Headlines:

- Romania Finance Ministry ’Agrees’ to Employee Demands

Representatives of the Romanian Finance Ministry on Thursday agreed to pay bonuses for hundreds of state employees from the finance sector, following a strike by civil servants accross the country.

- Serbian Media Mogul Accused of Undermining Jolie Film

Officials in Bosnia have accused a powerful private television network in Serbia, TV PINK, of attempting to undermine a film project led by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie by spreading rumours about the film’s storyline.

- Croatia: Ex PM Sanader Seeks Return to Parliament

Croatia’s ruling party has said it is not concerned that former prime minister Ivo Sanader has abruptly requested to return to the country’s parliament.

- Study: Grey Economy Generates 40% of Bulgaria’s GDP

Bulgaria’s grey economy generates around 37.7 per cent of the country’s GDP, shows a study conducted by A.T. Kearney, an international consulting company.

- Karadzic: Witness Testifies About Sniping Incidents in Sarajevo

In his testimony at the trial of wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, a prosecution witness spars with the defendant over the locations from where sniper bullets were fired in Sarajevo during the war.

- Macedonia: Albanian Opposition Announces Protests

Ethnic Albanian opposition parties in Macedonia plan to stage anti-government protests in November, slamming the ruling party and its Albanian junior partner for waging policies that harm Albanian interests.

- Serbian Officials Discuss Hooligan Shame

The Serbian National Security Council met on Wednesday night in Belgrade in an indication that the Serbian authorities are taking the issue of hooliganism seriously, following two separate incidents of violence in the last week.

- Bulgaria: MPs Back Step Toward Anti-Corruption Court

The Bulgarian parliament has approved on first reading changes to legislation that would allow the establishment of a special court on organised crime and corruption.

- Romanian Public Employees To Continue Protests

Hundreds of state employees in Romania’s finance sector are to continue on Thursday their protests against the government’s wage cuts.

- Top Bosnian Parties ’Spent Millions’ on Campaign Ads

The strongest political parties in Bosnia spent at least three million euros on political advertising during the month-long campaign leading up to the October 3 general elections in the country, global anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International said.

- Bosnia Suspends Permission for Jolie Film

Authorities in Bosnia decided on Wednesday to suspend filming permission for Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, who announced earlier she planned to shoot part of her screenwriting and directorial debut in the Balkan country.

- Bulgaria: Officials ‘to Be Fired’ Over Illegal Building Row

Two state officials will be dismissed following revelations of illegally built luxury homes in southern Bulgaria, the country’s Minister of Regional Development Rosen Plevneliev said on Wednesday.

For further information: Balkan Investigative Reporting Network