Chronology of Major Conflicts and Political Events - IEMed
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Chronologies
Chronology of Major Conflicts
and Political Events
Appendices
January 2009 decline in the last quarter, the largest faces the challenge of tackling the glo-
since 1960. bal economic crisis and the perspec-
In France Sarkozy announces cabinet • On 29 January the Constitutional tives of the group’s enlargement.
reshuffle a week before the general Court rules in favour of the Supreme • On 19 January Italian police arrest
strike. In Italy protests on the 52-km² Court’s decision on 17 September 2008 23 members of the Madonia clan, days
island of Lampedusa against the Iden- to outlaw and dissolve Basque Nation- after the arrests of the Camorra boss-
tification and Expulsion Centre, set up alist Action (ANV), the platform used by es Giuseppe Setola and Salvatore
to deal with asylum seekers, create Batasuna in an attempt to run in the Zazo.
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problems for the Interior Minister Rob- 2007 local elections. • On 23 January after a mass arrival of
erto Maroni. In Greece outbreaks of immigrants, the people of Lampedusa
violence follow the death of a teenage France protest against the Identification and
during a demonstration in Athens in Expulsion Centre (IEC). On 24 January
December. In Turkey more people are • On 15 January Nicolas Sarkozy an- 1,300 immigrants escape from the de-
arrested over the Ergenekon case. In nounces a cabinet reshuffle in the run tention centre and demonstrate. On 27
Algeria Bouteflika confirms he will run up to the European parliamentary elec- January the Lampedusa mayor calls a
for another presidential term, and Mau- tions. The most significant changes are general strike fearing that the new IEC
307
ritania announces elections after the the replacement of Labour and Social will ruin the island’s much needed tour-
coup d’état in August 2008. In the EU Affairs Minister Xavier Bertrand with ist industry.
the Russian-Ukraine “gas war” leaves Brice Hortefeux, the current Immigration
half the Union without gas in the middle Minister, while Eric Besson replaces Malta
of winter, and the Czech EU Presiden- Hortefeux as Immigration Minister. Bes-
cy opens with the challenge for the son’s position as Secretary of State and • On 11 January a cargo ship from the
Eurosceptic government of the Civic Prospective Development of the Digital Marshall Islands rescues 162 immi-
Democratic Party to accompany the Economy is handed to the Secretary of grants 52 miles off the coast of Malta.
ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty, State for Ecology, Nathalie Kosciusko-
yet to be endorsed by the President Morizet. Croatia
Vaclav Klaus. The announcement of two • On 25 January Windstorm Klaus
simultaneous Arab League summits subsides after leading the authorities to • On 17 January the deputy Security
underscores the division among its declare a state of emergency in nine Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina Vjeko-
members over the Gaza crisis. districts in the South-eastern regions, slav Vukovic is arrested by Croatian po-
leaving four dead and a million and a lice on suspicion of supplying explosives
Spain half homes without electricity. to two individuals for a bomb attack in
• On 29 January a general strike is Rijeka. Vukovic, who has Croatian and
• On 8 January the trial begins at the called in protest against the govern- Bosnian nationality, was responsible for
Superior Court of Justice for the Basque ment’s poor handling of the financial combating organised crime.
Country against lehendakari Juan Jose crisis days after the strike called by
Ibarretxe, the socialist party leaders Patxi teachers and students to defend public Bosnia and Herzegovina
Lopez and Rodolfo Ares, and members education. Despite the protests and the
of the abertzale left who participated in socialist opposition, the National As- • On 18 and 26 January the leaders of
peace talks during the ceasefire of the sembly approves the general budget for Bosnia’s ruling parties, Milorad Dodik
terrorist organisation Euzkadi and Free- 2009 on the same day. (SNSD), Sulejman Tihic (SDA) and Dra-
dom (ETA) in 2006. On 19 January the gan Covic (HDZ) and the President of
Court dismisses the case. Italy the Republika Srpska Rajko Kuzmanovic
• On 28 January the Bank of Spain meet in Banja Luka to further the devel-
announces that the country has offi- • On 1 January Italy takes over the ro- opments in the implementation of the
cially entered into recession with a 1.1% tating G8 presidency from Japan, and Prud process, signed in November2008, which sets out a plan for a con- Order and the Education Minister Evri Lebanon
stitutional reform to stabilise the country. pidis Stylianidis and Economy and Fi-
nance Minister Giorgos Alogoskoufis • On 8 January Israel is hit by three
Montenegro are removed from their positions. rockets launched from southern Leba-
• On 20 January 8,000 farmers block non. The Israeli army responds by
• On 5 January the President Filip Vu- main roads and the border with Bul- launching five missiles. On 14 January
janovic demands that Kosovo recognise garia demanding measures to counter- a fresh rocket attack from southern
its Montenegrin minority and guarantee act the fall in agricultural commodity Lebanon hits the Galilean town of Kiry-
the security measures needed for the prices. The farmers lift the blockade on at Shmona.
return to Kosovo of Albanian citizens 29 January after the government agrees • On 26 January the fourth round of
displaced to Montenegro, as a requisite to a 500 million euro aid package. national Lebanese talks begin, led by
to initiating diplomatic ties. the President Michel Suleiman, to study
Turkey the national defence strategy and Hez-
Appendices
Serbia bollah’s role in this.
• On 1 January the new Kurdish lan-
• On 8 January Hungary and Germany guage 24-hour television channel TRT6 Egypt
start supplying gas to Serbia, which has officially starts broadcasting with a mes-
run out of supplies following the conflict sage from Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who • On 12 January Egypt opens the bor-
between Russia and Ukraine over the addresses viewers in Kurdish. der with Gaza, for the first time since
gas supply to the rest of Europe. • On 13 January 40 people are ar- the start of Operation Cast Lead, to al-
rested for their involvement in the Er- low the entry of medical and humanitar-
Kosovo under United Nations Security genekon network, accused in October ian aid. Egypt has maintained the Rafah
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Council Resolution 1244 2008 of plotting a military coup to over- border crossing closed since Hamas
throw the Government of the Justice expelled representatives of Gaza’s Pal-
• On 3-4 January violent clashes in and Development Party (AKP). estinian National Authority in 2007.
Mitrovica are reported after an explosion • On 21 January Turkey announces its
in the Serbian sector of the city destroys intention to demand 15% of the gas Tunisia
several vehicles. flowing through the future Nabucco gas
• On 21 January the government of pipeline when this is put into operation • On 19 January 26 Tunisian immi-
Kosovo announces the creation of its in 2013. The EU describes the claim as grants attempting to reach Italy disap-
308
own army, the Kosovo Security Force, “unacceptable”. pear off the coast of Tunisia when their
comprised of 2,500 soldiers. Serbia boat sinks. Rescue teams find nine sur-
submits a formal protest to the UN and Cyprus vivors.
