-independ-
worked in another of the multiple cases • On 25 March the death of a member ence campaigners.
revealing the conditions of slavery en- of the Bussif tribe unleashes confronta-
dured by domestic female workers. tions in Sebha between local groups Mauritania
and the Tubu community. On 31 March
Jordan fighting ends with a total of 147 deaths. • On 2 March Ely Ould Mokhtar, a
Mauritanian gendarme kidnapped by
• On 9 March in Amman thousands of Tunisia AQIM in December 2011, and the Ital-
demonstrators support the Syrian revo- ian aid worker Rossella Urru, kidnapped
lution. • On 1 March Rachid Ghannouchi in Tindouf in October 2011, are re-
announces that he will not run for the leased in Mali after Nouakchott had
323
Egypt presidency of Ennahda in the congress freed the AQIM member Abderrahman
in July. Ould Amadou al-Azawadi.
• On 24 March there are new riots in • On 20 March, on the commemora- • On 12 March the Coordinator of the
Port Said after the decision by an Egyp- tion of the 56th anniversary of Tunisian Democratic Opposition (COD) heads a
tian court to suspend the local football independence, 30,000 people in Tunis demonstration in Nouakchott to call for
club, the al-Masri, for two years is made call for a secular state, while a meeting the end of the military government, the
public. is held in El Menzah in which diverse resignation of Mohamed Ould Abdel
• On 25 March the composition of Islamic forces call for the new Consti- Aziz, a definitive date for parliamentary
the Parliamentary Assembly, which will tution to be based on the sharia. On elections and loyalty to Islamic tradition.
prepare the new Constitution project, 24 March in Tunis, 15,000 people call The Mauritanian parliamentary elections,
is announced. The Assembly is formed for a secular state. On 26 March, to initially scheduled for 16 October 2011,
by 50 Members of Parliament, of avoid a social fracture, Ennahda an- were postponed in August 2011 until
whom 25 belong to the Freedom and nounces it will maintain Article 1 of the 31 March 2012, when the COD joined
Justice Party and 11 to al-Nour. An- 1959 Constitution establishing that the National Dialogue process backed
other 50 members represent the trade “Tunisia is a free, sovereign and inde- by the government.
unions, the judiciary, religious orders pendent State. Its religion is Islam, its
and extra-parliamentary political move- language Arabic and its type of govern- European Union
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ments. ment is the Republic.”
• On 31 March the Muslim Brother- • On 31 March President Moncef Mar- • On 2 March the European Council
hood, despite their initial intention of not zouki announces that the state of emer- adopts the Treaty on Stability, Coordina-
running in the presidential elections, gency will remain in force until late April. tion and Governance that provides for
announces the candidacy of their num- tough sanctions against the countries
ber two, Khairat al-Shater. Algeria that do not respect Community disci-
pline.
Libya • On 7 March three Islamist forces − • On 8 March the 27 Ministers of Jus-
the Movement for Society and Peace, tice and the Interior discuss measures
• On 5 March Mustafa Abdul Jalil is Ennahda and Al-Islah − sign the Green to improve cooperation with the EFTA
re-elected President of the National Algeria Alliance to run for elections in countries on border security and agree
Transitional Council (NTC). May. measures to increase coordination andsolidarity among the Schengen coun- • On 13 April the government ap- the Naples Public Prosecutor’s Office
Appendices
tries, the European Asylum Policy and proves a new plan to fight tax fraud into alleged crimes of corruption and
the joint response to possible migration which includes the prohibition on paying association with the ‘Ndrangheta (Ca
crises. invoices higher than 2,500 euros in labrese mafia) of the treasurer Franc-
cash and the obligation to declare ac- esco Belsito. On 5 April Umberto
Arab League counts abroad. Bossi resigns as Secretary General of
• On 16 April the Argentinian govern- the party leaving control to the Na-
Chronologies
• On 28 March the Arab League ment announces it has introduced into tional Secretary of the party, Roberto
agrees in its annual summit, held in Parliament a bill by which 51% of the Calderoli, former Minister of the Inte-
Baghdad, to back Kofi Annan’s peace shares of YPF, subsidiary of the Span- rior, Roberto Maroni, and the Member
plan. On 29 March Bashar al-Assad ish multinational Repsol, are expropri- of Parliament Emmanuela Dal Lago. On
announces that he accepts Kofi An- ated, thereby causing a diplomatic 9 April Bossi’s son, Renzo, resigns as
nan’s plan to find a solution to the Syr- crisis between Madrid and Buenos councillor of Lombardy.
ian conflict. Aires. • On 17 April the Senate adopts by
• On 17 April the Bank of Spain an- absolute majority the inclusion in the
nounces that Spain has gone into re- Constitution of the “golden rule,” which
April 2012 cession. limits public debt.
