Reptiles, insects, otter die in Scotland zoo fire

April 14, 2013

LONDON (AP) — A fire has claimed the lives of reptiles, insects and a male otter at the Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland.

Officials said Sunday the blaze started in the zoo's tropical house and was fought by some 50 firefighters. Visitor services worker Lesley Coupar said the fire was "the worst nightmare" because the zoo is owned and staffed by animal lovers.

She said "everything" in the reptile house had died but that some dwarf west African crocodiles housed next to the reptile house were saved. There were no injuries to personnel or visitors in the early morning fire in Polbeth, a town about 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Edinburgh.

Police said the cause of the blaze is unknown and that an investigation has begun.

Poland scoffs at gas pipeline plans

April 4, 2013

WARSAW, Poland, April 4 (UPI) -- Poland is an independent country that won't let Russian gas company Gazprom dictate its energy needs, the Polish treasury minister said.

Treasury Minister Mikolaj Budzanowski said he was frustrated with Russian plans to expand the Yamal-Europe natural gas pipeline. Polish and Russian governments agreed on the project in the 1990s but the minister said the situation changed because of accession to the European Union.

"No one, except for the Polish company and the Polish government is entitled to make decisions about transit via the Polish territory," he was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying. "That's why we would like to tactfully remind that we are not going to build a new gas transportation network to Poland or the European Union on instructions from anyone, especially from Gazprom."

Poland in 2014 plans to build a liquefied natural gas terminal and has development plans in place to examine the shale natural gas potential.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Russian gas company Gazprom to move forward with the pipeline's construction. Yamal-Europe 2 would go into service by 2018.

Gazprom Chairman Alexei Miller told Putin the company was "ready to go ahead" with a feasibility study on the pipeline.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2013/04/04/Poland-scoffs-at-gas-pipeline-plans/UPI-33051365072437/.

Rome protest turns up heat on new PM Letta

ROME | Sat May 18, 2013

(Reuters) - Thousands of people protested in Rome on Saturday against austerity policies and high unemployment, urging new Prime Minister Enrico Letta to focus on creating jobs to help pull the country out of recession.

"We hope that this government will finally start listening to us because we are losing our patience," said Enzo Bernardis, who joined the sea of protesters waving red flags and calling for more workers' rights and better contracts.

Less than a month in power, Letta is trying to hold together an uneasy coalition between his center-left Democratic party and the center-right People of Freedom, led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Confidence in the government, cobbled together after inconclusive elections, is already falling, with one poll on Friday by the SWG institute showing its approval rating had dropped to 34 percent from 43 percent at the start of the month.

"We can't wait anymore" and "We need money to live" were among slogans on banners held up by the crowds.

Letta promised to make jobs his top priority when he came to power in April after two months of political deadlock. But several protesters complained he was not sticking to his vow, focusing instead on a property tax reform outlined this week.

Union leaders said he needed to shift away from the austerity agenda pursued by former Prime Minister Mario Monti, who introduced a range of spending cuts, tax hikes and pension reform to shore up strained public finances.

"We need to start over with more investment. If we don't restart with public and private investments, there will no new jobs," said Maurizio Landini, secretary-general of the left-wing metalworkers union Fiom.

Italy is stuck in its longest recession since quarterly records began in 1970, and jobless rates are close to record highs, with youth unemployment at around 38 percent.

Other protesters were pessimistic that Letta's fragile government would be able to take effective action.

"This government will last a very short time," said demonstrator Marco Silvani. What we need is a new leftist party that fights for the rights of the people," he said.

(Reporting By Carmelo Carmilli and Roberto Mignucci, writing by Catherine Hornby; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/18/us-italy-protest-idUSBRE94H06M20130518.

Italy's Parliament convenes, faces stalemate

March 15, 2013

ROME (AP) — Italy's newly elected Parliament was locked in political gridlock as it convened Friday for the first time after elections gave no party a clear victory.

The normally routine inaugural duty of electing leaders of both houses was caught in a stalemate — auguring badly for the establishment of the stable government needed to keep the eurozone's third-largest economy on a straight fiscal path while introducing growth measures to bring Italy out of recession and get more Italians back to work.

Acting Senate president Emilio Colombo — who was tapped to run the chamber until a leader can be elected because at 92 he is the oldest member of the chamber — told lawmakers that the political stalemate will hurt Italy's recovery.

It "could bring us to institutional paralysis, with dramatic consequences for ... the great social and economic problems that torment us," he said. Despite his plea, rounds of voting in the lower house and two in the Senate ended with no winners.

Italian media employed a metaphor from the recent papal conclave, reporting "black smoke" from both chambers, a reference to the smoke that emerges from the Vatican when cardinals fail to reach agreement on a pope.

Investors were watching the sessions closely for signs of where Italy was headed. There was more bad financial news as the new deputies and senators held the first round of voting: The Bank of Italy said the nation's debt hit a new high, topping €2 trillion ($2.6 trillion) in January.

Center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani's coalition came in first in Feb. 24-25 elections. While the extra seats given to the top vote-getters guarantees a stable majority of 345 seats in the 630-seat lower house, Bersani has no such margin in the Senate, and a two-thirds majority, or 420 votes, is needed to vote a chamber leader in the first three rounds.

Most lawmakers filed blank ballots in the early rounds, avoiding the appearance of a battle, with only members of comic-turned-political leader Beppe Grillo's 5 star movement voting for their own candidates.

Leaders were expected to be voted in further voting rounds Saturday, when the majority rules relax in both houses. Only after leaders are chosen can Italy's president open talks on forming a government, expected next week.