NATO.
• On 23 January Cyprus files a com- Algeria
Albania plaint to the European Court of Human
Rights for Turkey to clarify the disap- • On 10 January Algerian Minister of
• On 8 January the International Mon- pearance of 1,500 people during the Energy and Mines Chakib Khelil an-
etary Fund mission in Albania comes to island’s invasion in 1974. On 28 January nounces that Algeria will increase its
an end after 17 years in operation. the Istanbul public prosecutor Ali Cakir gas supplies to Europe, and that Sona
decides to open an investigation. trach, the state-owned gas company,
Greece • On 29 January the Cypriot authori- wants a stake in a refinery in Rotterdam
ties inspect the cargo of the Cypriot- to increase the gas supply from 62,000
• On 1 January radical groups attack flagged Russian ship Monchegorsk in to 85,000 cubic metres per year in
several establishments and vehicles in Limassol port. The ship is suspected of 2012.
Athens and Salonica. The disturbances transporting arms from Iran to Gaza and • On 18 January Abdelaziz Belkha
are caused by death of a boy who was Lebanon through Syria, violating the UN dem, Secretary General of the Nation-
shot on 6 December 2008 by police resolutions regarding the Iranian arms al Liberation Front (FLN), confirms that
during a demonstration in Athens for programme. the current President Abdelaziz Boute-
workers’ rights. New clashes and at- flika will run in the presidential elections
tacks against the police are reported on Syria in April. The reform to the constitution,
5, 7 and 9 January which result in 70 approved by Parliament in October
arrests. • On 11 January an Israeli army patrol 2008, allows the President to serve
• On 7 January the Prime Minister Ko- is attacked from Syrian territory while it more than the previously legal limit of
stas Karamanlis, shaken by the eco- carries out maintenance works close to two terms.
nomic crisis and the violent incidents the border in the Golan Heights. • On 30 January around thirty people
against the government, announces a • On 27 January the Syrian govern- are injured in the town of Berriane, in
cabinet reshuffle in which Christos ment accepts the appointment of Michel the Mzab, during violent clashes be-
Markogiannakis is appointed deputy al-Khoury as the first Lebanese ambas- tween the Mozabite (Berber) and Male-
Interior Minister responsible for Public sador to Syria. kite (Arab) communities.Morocco takes place in Kuwait. A special Foreign main opposition People’s Party (PP).
Ministers meeting is held in connection The investigation causes various PP
• On 1 January a sub-Saharan immi- with the summit to overcome the internal members to tender their resignations.
grant is killed when Moroccan police division over the Gaza crisis. The meet- On 19 February the court investigation
open fire on a group of 80 immigrants ing follows the League’s condemnation implicates the President of the Valen-
as they try to cross the border with Me- on 4 January of the UN Security Coun- cian Community Francisco Camps in
lilla. cil’s failure to adopt a resolution that the plot. On 25 February the judge
• On 29 January the public prosecutor demands the immediate cessation of charges the People’s Party Euro MP
of the Casablanca Appeal Court con- Israeli hostilities. Consequently, the Gerardo Galeote.
firms the arrest of 69 members of the League adopts the joint request of an • On 8 February the Supreme Court
army and two lawyers, charged with international reconstruction programme, outlaws the abertzale electoral platform
forming part of a drug trafficking net- which includes a two billion euro aid Democracy 3 Million (D3M). On 10
work. fund. On the same day Qatar holds a February Askatasuna and D3M appeal
Appendices
meeting for the Arab League Heads of against the ruling before the Constitu-
Mauritania State in Doha to deal with the Gaza tional Court.
issue, which is attended by just 13 • On 18 February Spain’s first ever
• On 23 January General Mohamed countries. The fact that the meetings in judges strike takes place, which leads
Ould Abdel Aziz, Mauritania’s President Kuwait – attended by Fatah – and Doha to the resignation of the Justice Minister
since the coup on 6 August 2008, an- – by Hamas – are held simultaneously Mariano Fernandez Bermejo on 23 Feb-
nounces that presidential elections will underscores the deep divisions within ruary. Bermejo is replaced by Francisco
be held on 6 June. The overthrown the League regarding the Gaza conflict. Caamano, previously the Secretary of
President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh State for Constitutional and Parliamen-
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Abdallahi agrees to participate on the tary Affairs.
condition that the military definitively February 2009
relinquish power. France
Judges in Spain go on strike for the first
European Union time in the country’s history, causing the • On 2 February a snow storm hits the
Justice Minister to resign. Italy approves northern half of the country blocking
• On 1 January the Czech Republic the controversial Security bill, which entries to Paris and the airports, and
assumes the six-month presidency of takes a hardliner approach to immigra- leaving 500,000 homes without elec-
309
the EU. tion. Kosovo celebrates its first year of tricity. On 9 February the authorities
• On 1 January Slovakia adopts the self-proclaimed independence with declare a state of emergency in 58 re-
euro as its official currency, making it 40% unemployment and persistent gions in response to the approach of
the sixteenth member of the Eurozone. problems in its political stability. Inspec- another storm.
• On 10 January the EU and Russia tors from the International Atomic En- • On 9 February Nicolas Sarkozy con-
sign an agreement to guarantee gas sup- ergy Agency (IAEA) find traces of ura- firms 6.5 billion euro loans for the
plies after Russia agrees to European nium in Syria, raising suspicions over French car giants Renault and PSA
observers going into Kiev on 9 January the possible development of a nuclear Peugeot Citroën, in exchange for pledg-
to monitor the gas flows through Ukraine. reactor. Jordan reshuffles its cabinet as es to keep their French plants open and
The supplies were cut by Russia at the part of its free market reform plan. The avoid redundancies.
beginning of the month as a pressure Egyptian government releases Ayman • On 18 February Nicolas Sarkozy an-
tactic, following accusations that Ukraine Nur, the opposition party leader. Muam- nounces a 2.6 billion euro package to
has been stealing Russian gas destined mar Gaddafi is appointed as Chairman tackle the effects of the crisis in low-
for the EU. On 17 January, after talks and of the African Union. In Algeria fighting income households. The decision
threats from the EU, Yulia Timoshenko continues between the army and al- comes after the French unions threaten
and Vladimir Putin sign a definitive agree- Qaeda terrorists. to go on general strike in March.
ment. On 20 January Russia resumes the
supply through Ukraine. Portugal Italy
• On 26 January the General Affairs
and External Relations Council (GAERC) • On 13 February Statistics Portugal • On 3 February the Italian Senate ap-
fails to reach a common agreement for confirms the country’s entry into reces- proves the agreement signed with
receiving Guantanamo prisoners and sion after publishing figures that show Tripoli in August 2008, by which Italy
decides that each country should bilat- a 2.1% decline in GDP in the last quar- pledges to invest 5 billion dollars in
erally negotiate its agreements with ter of 2008, the sharpest since 1984. Libya over the next 25 years. In return,
Washington. Libya will crack down on illegal immigra-
Spain tion to Italian shores.