• On 20 April the government ap-
Spain approves tough measures to cut proves new austerity measures con- Slovenia
public spending. Italy and Slovenia in- cerning health and education to reduce
troduce the constitutional limitation on 10 billion euros of deficit annually. • On 11 April the Slovenian Parliament
public debt. Interethnic tension increas- • On 24 April the Seville Court judg- approves the introduction into the Con-
es in the Former Yugoslav Republic of ing the corruption case concerning a stitution of a limit on public debt.
Macedonia as well as between Serbia layoff fund set up by the Andalusia
and Kosovo. Greece calls early elec- government, remands the former coun- Croatia
tions for 6 May. In Turkey the trial cillor of Employment of the Andalusia
against the survivors of the 1980 coup Regional Government, Antonio Fernán- • On 12 April the government prohib-
begins. In Syria, the acceptance of Kofi dez, in custody. its the holding in Zagreb of the annual
Annan’s peace plan and the deploy- march by European extreme right sup-
324
ment of new international observers do France porters.
not halt the violence in the country. The • On 17 April the European Parliament
Jordanian government resigns. In Egypt, • On 4 April the French police arrest welcomes the 12 new Croatian Mem-
the cancellation of three candidacies for 13 suspects for belonging to radical bers of Parliament as observers.
the presidential elections and the read- Islamist groups, in addition to the other
mission of Ahmed Shafiq’s candidacy 17 arrests made on 29 March for be- Bosnia and Herzegovina
for election intensify the tension be- longing to the illegal group Forsane
tween Parliament, demonstrators and Alizza (Knights of Pride). • On 27 April the Bosnian government
the army. The episodes of tribal violence • On 22 April the first round of the adopts the general budget for 2012 but
continue in Libya. presidential elections places the social- without agreements on approving a re-
ist François Hollande in the lead with duction in public deficit through cuts in
Portugal 28.2% of the votes, followed by Nicolas civil servants’ salaries.
Sarkozy, with 27%. Marine Le Pen’s • On 30 April Rasema Handanovic
• On 13 April Portugal becomes the National Front (FN, extreme right) wins becomes the first Muslim woman
first country to ratify in Parliament the 18.6% of the votes. charged for war crimes in the Bosnian
Fiscal Compact approved by the Euro- conflict after having been found guilty
pean Council on 2 March. Monaco of the deaths of 26 Croatians in Trusina.
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Spain • On 3 April Jean-François Robillon, of Montenegro
the Union of Monégasques (UDM), is
• On 3 April the government submits re-elected President of the National • On 29 April Montenegro becomes a
to Parliament the 2012 general budget Council (Parliament) with 14 votes in member of the World Trade Organisa-
that provides for large cuts in public favour and 6 abstentions. tion.
spending and tax increases to deal with
the debt interest and maintain the pen- Italy Serbia
sion and unemployment systems. They
include a partial tax amnesty and the • On 3 April the Italian police search • On 3 April Boris Tadic announces
removal of fiscal deductions for large the headquarters of the Northern his resignation so that the early presi-
companies. League as part of the investigations by dential elections can coincide with theparliamentary and municipal elections Cyprus mixed electoral system, which combines
Appendices
of 6 May. an open proportional list on the provin-
• On 28 April the Cypriot President cial level with an open proportional list
Kosovo under UN Security Council appoints the economist Panicos Dem- on the national level, increasing the
Resolution 1244 etriades as new Governor of the Central number of seats from 120 to 138, of
Bank. which the female proportion moves from
• On 7 April a Kosovo Albanian dies 12 to 15.
Chronologies
in Mitrovica after a bomb explodes. The Syria • On 26 April Prime Minister Awn al-
incident, one month before the Serbian Khasawneh and his government resign
elections, increases tension in North • On 1 April Istanbul hosts the 2nd six months after having been appointed
Kosovo along with “tit-for-tat” arrests “Friends of Syria” Conference, in which due to the difficulties in getting a pro-
of police officers, trade unionists, for- 83 countries recognise the Syrian Na- gramme of reforms that meets the social
mer UÇK members and electoral offic- tional Council (SNC) as representative demands off the ground. On the same
ers carried out by Belgrade and Pris- of the Syrian people. Working groups day, Abdullah II asks the former Prime
tina since March. On 25 April a on the sanctions against Damascus and Minister Fayez Tarauneh to form a new
demonstration in Pristina by Kosovo to monitor the transition process are government.