Bersani attempts in recent days to persuade followers of the anti-establishment 5 Star Movement to cooperate on a leadership strategy failed. Bersani also has ruled out an alliance with former Premier Silvio Berlusconi's center-right forces, which finished second.

Berlusconi, hospitalized in Milan for an eye ailment, wasn't in Parliament. His legal team has been at odds with Milan courts as they have petitioned to postpone hearings because of the eye inflammation and courts have responded by dispatching court-appointed doctors to verify its severity.

Members of Berlusconi's party have contended the judges are trying to sideline Berlusconi politically. As Berlusconi left the hospital Friday, after a week's stay, he was asked what were the chances a government could be formed.

If political leaders "have a head on their shoulders, they have to do it," the former premier said. Meanwhile, police acted on warrants for arrests for several lawmakers in the former Parliament whose immunity expired once the new legislative session opened. They included an ex-senator who admitted taking €3 million from Berlusconi to defect to his party, a move that weakened the former government of Romano Prodi.

Colleen Barry reported from Milan.

Lonely year for French president at time of crisis

April 28, 2013

PARIS (AP) — The sounds of raucous protest echo in the Presidential Palace, unemployment is rising to levels not seen in over a decade, and his country's economy has been called a potential time bomb at the heart of Europe.

Francois Hollande, among the most unpopular French leaders in modern history, remains calm. Lacking the early-career charisma of President Barack Obama or the hard-nosed reputation of Germany's Angela Merkel, Hollande rose to power in the Socialist Party as a consensus-builder — someone who went out of his way to avoid confrontation. But the amiability that propelled him to the presidency a year ago is turning against Hollande, as poll after poll finds deep disappointment among many who believe he is incapable of the swift, determined choices needed to yank France out of a malaise he himself says threatens generations to come.

"I remain solid and serene," Holland told a handful of journalists in his office at the Presidential Palace, above the shouts of a crowd demonstrating against his plan to legalize gay marriage. Without camouflaging the difficulties, he admitted it's been a trying year. "I grasp the seriousness — it's the task of the president to remain steady and to see further than the storms of a moment. It's called perseverance."

Judgment, he said in the interview earlier this month, will come only at the end of his five-year term. But, seated comfortably in his office armchair, Hollande insisted he was anything but indecisive.

"My will is to pull the country together and restore its confidence. This will take time, but I have no other goal," he said. "You can criticize my decisions, think that I'm on the wrong path, say I'm foundering, but if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I've made major choices for France in the past year."

He cited the accord reached in January between unions and business leaders to relax some of France's famously strict labor protections. Hollande had championed the agreement, saying the costs and difficulties of hiring in France were hurting its ability to compete globally. But unemployment has only risen since then, and the brief optimism generated by the agreement — which is expected to become law by next month — has since faded. This week, it reached 10.6 percent, the highest level since 1999.

Hollande talks a lot about the French intervention in Mali, by far his most popular act in office. But, despite Hollande's best efforts, France was alone among European countries in sending soldiers, and French forces outnumbered any Africans sent to win Mali back from the militants who threatened to seize the entire country.

"I became president at an exceptional time," said Hollande, who tends to speak deliberately and formally even in relaxed settings. "Exceptional on the economic front: a long crisis, a recession in Europe, unemployment at historic levels. Exceptional because I was forced to engage France in Mali. Exceptional because populism is taking hold, not just in France, but throughout Europe."

Bernard Poignant, a Socialist who is Hollande's friend of 30 years and also one of his advisors, said the president started his term at a hugely difficult moment for his leftist base. "Traditionally the left, when it comes to power, is generous, redistributive of wealth," he said. "Today, it's the reverse. The right emptied the coffers and now the left must fill them."

Economists say that France's predicament stems neither from the country's right or left, but from generations of benefits that few politicians are willing to take away. Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, only half-heartedly tried to raise the work week from 35 hours, then pulled back even before strong opposition emerged.

Hollande cautiously broached the idea of pulling back some of the subsidies that now go to all parents of young children, exempting families who earn high incomes. But the 35-hour work week remains in place, as does the retirement age of 62. Health care remains universal and nearly all treatments are reimbursed at least partially. Hollande has said he will not thin the ranks of government employees. France will remain among the countries with the highest percentage of public workers in the world — about 20 percent of the workforce gets a government paycheck and a government pension.

Hollande was elected as "president normal," an unassuming contrast to Sarkozy's flashy, aggressive style, and his dramatic divorce and marriage to the model and singer Carla Bruni. But a year into his term, his amiability has managed to turn most of the country against him, even within his own camp. Numerous Socialist lawmakers are openly speaking against him, for example, for demanding they publish their assets.

The president appears to relish simple, easy contact with the French. He can spend hours happily shaking hands, telling stories, joking. But those moments are becoming increasingly rare. "He is consumed by his responsibilities, too consumed, in my opinion," said Poignant. "The political climate is such that the president is becoming the target of protests. We have to protect him for security reasons: It is very difficult for him to be close to the French."

Only about one in four French approve of the job Hollande is doing, lower than either of his conservative predecessors. He says he is willing to wait for that to change, describing his five-year term in two phases: things will be very difficult in the first phase, then a return to growth and the Socialist preference toward more government spending. His advisers — and most economists — say privately they don't expect much good news for France before 2015.

"The French have always turned to the president. He is accountable to them, and that's as it should be. My actions are measured at this particular moment in our country's history," he said. "I remain in control of myself, confident in what I think."