Arab League • On 4 February the Senate approves
• On 6 February the National Court the controversial Security bill, known as
• On 19 and 20 January the Arab Eco opens the Gurtel case enquiry, a cor- the Maroni Law. Under to the new law
nomic, Social and Development Summit ruption network scandal linked with the obtaining a residency permit will carryan 80 to100 euro tax, all homeless will draws from negotiations on Bosnia’s from the Venice Commission. One of
go on file, hospital staff will have to re- constitutional reform in protest against the aims of the law is to purge commu-
port all patients without papers –which the public prosecutor’s announcement nist-era employees and Sigurimi col-
led to a strike on 2 February-, the ‘citizen to bring corruption charges against him. laborators from the administration. The
patrols’ are legalised and all expelled Socialist Party claims that the law is a
immigrants that do not leave the country Montenegro move by Sali Berisha to prevent public
will face imprisonment. prosecutors from investigating the
• On 18 February the Democratic • On 20 February the International Prime Minister’s possible involvement in
Party leader Walter Veltroni steps down Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugo- corruption cases.
after nine consecutive defeats for his slavia (ICTY) releases the former Mon-
party. Veltroni recognises that his failure tenegrin General Pavle Strugar after Greece
to resolve internal conflicts has pre- serving three quarters of his sentence
vented the party from being a strong for crimes against humanity in Dubrovnik • On 3 February the Sect of Revolu-
Appendices
opposition to the government. since 1991. tionaries group attacks police officers
• On 24 February the 27th Franco- in front of a station in Athens’ Korydallos
Italian summit in Rome concludes with Serbia district.
a cooperation agreement on the joint • On 25 February the civil servants
production of nuclear energy, marking • On 16 February two grenades ex- trade union ADEDY initiates a general
Italy’s return to this energy resource, plode in the majority Albanian town of 24-hour strike in protest against poor
which it has not used since 1987. Presevo, highlighting tensions in the standards in healthcare and education,
region, which hopes to be joined with low pensions, the retirement age and
Malta Kosovo. plans to privatise various state-owned
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• On 26 February the ICTY clears the companies.
• On 18 February 230 immigrants are former Serbian President Milan Miluti-
picked up by a Maltese ship and trans- novic of war crimes in Kosovo, but sen- Turkey
ferred to detention centres in Safi and tences Slobodan Milosevic’s right-hand
Hal Far. This group is added to a further man Nikola Sainovic to 22 years’ impris- • On 15 February clashes between
260 immigrants found days before by onment. security forces and Kurdish protesters
the Maltese authorities. mark the 10th anniversary of separatist
Kosovo under United Nations Security leader Abdullah Ocalan’s arrest. Eight
310
Slovenia Council Resolution 1244 demonstrators and 17 police officers
are injured in the protests, which were
• On 20 February the Slovenian media • On 17 February Kosovo celebrates banned by Ankara.
reports a court ruling to compensate an the first anniversary of its independence • On 26 February a military court is-
initial group of the 25,671 Slovenian with 40% unemployment. In summary sues the first ruling in the Ergenekon
citizens from other former Yugoslav re- of this first year, the EU representative case, sentencing a former army chief to
publics who were erased from the pub- in Kosovo Pieter Feith highlights the 20 years’ imprisonment.
lic registry when unable to obtain Slov- growing Kosovo Albanian rejection of
enian nationality after the country the EU and the persistent tension in the Cyprus
became independent in 1991. north of the country with the Serb mi-
• On 24 February the meeting be- nority. • On 13 February after twice inspect-
tween the Slovenian and Croatian Prime ing the Cypriot-flagged Russian ship
Ministers Borut Pahor and Ivo Sanader Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Monchegorsk the Cypriot authorities
in Mokrice ends in a deadlock in nego- seize its cargo. The Defence Minister
tiations over the ongoing border dispute • On 23 February the deputy Prime Costas Papacostas announces that no
between both states regarding territo- Minister Ivica Bocevski in charge of EU arms have been found but they did find
rial waters in the Adriatic. Slovenia re- integration and the EU representative in material for manufacturing munitions.
quests an extension of the waters in Skopje Erwan Fouere sign three imple- On 18 February the authorities release
Piran Bay, its only access to the sea, mentation agreements of the Instrument the ship.
and a corridor that connects it directly for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA),
with international waters without having which provide for a 40-million-euro in- Syria
to cross Croatian waters. To put pres- vestment.
sure on Zagreb, Ljubljana upholds its • On 19 February inspectors from the
veto on Croatia’s entry to the EU and Albania IAEA find traces of graphite and uranium
NATO. in the al-Kibar military base, destroyed
• On 16 February the Constitutional by Israel in 2007. Israel and the US
Bosnia and Herzegovina Court suspends the law approved in claim that Syria had been developing a
December 2008 that allows files to be nuclear reactor. Syria maintains that the
• On 21 February the Prime Minister opened from Enver Hoxa’s Sigurimi se- material came with munitions used by
of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik with- cret police force, pending a decision Israel during the attack. The IAEA con-siders this unlikely and urges Syria to Libya Mauritania
cooperate to clarify the origin of the ra-
dioactive material. • On 2 February Muammar Gaddafi is • On 6 February the African Union
• On 21 February Senator John Kerry sworn in as Chairman of the African (AU) announces the imposition of sanc-
meets with the President Bashar al- Union in Addis Ababa. tions on Mauritania’s military junta after
Assad in Damascus. Three US parlia- • On 10 February the EU External Af- its leader President Mohamed Ould Ab-
mentary delegations have visited the fairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero- delaziz announces that he will run in the
country in less than three weeks dis- Waldner opens the second round of June elections.
playing the Obama administration’s in- negotiations between the EU and Libya
tention to review its stance on Damas- in Tripoli, regarding the framework European Union
cus. agreement.