Albanians from Mitrovica calls for the created and the Conference insists on
end of the “climate of terror” in the the establishment of defined terms to Egypt
northern territories. apply the Annan Plan.
• On 30 April Belgrade and Pristina • On 10 April the deadline given to • On 10 April an administrative court
reach an agreement to enable the hold- Damascus by the UN and the Arab in Cairo invalidates the Constituent As-
ing of the Serbian parliamentary elec- League to implement Kofi Annan’s sembly that will prepare the draft of the
tions, also in Kosovo territory. peace plan ends, although the army and new Constitution, ruling in favour of
the SLA continue their actions. On 12 the liberal deputies that boycotted it as
FYROM April the ceasefire comes into force in they consider that the Assembly does
Syria although attacks continue. not represent all social sectors.
• On 12 April the discovery of the • On 13 April Syria accepts the pres- • On 13 April thousands of people
corpses of five Macedonian Slavic ence of international observers. On 14 demonstrate in Tahrir Square against
youths from Radisani, Skopje, suppos- April the UN Security Council approves Omar Suleiman running in the presiden-
325
edly executed, increases ethnic ten- the version amended by Russia of the tial elections.
sion. On 16 April a demonstration draft resolution submitted by the US, • On 14 April the Electoral Commis-
condemning the murders ends in po- France and the United Kingdom author- sion disqualifies as possible candidate
lice riots. ising the deployment of international for the presidency Salafi Hazem Abu
observers to Syria included in the Annan Ismail as he was unable to prove that
Albania Plan. On 21 April UN Security Council his mother did not obtain American na-
Resolution 2042 establishes the United tionality in 2006 thereby contravening
• On 9 April Fatmir Kajolli, municipal Nations Supervision Mission in Syria Egyptian electoral law that impedes
councillor in Fier, is arrested at the (UNSMIS). non-Egyptians and Egyptians with par-
request of Italy, accused of drug traf- • On 24 April the EU approves new ents of another nationality from being
ficking. sanctions against Damascus that in- President. It also invalidates the candi-
clude the prohibition on exporting luxu- dacies of Mubarak’s former vice-Presi-
Greece ry items to Syria as well as technology dent Omar Suleiman as he did not have
that may be used to continue the re- the minimum number of signatures and
• On 9 April a bomb explodes at the pression. the Freedom and Justice Party’s Khairat
Ministry of Administrative Reform, an • On 26 April a missile attributed to al-Shater as he had previously been
attack attributed to anarchist organisa- the army by the Local Coordination sentenced by an Egyptian court. On 20
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tions. Committees hits a building in Hama April a mass rally “Friday of the No to
• On 11 April the former Minister Akis causing the deaths of dozens of people. the Constitution Written Under Military
Tsohatzopoulos is arrested, accused of This event, the persistence of violence Control” is held.
corruption and money laundering. in the region and a series of attacks in • On 23 April, after a weekend of pro-
Damascus and Banias on 27 April ques- tests, the Supreme Council of the
Turkey tion the effectiveness of the Annan Plan. Armed Forces ratifies the law passed
by Parliament on 12 April prohibiting
• On 4 April at the Ankara Criminal Jordan high officials of Mubarak’s regime from
Court the historic trial starts against running in the presidential elections.
Kenan Evren and Tahsin Sahinkaya, the • On 7 April Awn al-Khasawneh’s gov- • On 25 April the Electoral Commis-
last survivors of the Military Junta that ernment approves the draft of the new sion revokes its decision to disqualify
prompted the 1980 coup. Electoral Law. The text provides for a Ahmed Shafiq’s candidacy in the pres-idential elections after he submitted an • On 21 April a group of Salafi dem- European Union
Appendices
appeal against the Commission’s report onstrators attack Jawar Ben Mbarek,
of 24 April, in which he alleges that his leader of the independent movement • On 1 April the European Citizen’s
registration as a candidate was prior to Doustourna (secular left), when he par- Initiative, provided for by the Treaty of
the passing of the law that prohibits ticipated in a meeting with unemployed Lisbon and which enables seven citi-
members of the National Democratic youths near Kebili. The incident takes zens from seven different Member
Party (NDP) from running for election. place one day after a Salafi group im- States to submit legislative proposals
Chronologies
peded a similar meeting in Douz. backed by one million citizens, comes
Libya into force.