Romania unfurls largest flag in the world

May 27, 2013

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A Romanian village on Monday unfurled what is the largest flag ever made, Guinness World Records said.

It took about 200 people several hours Monday to roll out the flag, which measured about 349 meters (1,145 feet) by 227 meters (744.5 feet), about three times the size of a football field, according to Jack Brockbank, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records who measured the flag before pronouncing it the biggest flag in the world.

"It gives me great pleasure to recognize a new Guinness World Record title," he said after measuring the flag. "Congratulations Romania!" He said Romania's red, yellow and blue flag covers an area of about 79,290 square meters (853,478 square feet), downing Lebanon which had held the previous record.

The five-ton flag was displayed in Clinceni, 35 kilometers (22 miles) southeast of Bucharest. Workers struggled to keep it firmly planted on the ground because of windy conditions and had to use small sandbags.

Adrian Dragomir, manager of the Flags Factory which created the flag, says it took weeks to sew and 70 kilometers (44 miles) of thread was needed. A military brass band played as Prime Minister Victor Ponta and other ministers arrived in the village to view the flag.

Hungary: Snowstorm strands thousands in their cars

March 15, 2013

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A snowstorm in Hungary brought drifts 10 feet (3 meters) high and violent gusts of wind, forcing thousands of people to spend the night in their cars or in emergency shelters after being stranded on a major highway.

Rescue officials said wind gusts up to 100 kph (62 mph) caused trucks to jackknife across the key M1 highway between Budapest and Vienna — the capitals of Hungary and Austria — leading to the traffic jams. On Friday, rescue workers cut across guardrails to let vehicles leave the jammed highway on makeshift side roads.

Over 100 people were injured in traffic and snow-related accidents, the Hungarian Disaster Management Agency said, adding that 5,700 cars were stranded on the roads and 18 trains were stuck between stations.

Snowdrifts up to 3 meters (10 feet) high and the violent gusts of wind brought many major roads across the country to a standstill. The storm also left more than 100,000 people without electricity. More than 8,000 people had to take refuge in heated buildings set up by the disaster agency for stranded travelers.

Interior Minister Sandor Pinter said police and rescue units were called in, along with military vehicles with caterpillar treads. The weather prompted the government and several opposition parties to cancel outdoor festivities for Friday's national holiday commemorating Hungary's 1848 revolution against the Habsburgs.

In neighboring Serbia and south across Montenegro, melting snow caused rivers to burst their banks and flood some villages. In Slovakia, just north of Hungary, some schools in the eastern part of the country were closed because of heavy snowfall, and the Cunovo-Rajka border crossing between the two countries was closed to trucks. Slovakia also banned trucks going from the Czech Republic to Hungary through its territory. Around 20,000 households were without electricity in eastern Slovakia after high winds damaged the grid.

About 300 Slovak soldiers were deployed to help authorities cope. To the south in Kosovo, authorities said an 8-year old girl drowned when a river burst its banks and swept her downriver. Heavy rains caused flooding that stranded dozens of people and prompted emergency rescues.

Karel Janicek in Prague, Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, and Nebi Qena in Kosovo contributed to this report.

Bulgarian center-right wins most of the votes

May 13, 2013

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria's center-right party has fallen far short of winning a majority needed to form a government, according to nearly final election results released on Monday, and it appears to have no willing partners to join a coalition.

That would leave the second-place party in position to lead a new government. The Citizens for Bulgaria's European Development party of former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov amassed the most votes with 30.7 percent, followed by the opposition Socialists with 27 percent with 96 percent of the ballots counted.

Results published by the Central Election Commission showed that two more parties will enter Parliament — the mainly Turkish MRF party with 10.7 percent and the nationalist Ataka party with 7.4 percent.

Borisov's prospects for forming a coalition government were small as all other parties have refused to join him. "For the first time in the last 23 years we have a ruling party that has been reelected on top, but strangely enough what has been formed around this party is a 'cordon sanitaire.' Despite winning the election this political party is not in a position to shape the future of the country," political analyst Vladimir Shopov told The Associated Press.

Borisov has not made any statements after the vote. If he cannot assemble a coalition, the will go to the Socialists, who said they were ready to seek broad consensus for an anti-crisis cabinet of technocrats to be headed by a former finance minister, Plamen Oresharski.

Socialist leader Sergei Stanishev said his party was ready to meet with all parties except Borisov's, as well as with citizens' organizations for such a cabinet. "The only option is a programmatic government with strong expert participation and with a clear program," he said.

Analysts are less optimistic, saying that it will be very difficult to form a government that would be able to appease public discontent. "I expect the country will soon head to another election," said Anton Todorov, a political analyst.

Disappointed with the election results and accusing the politicians with vote rigging, protesters on Sunday shouted "Mafia" and tried to storm the building where party leaders arrived for post-election news conferences. They were stopped by police in riot gear.

Stoyan Petrov, a 49-year-old shopkeeper voiced his frustration with the election outcome. "For so many years now, the same thing is repeating. We will again hear the same old song. I don't see how we can get the country back on a normal track," he said.

Exit polls: No clear winner in Bulgarian vote

May 12, 2013

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria's center-right party and its main challenger, the Socialists, finished first and second in Sunday's parliamentary election, with neither one winning a majority needed to form a government, two exit polls indicated.

If that outcome is confirmed, it could lead to more political and economic instability in this financially strapped Balkan nation. That was clear late Sunday when dozens of angry people clashed with police in front of the election press center where party leaders arrived for post-election news conferences.