• On 13 February the EU officially en-
Lebanon Algeria ters recession after data from the Euro-
Appendices
pean statistical office Eurostat reveals
• On 21 February a rocket launched • On 4 February the head of an al- a 1.5% drop in GDP of the 27 member
from the southern region of Nakura ex- Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) countries for the last quarter of 2008.
plodes in Galilee causing one death. faction, known as Seraka, is killed in an • On 26-27 February a special summit
Israel responds by firing seven shells army operation in Constantine during is held in Brussels, initially organised for
into the Tiro region. one of the many clashes between the countries of the Eurogroup but finally
• On 25 February the media reports army and Islamic cells that have taken enlarged to include the 27 Member
that the Lebanese representative to the place above all in Kabylie and the prov- States of the EU, to consider emer-
UN Nawaf Salam has presented a letter ince of Tebessa, and which in February gency financial measures to be taken
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from the Prime Minister Fouad Siniora alone resulted in some fifty casualties. against the crisis.
to the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, • On 11 February fresh clashes are • On 26-27 February the Interior Min-
in which he requests compensation reported between the Berber and Arab isters Council discusses the creation of
from Israel for the war between both communities in the Mzab region. an EU asylum office, after calls from
countries in 2006 and condemns Tel • On 28 February Abdelaziz Bouteflika Europe’s Mediterranean countries to
Aviv’s violations of Resolution 1701. announces the total cancellation of deal with the immigration crisis.
farmers’ debts, estimated at 41 billion
Jordan dinars. Arab League
311
• On 23 February 10 new members of Morocco • On 18 February the Arab League
Prime Minister Nader Dahabi’s cabinet Secretary General Amr Moussa de-
are sworn into office by Abdullah II. • On 10 February security forces clares that Israeli demands to link the
Nayef al-Qadi succeeds Eid al-Fayez as search the offices of the weekly Al- cessation of hostilities in Gaza to the
Interior Minister, who had upset Islamist Ayam, in search of photographs of the release of Sergeant Gilad Shalit pre-
parties and human rights organisations. mother and grandmother of Mohammed vented a ceasefire.
Pro-reformist Labour Minister Bassem VI, Lalla Latifa and Lalla Abla, which the
al-Salem is appointed Finance Minister newspaper had asked to publish. The
in order to undertake the free market paper’s director Noureddine Miftah and March 2009
reforms requested by the International chief editor Maria Moukrim are arrested.
Monetary Fund. • On 18 February the activist Chakib In Spain elections in the Basque Coun-
al-Khayari is arrested in Nador accused try bring about a change in the hitherto
Egypt of divulging “misleading” information Basque Nationalist Party-led autono-
regarding the involvement of high rank- mous government. France has its sec-
• On 6 February the Egyptian police ing Moroccan officials in drug trafficking ond general strike of the year. In Italy
arrest German-Egyptian activist Philip in northern Morocco. the coalition government merges to
Rizk and blogger Diaa Eddin Gad with- • On 18 February a court of appeal in form the People of Freedom Party. The
out charges, during a protest in support Sale confirms the 10-year prison sen- border conflict over the demarcation of
of Gaza. tence of Hicham Ahmidan for his in- territorial waters between Slovenia and
• On 18 February at the request of the volvement in the 11-M bomb attacks in Croatia moves forward and Ljubljana
US, Ayman Nur, leader of the secular Madrid. raises the veto to allow Croatia entry to
liberal party el-Ghad and opposition to • On 21 February the border between NATO. The Democratic Party of Social-
Mubarak’s government, is released on Algeria and Morocco opens temporar- ists wins Montenegro’s second elec-
health grounds after three years in prison. ily for the first time in 14 years to allow tion since independence. The Justice
• On 22 February a bomb blast in the a British aid convoy destined for Gaza and Development Party retains the Is-
vicinity of the Khan el-Khalili market and to pass. The Moroccan Communica- tanbul and Ankara mayoralties in the
the Al-Hussein mosque in Cairo kills tions Minister Khaled Naciri declares Turkish local elections. Lebanon and
four people and leaves several seri- that Morocco is willing to “open a new Syria initiate diplomatic ties. The Arab
ously injured. chapter in its relations with Algeria.” League holds its 21st summit withEgypt, Morocco and Algeria in attend- nounced by the government in February Croatian counterpart Gordan Jandroko-
ance. to combat the crisis demands an in- vic with an agreement proposal over the
crease in the minimum wage, more ben- demarcation of both countries’ territorial
Portugal efits for the increasing number of unem- waters. Two days later the Slovenian
ployed, the abolition of the tax shield Parliament gives the green light to
• On 17 March Portugal signs an and an end to the widespread redun- Croatia’s NATO accession.
agreement with the state-owned Alge- dancies.
rian company Sonatrach, which gives • On 24 March the Defence Minister Croatia
the company license to supply gas di- Herve Morin announces an initial com-
rectly to the country. Algeria supplies pensation package for those affected • On 20 March the Croatian Prime
80% of the gas consumed by Portugal, by nuclear testing carried out in Algeria Minister Ivo Sanader visits Serbia to im-
under a 20-year agreement signed in and Polynesia between 1960 and 1996. prove relations between Zagreb and
1993. • On 30 March the French justice sys- Belgrade, regarding the return of Serb
Appendices
tem sentences Ainhoa Garcia Montero, refugees that fled from Krajina during the
Spain ETA’s information chief until her 2003 Croatian offensive in 1995 and Croatia’s
arrest, to 14 years in prison. recognition of Kosovo independence.
• On 1 March Galicia and the Basque
Country hold regional elections. In Gali- Monaco Bosnia and Herzegovina
cia the People’s Party (PP) wins with 38
of the 75 seats. The Socialist Party • On 26 March Monaco reveals that it • On 13 March the Austrian Valentin
(PSG) retains 25 seats. In the Basque will sign a tax cooperation agreement Inzko is appointed High Representative
Country the Basque Nationalist Party with the EU at the end of the year, after for the International Peace Implementa-
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(PNV) wins most votes, obtaining 30 of finalising talks with the OECD to meet tion Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina
the 75 seats, but the Socialist Party – the necessary transparency standards. (PIC) replacing Miroslav Lajcak, who
Euskadiko Ezkerra – PP coalition, ap- stepped down on 23 January to become
points the leader of the PSE Patxi Lopez Italy Slovakia’s Foreign Minister. Inzko was
as the new lehendakari (President). the first Austrian ambassador to Bosnia
• On 5 March judge Garzon sends the • On 13 March the Italian and Dutch from 1996 to 1999.
Gurtel case to the Valencia High Court police arrest mafia member Giovanni • On 17 March the Appeals Chamber
of Justice on finding circumstantial evi- Strangio in Amsterdam, wanted for the of the ICTY sentences the Bosnian Serb
312
dence of Valencian President Ricardo Duisburg massacre in August 2007. On leader Momcilo Krajisnik to 20 years’
Costa’s criminal responsibility. On 31 20 March police arrest the head of the imprisonment for crimes against human-
March the Madrid High Court of Justice Brancaccio Mafia clan Ludovico San- ity in Bosnia.
also accepts the case when corruption sone in Palermo.
evidence is uncovered against three • On 17 March the police dismantle Montenegro
representatives of the Madrid Assembly. the Farina clan, one of the main groups
• On 23 March the judge Baltasar in the Camorra, following the arrest of • On 29 March Coalition for European
Garzon prosecutes 44 high ranking 24 people in the Caserta province. Montenegro, led by the Prime Minister
members of Batasuna, the Communist • On 27 March Italy’s governing coali- Milo Djukanovic’s Democratic Party of
Party of the Basque Homelands (PCTV) tion, formed by Forza Italia and Nation- Socialists (DPS), wins early elections
and the Basque Nationalist Party (ANV) al Alliance, merge to form The People with 51.5% of the votes.
for forming part of ETA. of Freedom in the party’s first parliamen-
• On 29 March the Bank of Spain tary session. Berlusconi uses the occa- Serbia
takes control of Caja Castilla-La Mancha sion to request a constitutional reform
due to an estimated 3 billion euro budg- that grants more powers to the Prime • On 9 March during an official visit to
et hole. The move constitutes the first Minister. Spain, the Serbian President Boris
government takeover of a major financial Tadic receives Jose Luis Rodriguez Za-
company since Banesto in 1993. Malta patero’s commitment not to recognise
the State of Kosovo.