Algeria
• On 1 April confrontations erupt in
Zuwara between former Arab combat- • On 9 April the AQIM member Belha- May 2012
ants against Gaddafi from al-Jumail and bous Adou Ben Yaya is sentenced by
Regdalin and members of the local the Algiers Court to 20 years’ imprison- In France, François Hollande is elected
Amazigh people. On 3 April the govern- ment for being a member of new President of the Republic. Italy suf-
ment announces 14 deaths and 80 in- Mokhtar “Laaouar” Belmokhtar’s terror- fers several earthquakes and in the
jured in Zuwara and Regdalin and the ist cell. elections held in several Italian towns
deployment of 200 soldiers to pacify • On 11 April Ahmed Ben Bella, the the People of Freedom experiences a
the area. first President of independent Algeria, major defeat. In Malta, the Minister of
• On 8 April the Minister of Justice Ali dies in Algiers. the Interior resigns and the government
Ashour affirms that Tripoli will not hand • On 14 April the Movement for Unity manages to pass the Budget Law. In
over Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to the Inter- and Jihad in West Africa (MUJWA) re- Bosnia the budget for 2012 is ap-
national Criminal Court and that he will leases a video featuring seven Algerian proved, the trial against Ratko Maldic
be judged by Libyan justice. diplomats kidnapped in early April in begins and the Office of the High Rep-
• On 20 April the death of a member Gao, northern Mali, and urges Algiers resentative in Brcko closes. In Serbia,
of the Tubu community shot by mem- to start negotiations. On 15 April the the Progressive Party wins in the par-
bers of the Zuwaya community unleash- pro-independence National Movement liamentary and presidential elections. In
es a new spiral of violence in Kufra that for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) Greece, Panagiotis Pikrammenos is
causes 12 new deaths. On 21 April the offers to mediate. appointed interim President. In Syria,
326
Kufra military council achieves a truce there is fear over the drift towards civil
between the parties. Morocco war and a contagion effect in Lebanon,
• On 25 April the President of the NTC where there are new confrontations.
Mustafa Abdul Jalil removes from office • On 9 April three people are arrested Jordan passes the Political Party Law
the Director of the Electoral Commis- in Meknes accused of planning attacks the same month in which the new gov-
sion Uthman Gajiji. Some hours before, on government offices. ernment takes office. Egypt holds the
Prime Minister Abderrahim al-Kib had first round of presidential elections. Al-
accused the NTC of obstructing the Mauritania geria holds parliamentary elections, in
reforms to be undertaken to meet the which the governing National Liberation
objectives of the revolution, especially • On 18 April the police arrest 40 Front (FLN) wins. In Mauritania, pro-
the holding of elections in June. youths who participated in a demonstra- tests calling for democratic reforms
tion against the government of Moham- continue.
Tunisia ed Ould Abdelaziz called by the Mauri-
tanian Youth Movement (MJM). Portugal
• On 9 April a demonstration in com- • On 22 April thousands of opponents
memoration of Martyrs’ Day in Tunis of the government demonstrate in • On 11 May Parliament approves a
condemning the ban decreed by the Nouakchott called by the Coordinator reform making the labour market more
IEMed. Mediterranean Yearbook 2013
government on demonstrating after of the Democratic Opposition (COD) to flexible.
the riots that took place in a protest demand the end of the military presence • On 17 May Portugal adopts the
on 25 March calling for a secular state in the government structures and the reform of the energy sector to save
degenerates into violent confronta- implementation of a democratisation between 170 and 190 million euros
tions. On 11 April the government lifts process. annually.