Disappointed with the election results and accusing the politicians with vote rigging, the protesters shouted "Mafia" and tried to storm the building but were stopped by police in riot gear who cordoned off the area.

Some 6.9 million eligible voters chose among candidates from 36 parties. But voter apathy was widespread, and allegations of vote fraud and an illegal wiretapping scandal marred the campaign. The Alpha Research exit poll said former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's GERB party won 30.1 percent of the votes, with the Socialists second at 26.1 percent. A separate exit poll by Sova Harris said Borisov's party won 31.2 percent of the vote, with the Socialists receiving 25.7 percent.

Official results are expected on Monday. Parties have to win at least 4 percent of the votes to get seats in 240-seat Parliament, and three parties in addition to GERB and the Socialists are expected to do that.

That could make forming a coalition government difficult. "I expect the country will soon head to another election," said Anton Todorov, a political analyst. His colleague Ognyan Minchev agreed, saying he sees "a risk of a hung parliament."

Bulgaria has been led by a caretaker government since February, when Borisov, who guided his Citizens for Bulgaria's European Development party — widely known as GERB — to victory in 2009, resigned as prime minister amid sometimes violent protests against poverty, high utility bills and corruption.

The ex-ruling party has seen its reputation tarnished further since prosecutors alleged that former Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov was responsible for illegally eavesdropping on political opponents during his term.

The scandal deepened as wiretaps leaked in the media revealed that Borisov allegedly had summoned Sofia's chief prosecutor to discuss details of the bribery probe, leading to suspicions of government interference.

But perhaps more than anything, Borisov's party had to struggle to win the public's confidence due to economic issues. Six years after Bulgaria's entry into the European Union, the Balkan state of 7.3 million remains the bloc's poorest member.

Bulgarians have been angry over austerity measures designed to reduce public debt, which have meant cuts in health care and education programs. Many Bulgarians feel squeezed by low wages — the lowest in the EU at 400 euros ($524) a month — and relentless inflation. They feel betrayed by promises that joining the EU would bring them a better life. Now, more than 22 percent of the people live below the official poverty line.

According to official statistics, the unemployment rate is 12 percent, but experts suggest that the real rate is more than 18 percent. In a sign of the prevalent despair, six people set themselves on fire this year, and five died of their burns.

Allegations of vote-rigging that have accompanied elections in the past prompted five major former opposition parties to seek an independent vote count; the first such count since 1990 will be conducted by the Austrian agency SORA. More than 250 international observers monitored Sunday's election.

On Saturday, prosecutors stormed a printing house and seized 350,000 ballots that were printed over the legally fixed number. President Rosen Plevneliev urged Bulgarians to vote in large numbers to counter possible vote-buying practices that could influence the outcome of the race.

"As many as the scenarios may be, these do not stand any chance against millions of Bulgarians who can cast their votes for their own country and its future," he said after casting his ballot.

Shattered EU dreams at heart of Bulgarian election

May 10, 2013

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The big theme of Bulgaria's parliamentary elections this weekend: mounting frustration over the widening gap between the giddy hopes linked to EU membership and today's sobering reality. But few expect things to get any better after the ballot — and the same discredited center-right party is likely to come out on top as voters see no good alternative.

Voter apathy is widespread in a campaign that has also been overshadowed by an illegal wiretapping scandal; turnout Sunday is expected to come under 50 percent. Six years after Bulgaria's entry into the European Union, the Balkan state of 7.3 million remains the bloc's poorest member. For many, the European dream means buying a one-way plane ticket west. Nearly 1.5 million, mostly young and well-educated Bulgarians have moved to richer EU nations since the fall of communism in 1989.

Bulgaria has been led by a caretaker government since the resignation in February of Boiko Borisov, who guided his center-right party to victory in 2009 but stepped down amid sometimes violent protests against poverty, high utility bills and corruption. Some political observers said Borisov's resignation could be seen as a positive gesture toward the protesters and strengthen his Citizens for Bulgaria's European Development party. The party has a slight edge over the opposition Socialists in polls.

But the government has steadily lost public support amid the country's worst economic downturn in a decade. Austerity measures designed to reduce public debt have been unpopular. They include curbing state spending on social programs such as health care and education.

Many Bulgarians feel squeezed by low wages — the lowest in the EU at 400 euros ($524) a month — and relentless inflation. They feel betrayed by promises that were made that joining the EU would bring them a better life. Now, more than 22 percent of the people live below the official poverty line.

"I want politicians to pay more attention to the needs of ordinary people than to their own wealth," complained 68-year-old retiree Draga Velikova. According to official statistics, the unemployment rate is 12 percent, but experts suggest that the real rate is over 18 percent.

A recent study by the Bulgarian Industrial Association shows that investment in the country has declined by 79 percent in the last five years, and that nearly half of enterprises have virtually stopped working.

Criticism by Brussels over a lax fight against corruption and organized crime has left Bulgaria outside the passport-free travel Schengen zone, and plans to join the euro currency are on hold. For many, the solution is to sweep aside a political establishment they believe to be corrupt.

"The leaders of all political parties that have ruled the country in the last 23 years should step down and give a chance to new untainted people to clean up the corrupt system," said Georgi Vasilev, a 28-year-old construction worker.

In a sign of the prevalent despair, six people set themselves on fire this year, and five died of their burns. The election campaign has been marred by revelations of illegal wiretapping of politicians, with prosecutors alleging that former Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov was responsible for illegally eavesdropping on political opponents during his term.