France • On 23 March rioting breaks out in • On 24 March seven people are in-
the Safi detention centre involving jured and 28 arrested in Belgrade dur-
• On 5 March the government agrees around 500 illegal immigrants awaiting ing an ultra-nationalist and anti-Europe-
to increase salaries and lower the cost expulsion. The incident lasts for two an rally to mark the 10th anniversary of
of basic goods to end the 44-day strike hours. the NATO bombing of Serbia.
in Guadeloupe, which is threatening to
spread to other overseas regions like Slovenia Kosovo under United Nations Security
Guayana and Reunion. In Martinique Council Resolution 1244
protests continue for similar reasons. • On 25 March the European Commis-
• On 19 March a second mass gen- sioner Olli Rehn presents the Slovenian • On 3 March in the first war crimes
eral strike against reform plans an- Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar and his trial held under the auspices of the Eu-ropean Union Rule of Law Mission in Syria 220 immigrants aboard sinks in Libyan
Kosovo (EULEX), Kosovo citizen Gani waters. Rescue teams can only save 21
Gashi is sentenced to 17 years in prison. • On 2 March the director general of people.
• On 19 March Spain announces its the IAEA Mohamed ElBaradei criticises
withdrawal of troops from Kosovo to Syria for not collaborating with its in- Tunisia
NATO’s Secretary General Jaap de spectors to clarify the origin of the ura-
Hoop Scheffer, who criticises the deci- nium found in al-Kibar. On 4 March the • On 17 March the media reports that
sion as “precipitated and unilateral.” On US also accuses Syria of obstructing the Tunisian human rights activist Mon-
20 November Jose Luis Rodriguez Za- the investigation. cef Marzouki has accused the govern-
patero describes the decision as coher- • On 7 January the assistant Secretary ment of putting pressure on Lebanon to
ent with Spain’s non-recognition of of State for the Middle East Jeffrey Felt- deny his entry visa to give a lecture on
Kosovo independence. On 30 March man and Dan Shapiro from the Nation- democracy in the Arab world in the Ori-
De Hoop Scheffer is reported to be al Security Council arrive in Syria on the ent Institute in Beirut.
Appendices
“satisfied” with the withdrawal plan pre- country’s first visit from high ranking US
sented by Spain. officials since the Bush administration Algeria
withdrew its ambassador in 2005, fol-
Greece lowing the assassination of the Leba- • On 26 March the El Khabar news-
nese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. paper reports a joint operation carried
• On 6 March a Greek businessman out by the Algerian and Libyan armies
is seriously injured by a bomb planted Lebanon against a terrorist cell located on the
in his car. On 9 March another device border between the two countries. Con-
explodes in a bank in Athens. On 13 • On 1 March the International Tribunal tinual clashes throughout the month
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March hooded gangs destroy shop win- is opened in The Hague to investigate between the Algerian security forces
dows, vehicles and bank branches in the assassination of Rafiq Hariri. and the AQIM leave around 30 dead.
Athens and Salonica. • On 16 March the first Lebanese em- • On 29 March the Secretary General
bassy in Syria opens as part of efforts of the Islah (Movement for National Re-
Turkey to overcome decades of conflict. Michel form) Djahid Younsi, the only Islamist
al-Khoury, currently the ambassador to candidate in the April presidential elec-
• On 8 March Hillary Clinton, speaking Cyprus, will head the embassy from tions, calls for a general amnesty that
at a joint news conference in Istanbul April. On 24 March the Lebanese Pres- includes still-active armed groups. The
313
with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Ba- ident accepts the appointment of Ali government demands the laying down
bacan, says that the US and Turkey are Abdel Karim as the first Syrian ambas- of arms as a requisite to any kind of
reaffirming their alliance, which had de- sador to Lebanon. negotiations.
teriorated during the Bush administration. • On 23 March the Fatah head in
• From 16-22 March Istanbul hosts the Lebanon Kamal Medhat is killed in a Morocco
5th World Water Forum, which fails to bomb blast in the Mieh Mieh refugee
back the proposal put forward by certain camp. Fatah officials say that the attack • On 6 March Morocco breaks diplo-
European and Latin American States for was aimed at the PLO leader in Leba- matic ties with Iran following statements
water to be considered a human right. non Abbas Zaki, who had left the camp made by Ali Akbar Nateq Nouri, advisor
• On 23 March on a visit to Iraq the minutes before. Lebanon and Iran ac- to the Ayatollah Khamenei, asserting
Turkish President Abdullah Gul togeth- cuse Israel of being behind the attack. that Iran has sovereignty over Bahrein.
er with his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Tala- • On 20 March Morocco calls Algeria
bani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Egypt to open the common border and nor-
Kurdistan (PUP), demands that the malise relations, which have been sev-
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), includ- • On 3 March the Egyptian police ar- ered since 1994, in order to reactivate
ed in the European list of terrorist or- rest blogger Rami al-Sweisy, member the Arab Maghreb Union and bilateral
ganisations, lay down its arms and leave of the anti-government group April 6 trade. Algeria announces that it will not
Iraqi territory. Youth Movement. Al-Sweisy is released contemplate any such action until the
• On 26 March a helicopter carrying on the 6 March. Saharan issue is resolved.
the President of the Great Union Party • On 25 March the Egyptian security • On 22 March the Moroccan govern-
Muhsin Yazicioglu explodes in southern forces arrest 14 members of the Muslim ment announces that it will toughen up
Turkey. On hearing the news, Recep Brotherhood in the provinces of Shar- the legislation on the practice of Shiite
Tayyip Erdogan suspends his electoral qiya and Minufiya. Islam and homosexuality, in the belief
campaign for the local elections on 29 that they are “attacks against the State’s
March. Libya moral foundations and values.”