the ban. • On 28 April the police arrest Biram
• On 14 and 15 April there are con- Ould Dah Abeid, leader of the Initiative Spain
frontations between unemployed for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist
youths and police in Om Laarayes after Movement (IRA) after the burning the • On 3 May the High Court of Justice
the Gafsa Phosphate Company an- previous day in al-Riyadh, Nouakchott, in Northern Ireland authorises the extra-
nounced that it had contracted new of books of the Maliki tradition, which dition to Spain of the ETA member José
employees. the IRA accuses of defending slavery. Ignacio de Juana Chaos, who had fledtwo years earlier and whose wherea- • On 9 May Parliament passes the round of presidential elections. In the
Appendices
bouts had been unknown. budget for 2012 and the new Finance parliamentary elections, the Serbian
• On 9 May the government announc- Law thanks to the favourable vote of Progressive Party (SNS, conservative)
es the nationalisation of the Banco Fi- Franco Debono, deputy of the governing wins 24.7% of the votes followed by the
nanciero y de Ahorros (BFA), parent Nationalist Party (conservative) but Democratic Party (DS, social-democrat)
company of Bankia, the third largest highly critical of it. with 23.2% and the Socialist Party with
Spanish financial group, which in 2011 • On 30 May the Minister of the Inte- 16.6%. In the presidential elections,
Chronologies
had losses of 2.979 billion euros. rior Carmelo Mifsud Bonici resigns after President Boris Tadic (DS) and Tomislav
• 15 May marks one year since the losing a vote of no confidence moved Nikolic (SNS) go forward to the second
March 15 Movement with rallies at the by the Labour Party members and round. On 9 May the DS and the Social-
Puerta del Sol in Madrid and in other backed by Franco Debono. ist Party (SPS) agree on a parliamen-
Spanish cities calling for a regeneration tary coalition to govern. On 20, in a
of political life and demonstrating Slovenia surprising turn, May Nikolic defeats
against the cuts in public spending. Tadic in the second round of the presi-
• On 11 May the largest operation dential elections by 50.21% to 46.77%
France against organised crime carried out in of the votes.
Slovenia ends in 60 arrests for arms and
• On 6 May France holds the second drugs trafficking. Kosovo under UN Security Council
round of the presidential elections, in • On 11 May Parliament approves a Resolution 1244
which the Socialist Party candidate cut in the budget for 2012 to reduce
François Hollande wins with 51.9% of public deficit. • On 11 May The Hague Court provi-
the votes over President Nicolas sionally releases Ramush Haradinaj,
Sarkozy (UMP). Bosnia and Herzegovina former commander of the Kosovo Lib-
• On 16 May the new Prime Minister eration Army (UÇK), accused of war
Jean-Marc Ayrault takes office and • On 10 May Parliament approves the crimes despite Belgrade’s protests.
forms a government with Laurent Fabius budget for 2012 amounting to 486 mil-
as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manuel lion euros with the support of 26 of its FYROM
Valls as Minister of the Interior and 42 deputies. The deputies of the Dem-
Pierre Moscovici as Minister of Finance. ocratic Action Party (SDA, social-dem- • On 2 May five Macedonian Albanian
327
ocrat, Bosnian nationalist) vote against citizens are arrested for having mur-
Italy as they regard it as inadequate, prompt- dered five Macedonian Slavs in April.
ing a rupture of the government coali- On 4 and 11 May thousands of Mace-
• On 6 and 7 May Italy holds local tion. donian Albanians protest against the
elections in 941 towns with disastrous • On 16 May in The Hague the trial arrests.
results for the People of Freedom against the Bosnian Serb General Rat- • On 20 May the NATO summit, held
(PDL, centre-right) and the Northern ko Mladic starts with 11 charges of war in Chicago, postpones the membership
League (Padan nationalist, centre- crimes and crimes against humanity. On of the country until the name issue is
right) and with notably good results in 17 May the trial is postponed until 25 resolved with Greece.
Genoa and Parma for Five Stars, the June due to irregularities in supplying
“anti-political” movement led by the documentation to the defence. Albania
comedian Beppe Grillo. On 20 and 21 • On 23 May the Office of the High
May the second round of the municipal Representative of the International • On 10 May Parliament unanimously
elections is held. The Democratic Par- Community for Bosnia in the district of approves the investigation by a commis-
ty (PD, social-democrat) comes first in Brcko closes, a first step towards the sion of the European Union Rule of Law
the main towns. end of international tutelage. Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) into an al-
• On 20 May an earthquake of 5.9 on leged organ-trafficking network of Ser-
IEMed. Mediterranean Yearbook 2013
the Richter scale in Emilia-Romagna Montenegro bian victims operated on in Albania dur-
kills at least seven people. On 29 May ing the Kosovo conflict.
new earthquakes in Emilia-Romagna • On 5 and 15 May protests call for
result in the deaths of another 17 peo- the resignation of Igor Luksic’s govern- Greece
ple. Around 8,000 people lose their ment because of its policy of privatisa-
homes. tion and tax increases and the high • On 6 May Greece holds early legis-
levels of corruption. lative elections that break with four dec-
Malta ades of the two-party system of the
Serbia Panhellenic Socialist Movement
• On 6 May 88 immigrants reach Rivi- (PASOK) and New Democracy (ND,
era Bay in the third arrival of boats to • On 6 May Serbia holds parliamen- centre-right), which between them fail
Malta in 10 days. tary and municipal elections and the first to win an absolute majority faced withYou can also read