Tsvetanov, who is running for Parliament in Sunday's elections and therefore has immunity under Bulgarian law, has denied any wrongdoing in the growing scandal. The scandal deepened as wiretaps leaked in the media revealed that Borisov, the former prime minister, allegedly had summoned Sofia's chief prosecutor to discuss details of the bribery probe, leading to suspicions of government interference.

Opinion polls suggest that the eavesdropping scandal has further eroded support for the former ruling party. It is expected to come out on top, although it may not have sufficient votes to form a government on its own — and has said it won't join a coalition.

The latest poll conducted by the Afis agency suggests that that 31.6 percent of voters would support Borisov's party, while the Socialists would gather 28.3 percent. No margin of error was provided, but polls of this type in Bulgaria usually have a margin of error of 3 percent.

With up to five other parties expected to enter the 240-seat parliament, formation of a stable government may prove difficult — and fuel instability in a country that is already on a downward economic spiral.

Allegations of vote-rigging that have accompanied elections in the past prompted five major former opposition parties to seek an independent vote count; the first such count since 1990 will be conducted by the Austrian agency SORA. Over 250 international observers will be monitoring Sunday's election in which some 6.9 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote.

Proposed Greek anti-racism law splits govt

May 27, 2013

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Parties in Greece's coalition government disagreed Monday over proposed anti-racism legislation designed to fight a surge in anti-immigrant violence amid the nation's severe economic crisis.

Conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his two center-left minority partners failed to strike a deal while meeting about the bill, which is designed to criminalize incitement to commit racial violence and any denying of Nazi crimes committed during World War II.

"There was no political agreement," said Evangelos Venizelos, head of the Socialist Pasok party. He said that if the government fails to back the law, Pasok will try to pass separate draft legislation of its own with the support of opposition parties.

The bill has already been submitted to parliament by left-wing Justice Minister Antonis Roupakiotis for a first reading. The squabble is unlikely to cause a severe rift in the 11-month-old coalition government, but it is another indication of underlying tensions among the former bitter foes. The three parties only agreed to cooperate in order to pass reforms demanded by Greece's international creditors, without which the debt-crippled country would have faced a disastrous default and an exit from the 17-nation eurozone.

Hours before Monday's meeting, deputy Interior Minister Haralambos Athanasiou said the government's commitment to combat racism didn't require new legislation, but amendments to existing laws. A parliamentary committee that examines draft legislation described provisions in the bill as "vague" and at odds with Greece's Constitution.

International human rights groups have expressed strong support for the proposed reforms, alarmed at a surge in racially-motivated attacks against immigrants and rise of the far-right Golden Dawn party, which won 18 seats in the 300-member parliament in a general election last year.

Speaking to reporters after the party leaders' talks, Venizelos obliquely referred to Golden Dawn to press the case for adopting the bill. "We have an international obligation ... to have all-encompassing legislation against pro-Nazi and violent racist behavior," he said. "Because Greece has a political grouping that is unabashedly Nazi and organizes acts that essentially breach the rule of law."

A newly created Racist Violence Recording Network, supported by 30 aid and human rights groups, reported 87 serious incidents of racist violence in Greece in the first nine months of last year, including a bomb attack on refugee homes near central Athens and dozens of street attacks that led to serious injury.

Golden Dawn, which rejects the neo-Nazi label, says it has played no part in the racist attacks — although its supporters have been arrested in several instances. "Protecting freedom of speech and association is essential, but this should never be an excuse for inaction against racist and xenophobic crimes," Judith Sunderland, a senior Western Europe researcher at Human Rights Watch, told The Associated Press. "Steps to strengthen Greece's criminal justice response to hate crimes, as well as hate speech that incites imminent violence, are urgently needed."

"These measures should not be held hostage to political infighting." Golden Dawn staged a weekend rally near Athens to protest the draft law. Party leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos said the legislation is part of an effort to outlaw Golden Dawn.

He told supporters: "They want to stop Greeks expressing themselves ... They are planning a law, the anti-racism law. Let them do it. We can exist outside the law. I tell them this directly and publicly."

Greece starts firing civil servants for first time in a century

By Nikolia Apostolou
April 26, 2013

The Greek government began its first mass-firing of public-sector workers in more than 100 years this week, part of an effort to lay off 180,000 by 2015 under Europe-imposed austerity.

Pushed by its European creditors amid its crippling economic crisis, Greece began this week to do something it hasn't done in more than 100 years: fire public-sector workers en masse.

Following weeks of tough negotiations with its lenders – the "troika" of the International Monetary Fund, the European Union, and the European Central Bank – the Greek government started laying off public-sector workers in an effort to implement the austerity that the troika has demanded. The first two civil servants were let go on Wednesday under a new law that speeds up the process – one, a policeman, for stealing debit cards, and the other for 110 days of unexcused absence.

The mass layoffs were announced last week in a televised address by the Greek prime minister himself, Antonis Samaras. Despite the massive unemployment in Greece, the goal of the government has become the laying off of 180,000 civil servants by 2015. “This is not a human sacrifice," said Prime Minister Samaras. “It’s an upgrading of the public sector and it’s one demand of Greek society.”

Samaras though, promised new positions to be created: “An equal number [of employees] will be hired on merit,” he added.

A century without layoffs

Civil servants’ jobs have been protected by a law that dates back to the 1880s, which became enshrined in the century-old Greek constitution. Until that provision became law, each newly elected government would sack the civil servants hired by the previous government to replace them with their own party members, creating civil unrest and a dysfunctional state.