• On 29 March the Justice and Devel-
opment Party (AKP) wins local elections • On 22 March Italy delivers 350 im- Mauritania
retaining power in Ankara and Istanbul, migrants to Libya, rescued the previous
despite losing power in certain key cit- day by an Italian tug boat off the coast • On 6 March Mauritania expels the
ies such as Izmir or Diyarbakir. of Libya. On 31 March a small boat with Israeli ambassador in Nouakchott afterrecalling its own ambassador from Tel ond round of the presidential elections and 32 other institutions and libraries
Aviv on 5 January. in the Former Yugoslav Republic of from around the world.
• On 11 March the main opposition Macedonia. Algeria also holds elec- • On 29 April Nicolas Sarkozy unveils
party Rally of Democratic Forces rejects tions, in which Bouteflika’s victory with his futuristic, large-scale Greater Paris
the electoral calendar proposed by the over 90% of the vote provokes opposi- project, which aims to materialise the
government despite mediating efforts tion accusations of electoral fraud. Elec- urban evolution and growth of 21st cen-
by Libya, and demands the release of tions in the Turkish Republic of North- tury Paris through multimillion-euro pub-
the political prisoners and the end of the ern Cyprus result in victory for the lic and private investments in the ten
regime’s media campaign against the National Unity Party (UBP). Turkey winning urban redevelopment projects.
opposition. urges the UBP to restrain its anti-Euro-
pean stance and cooperate towards the Monaco
European Union positive outcome of reunification nego-
tiations, in a month in which Ankara • On 16 April Monaco’s trade unions
Appendices
• On 10 March the Economic and Fi- announces a road map to normalise call a general strike to protest against
nance Ministers Council adopts the relations with Armenia and continues job cuts in the hotel industry.
2009 economic and financial strategy its Kurdish reform programme. The UN
document and decides on the EU’s Security Council approves Resolution Italy
common priorities ahead of the March 1871 urging Rabat and the Polisario to
G20 summit in London. resume peace talks. • On 6 April an earthquake measuring
• On 19-20 March the European 6.7 on the Richter scale with its epicen-
Council and Heads of State and Gov- Spain tre in L’Aquila kills 293 people, injures
ernment of the EU decide to double the 1,500 and leaves 50,000 homeless. On
Med.2010
emergency bailout fund for Central Eu- • On 7 April the Spanish government 8 April a 5.3 aftershock causes another
ropean States to 50 billion euros, in announces its cabinet reshuffle. Among death.
order to halt their economic decline and the most significant changes is the ap- • On 16 April a Turkish merchant ship
protect the rest of the EU. pointment of Elena Salgado, currently rescues 145 immigrants in Maltese wa-
Public Administration Minister, as Econ- ters near Lampedusa. The boat remains
Arab League omy and Finance Minister and second anchored while Italy and Malta argue
vice President of the government, re- over which country is to take responsi-
• On 30 March Doha hosts the 21st placing Pedro Solbes. bility for the immigrants. On 19 April
314
Summit of the Arab League. Egypt, Mo- • On 10 April French police arrest the under pressure from the UNHCR, Italy
rocco and Algeria do not attend the second in command of ETA’s logistics agrees to accept them. On 18 April the
summit due to differences of opinion section Ekaitz Sirvent Auzmendi. On 18 Italian Coast Guard intercepts another
with the other Member States over the April French police arrest Jurdan Mar- small boat with 250 immigrants aboard
crisis in Gaza. The summit concludes titegui in Perpignan, believed to be the and tows it to the Sicilian port of Poz-
with a resolution in support of the Su- successor of Garikoitz Azpiazu and Ait- zallo.
danese President Omar al-Bashir, zol Iriondo, both arrested in 2008, as
wanted by the International Criminal ETA’s military chief. Malta
Court for crimes against humanity. • On 29 April the Criminal Division of
the Supreme Court informs the Nation- • On 1 April the Maltese Parliament
al Court that nine of the 47 convicted unanimously elects the Labour leader
April 2009 in the Ekin case for crimes linked with Gorg Abela as the successor to Eddie
ETA are cleared of all charges. Fenech Adami and eighth President of
April is marked by NATO and EU en- the Republic.
largement perspectives. The North At- France
lantic Alliance incorporates Croatia and Slovenia
Albania as new members and reincor- • On 4 April the Strasbourg-Kehl
porates France into its military structure, NATO Summit ratifies the return of • On 27 April the EU Council of Min-
43 years after De Gaulle decided to France to its integrated military com- isters urges Slovenia to accept Com-
withdraw in protest at the United States’ mand structure following its approval by missioner Olli Rehn’s proposed interna-
excessive influence. The Prague meet- the French National Assembly on 17 tional mediation for Ljubljana and
ing of EU Heads of State approves March. Zagreb, to allow an international arbitra-
Montenegro’s membership application • On 21 April UNESCO’s Paris head- tion commission to resolve the border
and welcomes Albania’s application. In quarters launches the World Digital Li- dispute between Slovenia and Croatia.
Malta the month begins with Gorg brary, a website that offers the public
Abela’s investiture as the country’s over a billion documents translated into Croatia
eighth President. In Italy an earthquake seven languages free of charge. The
in L’Aquila causes 293 deaths. General ambitious project, developed by the US • On 1 April Croatia joins NATO after
strikes take place in Greece and Mo- Library of Congress, includes the par- the Slovenian Parliament agrees to lift
naco. George Ivanov wins in the sec- ticipation of the Library of Alexandria its veto.• On 23 April the EU decides to post- priorities will be the opening of accession Turk escapes unharmed in a bomb at-
pone the intergovernmental EU-acces- talks and the resolution of the dispute tack at Bilkent University.
sion conference with Croatia planned with Greece over the country’s name. • On 22 April Swiss mediation leads
for the 24 April, due to the failure to to an agreement between Turkey and
resolve the dispute between Croatia Albania Armenia to establish a road map to nor-
and Slovenia over the demarcation of malise relations. The announcement
their territorial waters. • On 1 April Albania officially joins may provoke reprisals from Azerbaijan,
NATO. Turkey’s historical ally in the dispute with
Bosnia and Herzegovina • On 28 April the Prime Minister Sali Armenia over the control of High Kara-
Berisha submits Albania’s EU accession bakh, which may decide to redirect its
• On 8 April the Interior Minister re- application in Prague. proposed gas pipeline through Russia
ports the kidnapping of Ante Jelavic, and not Turkey.
former Croat Bosnian member of the Greece
Appendices
Bosnian government. Jelavic had fled Cyprus
from Croatia and was living in Zagreb • On 2 April Greece is paralysed by a
after a trial in Bosnia found him guilty of new general strike demanding urgent • On 19 April the National Unity Party
abuse of office in relation with the Her- measures to be taken against the crisis (UBP) wins parliamentary elections in
cegovacka Bank. in order to protect small and medium- the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
size businesses and low-income groups. with 44% of the votes. Under pressure
Montenegro • On 14 April the Greek ambassador from Ankara, the UBP promises to sup-
to the US Alexandros Mallias reveals a port the reunification negotiations, ex-
• On 23 April the EU Council of Min- position in favour of the UN envoy Mat- pected to be finished before 2010, and
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isters approves Montenegro’s member- thew Nimetz’s proposal to call the restrains its anti-European position.
ship application presented in December Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedo- • On 28 April the European Court of
2008, and invites the European Com- nia the Northern Macedonian Republic. Justice opens the way for Greek-Cypri-
mission to prepare an opinion to open This is the first time a Greek represent- ots to recover property abandoned in
negotiations. ative has accepted the inclusion of the the north of the island and resold ille-
word “Macedonia” in the name of its gally by Turkish Cypriots after the divi-
Kosovo under United Nations Security northern neighbour. sion of Cyprus in 1974.
Council Resolution 1244
315
Turkey Syria
• On 16 April the Kosovo government
announces that it will not allow the Ser- • On 4 April Turkey lifts its veto on • On 22 April Syria and Iraq sign a
bian Prime Minister Boris Tadic’s visit, Anders Fogh Rasmussen becoming strategic cooperation agreement in
planned for the following day, Orthodox NATO’s Secretary General, after Barak various fields, including the rehabilita-
Good Friday. On 17 April Pristina bows Obama promises Recep Tayyip Erdog- tion of a joint project for the construction
to EU and US pressure and Tadic visits an vice presidency for Turkey. The veto of an oil pipeline.
the region for the first time since the dates back to the crisis over the car- • On 27 April the Syrian President
country’s split from Serbia. toons of Mohammed published in the Bashar al-Assad insists that there can
• On 23 April Serbia’s war crimes Aftenbladet newspaper in 2006 when be no peace deal made with Israel if Tel
prosecutor sentences four Serbian Rasmussen was Prime Minister of Den- Aviv does not return the Golan Heights.
former police officers to between 13 mark. The statement comes in response to
and 20 years in prison for the massacre • On 6 April Barack Obama attends declarations made by the Israeli Foreign
of 48 Kosovo Albanians during the Ko- the 2nd Forum of the Alliance of Civili- Minister Avigdor Lieberman dismissing
sovo war. sations in Istanbul, in which a coopera- the withdrawal from Golan as a requisite
• On 27 April forces of the EU Mission tion agreement is signed between the to initiating negotiations.
in Kosovo, EULEX, have to intervene to Alliance and NATO. Obama reiterates
disperse a Serb demonstration in Mitro- his support for Turkey’s EU accession, Lebanon
vica against Kosovo Albanian refugees opposing the position taken by Paris
returning to the city. and Berlin. • On 13 April four Lebanese soldiers
• On 13 April the Ergenekon case are killed in an attack on an army patrol
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia sees a new wave of arrests, including in the town of Zahle. The attack appears
the head of Baskent University in An- to be linked to the killing of a Lebanese
• On 4 April the leader of the Internal kara. drug smuggler at a military checkpoint
Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation, • On 20 April the PKK declares a uni- on 27 March.
Gjorge Ivanov wins the presidential elec- lateral ceasefire until 1 June. On 29 April • On 29 April Lebanon releases four
tions. The elections take place without nine Turkish soldiers are killed by a mine generals arrested without charge over
incident, fulfilling one of the EU’s require- planted by Kurdish militia in the province the assassination of the Lebanese Prime
ments to continue towards membership. of Diyarbakir. On the same day the Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. The pro-
Ivanov declares that his government’s former Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Syrian bloc celebrates the ruling.Egypt requested by Morocco on 28 March regional and international stability and
2008. They stand accused of participat- security, as well as religious dialogue.
• On 8 April the Egyptian authorities ing in Abdelkader Belliraj’s terrorist net-
accuse Hezbollah of setting up a terror- work. AI believes that they would run the
ist cell to carry out attacks in Egypt. risk of solitary confinement, torture or May 2009
Relations between Cairo and Hezbollah unfair trail.
deteriorated in January when Hezbollah May sees new disputes between Malta
accused Egypt of collaborating with Mauritania and Italy over which of the two coun-
Israel over the closure of the Rafah pass tries should take responsibility for the
during Operation Cast Lead. • On 15 April Mohamed Ould Ab- immigrants intercepted in border wa-
• On 29 April the Egyptian government delaziz announces his resignation as ters. The Slovenian government pre
orders the slaughter of the country’s president in order to stand as a candi- sents a series of amendments to the
pigs – between 300,000 and 400,000 date in the presidential elections on 6 plan proposed by Olli Rehn to settle the
Appendices
animals – as a precaution against the June. His number two, General Mo- dispute with Croatia over the demarca-
outbreak of the A/H1N1 flu virus. hamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed, tion of their territorial waters. In Turkey
remains at the head of the Military Junta. the month begins with the announce-
Tunisia The opposition announces that it will ment of major changes in the govern-
boycott the elections if Abdelaziz runs ment. The US announces that it will
• On 16 April the NGO Human Rights for president. extend sanctions on Syria for a further
Watch (HRW) submits a report to the year, accusing Damascus of playing an
United Nations Human Rights Commit- European Union ambiguous role in the Middle East, de-
tee stating that Tunisia continues to spite Washington’s attempts to improve
Med.2010
refuse to honour its commitment to al- • On 5 April the EU-US Summit re- relations. In Egypt the government’s
low independent observers full access veals a desire to increase Euro-Atlantic decision to slaughter the country’s pigs
to its prisons. cooperation on the subject of regional to protect against the A/H1N1 flu virus
• On 23 April Tunisia signs a nuclear and energy security, climate change leads to violent clashes between police
cooperation agreement with France dur- and measures to combat the crisis, fol- and Coptic Christians, who declare the
ing Nicolas Sarkozy’s official visit to the lowing the European Parliament’s ap- decision to be an act of discrimination.
country. proval on 26 March of the creation of The UN Security Council decides to
a new Euro-Atlantic framework that will extend the peace mission in Cyprus
316
Algeria materialise in a transatlantic political (UNFICYP) for a further six months due
Council as an advisory and coordinat- to the difficulties in the reunification
• On 4 April the Algerian security ing body. negotiations. In the EU the Eastern Part-
forces report the death of 13 members • On 17 April the European Commis- nership is born and the EU-China and
of AQIM in various operations led by the sion approves 225 million euros in aid EU-Russia summits are held, with vary-
Algerian security services in the prov- to developing countries to combat ter- ing results.
inces of Buira and Bordj Buareridj. On rorism and arms trafficking; key priorities
5 April elite units from the Algerian army are Sahel, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Spain
begin a large-scale anti-terrorist opera- • On 27-28 April the General Affairs
tion in the Sidi Ali Bounab region. and External Relations Council (GAERC) • On 20 May the National Police arrest
• On 9 April Abdelaziz Buteflika wins adopts a joint declaration with the Com- 17 suspected members of a drug-traf-
the presidential elections with 90.2% of mission and Parliament over the Euro- ficking, credit card forgery and theft
the votes in his third election victory. pean economic relaunch plan, set at 5 network, which was allegedly financing
Turnout stands at 74.1% despite calls billion euros, and approves procedures AQIM.