“The logic [behind this law] was that the public administration has to be politically independent, feel secure, and ensure the state’s continuity,” said Dimitris Charalambis, professor of political science at the University of Athens.

Even though the 19th-century law was initially intended to fight nepotism, it caused its own problem: Each successive government hired its own people, adding to a continually expanding civil service without making the public sector any more effective. As a result, the Greek public sector became infamous for being dysfunctional and bureaucratic.

Further, although the law had allowed the firing of civil servants convicted of misappropriation of public funds and other serious crimes or when their jobs are phased out, the civil servants were still guaranteed a right to appeal. The appeal process could take two to three years, during which they were able to remain at work.

The law was changed last November to speed up the appeal process and suspend civil servants charged with crimes. A separate effort today to remove the appeal entirely was blocked by the justice minister as unconstitutional, however.

“[The civil servants], who are charged for disciplinary offenses, have the right to a hearing before the disciplinary council of the civil service and a right to appeal,” says George Katrougalos, professor of law at the Demokritos University of Thrace. “Until the final decision is reached, they cannot be fired.”

But while the law now strengthens the government's ability to fire civil servants, it also makes the workers more vulnerable – a particular problem amid Greece's politically charged economic struggles. This week, for example, a teacher was suspended after he was arrested during an anti-austerity demonstration – a situation more common as of late.

Not a size problem?

Since 2010, when the economic crisis started, public debate over the public sector’s size has grown.

And while the troika has demanded the Greek government shed jobs over the past few years, it had previously done so via civil servants going early into retirement and the expiration of fixed-term employment contracts that some public-sector workers had with the state.

“The public administration has lost about 140,000 posts, from a total of about 700,000. [And now] as the minister of administrative reform has admitted, there are serious problems in many [public] services, especially social ones,” says Katrougalos.

Still, despite its reputation of being overgrown, the Greek public-sector workforce is actually smaller than the European Union average. According to ECB statistics from 2011, Greece employed 29 percent of its labor force in the public sector – smaller than Belgium's 38 percent and France's 31 percent during the same period.

“The problem is not its size," says Katrougalos, "but the fact that it is irrationally organized, overgrown in some areas and underdeveloped in others, especially in the welfare sector."

• Marina Rigou contributed to this report.

Source: Christian Science Monitor.
Link: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/0426/Greece-starts-firing-civil-servants-for-first-time-in-a-century.

Serbia holds funeral for Yugoslavia's last king

May 26, 2013

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia held a funeral on Sunday for Yugoslavia's last king, Peter II Karadjordjevic, who had fled the country at the start of World War II and died in the U.S. in 1970.

The former king's remains, and those of his wife, mother and brother, were interred in the family tomb at St. George church in Oplenac, central Serbia, in a ceremony aired live on the state television.

The funeral was attended by top state officials, who described it as an act of reconciliation and unity. After fleeing Yugoslavia during its Nazi occupation, the former king never returned because Communists took over the country at the end of the war and abolished the monarchy.

He died in exile at the age of 47 and was buried at a Serbian Orthodox Church monastery in Libertyville, Illinois — the only European monarch laid to rest on U.S. soil. "We can no longer afford any divisions and injustice," President Tomislav Nikolic said in a speech at Sunday's ceremony.

Peter was born into a royal family, and his godfather was Britain's King George VI, but his life was often tragic and chaotic. He was only 11 years old when his father, King Alexander I, was assassinated in 1934 in Marseilles, France. For the next six years the boy's powers were in the hands of a three-man regency headed by his uncle, Prince Paul.

In March 1941, Prince Paul was overthrown in a military coup after signing a pact with Germany. Peter, then 17, was made the king by the Serb anti-fascists. But when Germany invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941, Peter was forced to flee, first to Greece, then to Egypt, then to Britain, where he headed the government-in-exile. He later lived in France and ended up in the U.S.

History books portray him as a figurehead leader and a victim of cunning politicians.

'Yugonostalgia' as Croatia prepares to join EU

May 25, 2013

KUMROVEC, Croatia (AP) — Forget the European Union, many in this Croatian village are saying. The group of nations being celebrated this weekend is one that died more than 20 years ago when Yugoslavia — now fervently remembered as a haven of peace, prosperity and equality — fell apart in a cascade of ethnic wars.

Thousands of people came together Saturday in the birthplace of Yugoslavia's late communist leader, Josip Broz Tito, to mark his birthday and pay their respects to him and the ex-federation. As Croatia prepares to formally enter the EU on July 1, becoming only the second former Yugoslav republic to become a member of the bloc after Slovenia, many in the village of Kumrovec and across the region still regard Yugoslavia as having been a haven of peace and prosperity despite a lack of democracy and freedoms.

"Tito, the one and only," Slobodan Janusevic, a 52-year-old retiree, said. "I think all the worse of both the EU and today's Croatia." Waving Yugoslav flags with communist red stars, carrying banners and memorabilia, people — some dressed in T-shirts with Tito's portrait — listened to music blaring from loudspeakers and watched footage from the Tito era on a huge screen next to his monument and a small modest house where he was born in 1892.

Crowds of his followers also flocked to Tito's grave in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, coming in by buses, cars or on foot. Some wept, others danced and sang old revolutionary songs, while others dressed like Tito, who died in 1980 after ruling unchallenged for 35 years.