from the Rally for Culture and Democ- against France, Spain, Greece and Ire- • On 21 May the Constitutional Court
racy and the Socialist Forces Front to land for excessive deficits. rules that the Internationalist Initiative
boycott the elections. Opposition lead- (II) can run in the European elections
ers, among them the only female con- Arab League after the Supreme Court banned the
tender for the presidency, Louisa Ha- party on 16 May based on some of the
noun, from the Workers’ Party, accuse • On 11 April six members of the Arab candidates’ alleged connections with
the government of electoral fraud. League – Jordan, the Palestinian Na- Batasuna.
tional Authority, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, • On 25 May Iker Esparza, member of
Morocco Qatar and Lebanon – withdraw their the political wing of ETA, is arrested
support for the peace plan presented during a routine police check in Paris
• On 23 April Amnesty International by Saudi Arabia at the Arab League while he was driving a stolen car under
(AI) urges the Spanish authorities not to Summit in Beirut in 2002, in favour of the influence of alcohol.
extradite Ali Aarrass and Mohamed el exchanging peace for territory. • On 25 May a 200-strong stamped-
Bay to Morocco. The two men were ar- • On 23 April the Arab League and the ing crowd leaves 12 injured and two
rested in Melilla on 1 April 2008 on the Vatican sign a political and cultural co- women dead at the Tarajal border pass,
basis of international arrest warrants operation agreement to contribute to which separates Ceuta and Morocco.France Croatia roupolis. On 19 May the organisation
Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei carries out
• On 15 May the National Institute for • On 5 May Croatia officially accepts attacks on two police stations in Athens
Statistics (INSEE) reveals a 1.2% drop European Commissioner Olli Rehn’s and Salonica.
in the French GDP in the first quarter of mediation proposal to resolve the ter- • On 22 May hundreds of Muslims
the year, marking the country’s official ritorial dispute with Slovenia. clash with police during a demonstration
entry into recession after six consecu- in Athens over an alleged case of police
tive months of economic decline. Bosnia and Herzegovina abuse against a member of its com-
• On 20 May the family of ETA member munity. On 23 May a building used by
Jon Anza reports him missing to the • On 12 May the remains of 33 casu- Muslims for prayer is set on fire in the
Bayonne public prosecutor. The French alties of the Bosnian war are buried at Athenian district of Agios Pantelei-
police open an investigation. a funeral in Bratunac. monas.
• On 26 May Nicolas Sarkozy inaugu- • On 19 May the US vice President
Appendices
rates the first French naval base in the Joe Biden urges the different parties of Turkey
Persian Gulf, in the United Arab Emir- the Bosnian Parliament to work towards
ates. the success of the constitutional reform, • On 1 May the Prime Minister Recep
• On 28 May French customs seize a and warns that the country runs the risk Tayyip Erdogan reshuffles the govern-
consignment of 684 kilos of cocaine on of returning to violence if an agreement ment in preparation for the 2011 legis-
a British lorry travelling from Spain. is not reached. lative elections. Erdogan’s chief advisor
Ahmet Davutoglu replaces Ali Babacan
Italy Serbia as Foreign Minister, who becomes
Economy Minister. Vecdi Gonul remains
Med.2010
• On 19 May police arrest the Ca- • On 18 May Boris Tadic receives the as Defence Minister and the former
salesi clan leader Franco Letizia of the Macedonian President Filip Vujanovic in President of the Parliament Bulent Arinc
Camorra crime syndicate along with a Belgrade. The visit settles the crisis be- will be the new deputy Prime Minister.
hundred members of the Seccession- tween both states after Podgorica’s rec- • On 4 May masked gunmen armed
ists clan, headed by Raffaele Amato, ognition of Kosovo’s independence, with machine guns burst into a wedding
who was arrested on 16 May in Mar- which led Belgrade to declare the Mac- in the town of Bilge and kill 45 people.
bella. On 27 May around 30 members edonian ambassador a persona non grata. The authorities suspect clan revenge as
of the Camorra are arrested, including the reason for the massacre.
317
several members of the Sarno clan. Kosovo under United Nations Security • On 9 May five people are killed after
• On 6 May three boats coming from Council Resolution 1244 a mine explodes under a truck in the
Libya containing 227 immigrants are province of Sirnak, in an attack attrib-
stopped around sixty miles from • On 5 May the International Monetary uted to the PKK. On 27 May the Turkish
Lampedusa. The boats await rescue as Fund approves Kosovo’s membership. authorities report the death of eight
a new dispute opens between Italy and • On 10 May around twenty police of- Kurdish militants in various military op-
Malta over who should take responsibil- ficers and two protesters are injured in erations in the regions of Diyarbakir and
ity. Finally Italy picks up the immigrants the southeast of Kosovo following vio- Siirt. On 28 May six soldiers are killed
and returns them to Libya. lent clashes provoked by the Kosovo by a PKK mine.
• On 19 May the Milan Court gives electric company’s decision to cut off
details of its ruling on 17 February under electricity for Serbs in the area who Cyprus
which British lawyer David Mills was have said they will pay a Serbian electric
sentenced to four and a half years in company instead. • On 29 May the UN Security Council
prison for accepting bribes and commit- • On 21 May a day after his visit to decides to extend the mandate of its
ting perjury in the Fininvest and All Ibe- Serbia, Joe Biden travels to Pristina and peace mission in Cyprus, UNFICYP,
rian trials against Silvio Berlusconi. reiterates Washington’s support of Ko- until 15 December 2009, while the par-
sovo’s territorial integrity and multiethnic ties continue to negotiate the island’s
Malta character. reunification.
• On 13 May the European Commis- Albania Syria
sion warns Malta of the need to urgent-
ly reduce its public deficit from 4.7%, to • On 2 May the opposition socialist • On 8 May the US announces its de-
meet the common goal of below 3% of party MP Fatmir Xhindi is gunned down cision to extend sanctions on Syria by
the GDP. in the town of Roskovec weeks before another year. The announcement comes
the Albanian legislative elections. a day after Jeffrey Feltman and Daniel
Slovenia Shapiro’s second visit to Damascus,
Greece which fails to dispel concerns over Syr-
• On 15 May Slovenia presents amend ia’s role in Iraq and its connections with
ments to the EU’s proposal to resolve • On 12 May a bomb explodes in a Hamas and Hezbollah, and following
the border dispute with Croatia. bank in the Athenian district of Argy- Bashar al-Assad’s declaration on 5 MayYou can also read