While vilified during the nationalist euphoria that followed the bloody breakup in the early 1990s, Yugoslavia has since regained popularity, commanding a steady influx of followers, even among the younger generations that were born after the country disintegrated. The phenomenon is called "Yugonostalgia" and is often explained as a mental getaway from the disappointments of the brutal reality of postwar and post-communist transition that the citizens of the troubled Balkans faced in the last decade of the 20th century.

"The citizens feel they live much worse than they did 30 years ago," explained Serbian historian Dubravka Stojanovic. "They feel defeated." Formed after the end of World War II, Tito's Yugoslavia was a federation of six, ethnically-mixed republics that were kept together under iron-fisted Communist party rule. But unlike other Eastern European countries, Yugoslavia enjoyed a somewhat softer version of communism, separated politically and economically from the Soviet Union.

Yugoslavs traveled freely to the West as they enjoyed relatively high standards of living, job security, free education and health care. The transition to a market economy and wars left thousands jobless, widening the gap between the rich and the poor. Therefore the Yugoslav era is widely perceived as a just society in comparison with Western capitalism, which is often seen as too inhuman.

After Tito's death, Yugoslavia started falling apart amid political bickering between its republics. Ethnically-inspired differences exploded into wars. Slovenia, then Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Kosovo split from the federation one after another. More than 100,000 people died and millions were left homeless after the most brutal conflict in Europe since World War II.

"It would have been better if we all gathered together to play guitars instead of holding guns and shooting at each other," Malina Jelic from Belgrade said. "Unfortunately, time has taken its toll and we are left with consequences."

Although Tito was a Croat, Croatians were the staunchest opponents of Yugoslavia, partly because they believed larger Serbia dominated the federation after Tito's death. The Yugoslav capital was in Belgrade, Serbia, where late strongman Slobodan Milosevic gained power and popularity with his populist and warmongering policies. Milosevic largely built his popularity on claiming that Serbia — the largest of the six republics — was stifled by other, smaller nations.

"Yugoslavia was a prison for all its nations and anti-communists," said Zorica Jovanovic, 49, who watched the Belgrade gathering from a distance. "It is wrong to glorify a dictator, but people now remember only the good things and forget the bad ones."

Anti-Tito sentiments also run high in Kosovo, dominated by ethnic Albanians and which was part of Serbia during Tito's times. Kosovo fought a war to break away from Serbia's rule and declare independence in 2008. Serbia still does not recognize the move.

"For the Albanians nothing good came from him," 71-year old Daut Krapi said. "Poison would have been better ... we are now free." Even some who arrived in Kumrovec on Saturday believed that Croatia would be much better off alone, without the EU or Yugoslavia.

"This place is part of our Croatia," Ruzica Riffert, 62, said. "Croatia is capable of moving forward on its own. It doesn't need any union." Stojanovic, the historian, said Yugonostalgia is an expression of the people's belief that the new, ethnically-defined, but mostly economically and politically weak states felt "inferior" compared to Tito's era. She added that "this is why they view Yugoslavia as a positive utopia."

Ivan Lovrenovic, a Bosnian intellectual, said this was particularly true for his country, where the three main ex-Yugoslav religious groups — Muslims, Catholics and Christian Orthodox — lived in harmony before the war.

"That's because no other new country was as devastated by the wars as Bosnia was, and nobody lost more than Bosnia did," he said. Marko Perkovic, who created a pro-Tito group in tiny Montenegro, by the Adriatic sea, said he remembered Tito's era as the "time of happiness."

"Tito is a personification of a happy time in the most beautiful country in the world," Perkovic said. "His time is not comparable to nowadays. We were safe and happy." In Montenegro's capital of Podgorica — formerly Titograd, or "Tito's town" — one of the city's most popular nightclubs is named "Titograd", while ex-Yugoslav TV programs and songs about Tito can be heard while dining at local restaurant "Nostalgia."

At another, western end of the former Yugoslavia, in Slovenia, Tito-era memorabilia such as uniforms, photographs or Yugoslav flags, are stashed in an underground wine cellar at the best hotel in the country's bustling capital of Ljubljana. Only special guests are allowed in, explained Oto Skrbin, a hotel employee, as he unlocked a thick, wooden door leading into the room.

"This room was created because of the nostalgic feelings for the old days," he said. "We all fondly remember Yugoslavia. Everyone had jobs and salaries, which is not the case today." In the Slovenian mining town of Velenje, a towering monument of Tito dominates the main square. Residents said they prevented authorities, during the nationalist euphoria of the 1990s, from removing the 10-meter (30-foot) statue, which has since become a tourist attraction.

Sociologist Peter Stankovic noted that Yugonostalgia has been strong in Slovenia since the mid-1990s. It has been additionally fueled as Slovenia plunged into an economic crisis linked to the downturn in the eurozone, he said.

"Not everyone in Yugoslavia was prosperous, but there is a sense that things were balanced more justly than in today's society," he said. Even youngsters born after the Balkan country's demise are identifying with yesteryear, sharing old movies, songs and symbols on social media. Historian Stojanovic said the drive is motivated by the desire of young people to move beyond the borders of their small countries "and let the fresh air in."

In the southernmost former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, 17-year-old Igor Jovanov described Tito as a "communist king" who "enjoyed luxury, women and good food." A show dubbed "Tito's Kitchen" is a hit, drawing huge audiences, both young and elderly.

Ali Zerdin contributed from Slovenia, Predrag Milic from Montenegro, Aida Cerkez, from Bosnia, Nebi Qena from Kosovo, Konstantin Testorides from Macedonia and Dusan Stojanovic from Serbia.

Macedonia's local elections free of violence

March 24, 2013

SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) — Macedonians voted peacefully in local elections Sunday, boosting hopes the country is turning a page and won't repeat the political and ethnic violence that has marred past voting cycles.

The 2,976 polling stations closed at 7 p.m. local time (1700 GMT). State electoral commission head Subhi Jakupi said the turnout by 5 p.m. was 57.5 percent, 8 percent higher than at a similar stage in the previous local elections in 2009. More than 1.7 million people were eligible to cast votes.

"No serious incident has been registered," police spokesman Ivo Kotevski told The Associated Press. "The voting process in general went smoothly, fair and free, without violence." The small Balkan country hopes that free, transparent and peaceful local elections will help it strengthen its case for European Union membership. More than 400 international observers were monitoring the Sunday election.

Ethnic Macedonians form the controlling majority in 63 of the country's municipalities and ethnic minority Albanians control 16. Ethnic Turks and Serbs each have the controlling majority in one community.

There is a history of conflict between the ethnic Macedonians, who make up more than 60 percent of the population, and ethnic Albanians, who comprise a quarter of the population in this nation of 2.1 million. The tensions almost resulted in civil war in 2001.

The civic association MOST, which deployed 3,500 domestic observers, pointed to numerous irregularities, such as dozens of cases described as "family voting" — with one family member openly guiding others as to which candidate to vote for.

Observers also mentioned several cases of voters seen taking photos of their ballots with cell phones — possibly to offer proof to people to whom they'd promised to vote a certain way. The two primary coalitions putting up mayoral candidates cut across ethnic lines and are likely to win almost all of the municipal elections. The conservative coalition of 39 political parties is favored to win in most cities.

The leftist opposition of Social Democrats joined the elections at the last moment. It had boycotted the Parliament for more than two months but ended the boycott earlier this month after talks brokered by the European Parliament and the EU Commission. EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele had said the opposition's participation in the local elections is crucial for Macedonia's EU candidacy.

Macedonia has been an EU candidate member since 2005, but has not yet obtained a date for the start of accession talks. This is partly due to Greece, which is opposed to Macedonia's name. The Greeks say the name implies a territorial claim to the northern Greek province of Macedonia. But the EU also is wary of admitting a state where ethnic conflict is still simmering.

Preliminary results are not expected before midnight Sunday. The electoral commission will announce the full results, plus the final turnout figure, Monday afternoon.

For Republicans like Rand Paul, the 2016 campaign has begun

By Samuel P. Jacobs
CONCORD, New Hampshire | Fri May 24, 2013

(Reuters) - Seeking to raise money for the New Hampshire Republican Party, state chairwoman Jennifer Horn recently called the party's national boss, Reince Priebus, with a question: Could he get Rand Paul to visit?

The request, and Paul's appearance here last Monday in a room packed with 500 Republicans, spoke volumes about the party as its followers - some energized by the scandals surrounding Democratic President Barack Obama's administration - are already looking to the 2016 elections.

With no clear presidential front-runner in their party, Republicans are in shopping mode.

They are looking for signs of a candidate who could unite the party's religious right, its more moderate establishment and its libertarian, anti-tax Tea Partiers in a way that Mitt Romney, the 2012 presidential nominee, could not do.

And they are looking for someone who could appeal to - or at least not offend - Hispanics, non-white women and other parts of the electorate that went big for Obama and Democrats last year.

That's why, just four months into Obama's second term, Paul is part of a stampede of Republican would-be contenders who are criss-crossing the country meeting voters, recruiting potential donors and currying favor with local politicians who could help determine their fate in a run for the White House.

The lessons of Romney's bitter loss in November are never far away. On Monday, Paul made jokes about neighboring (and more liberal) Massachusetts and chided leading Democrat Hillary Clinton. But the Kentucky senator also made a point of calling for a more diverse Republican Party, one that, in his words, should have room for tattooed, bearded and pony-tailed voters.

"If you want to be party of white people, we're winning all the white vote," Paul said. "But we're a diverse nation. We're going to win when we look like America."

Paul, the son of libertarian upstart Ron Paul, a Republican presidential contender last year, is on a tour of states such as New Hampshire and Iowa that will hold crucial contests at the start of the 2016 presidential primary season.

Other potential contenders are on the road as well.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker ventured this week to Iowa, where the first votes traditionally are cast in the presidential campaign, for a pair of fundraisers.

In early June, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will mingle with supporters of Romney's campaign at a gathering in Park City, Utah.

Reuters/Ipsos tracking polls this week show Ryan - Romney's vice presidential running mate last year - and Christie with a slight edge in a crowded field of possible contenders.

Among others tipped to run, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has popped up in New Hampshire in recent weeks, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, another Tea Party favorite, spoke at a dinner for Republicans in South Carolina, a conservative state that will host the 2016 campaign's first primary in the South.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio has been busy in Washington promoting a plan to overhaul the nation's immigration system, but he has quietly laid some groundwork for a 2016 campaign.

Rubio's political action committee recently paid for an ad defending Senator Kelly Ayotte, who has been criticized by gun-control groups since she voted against a plan to extend background checks for gun buyers.

The ads are running in Ayotte's home state - New Hampshire.

Rubio's fellow Floridian Jeb Bush, the state's former governor and a brother to one former president and son to another, has not indicated whether he might run in 2016. But he has been politically active, calling for Congress to approve an immigration bill.

Potential 2016 contenders "are just beginning to stir," Doug Gross, a Republican operative in Iowa who managed Romney's campaign there in 2008, said of the potential 2016 contenders. "Some of these folks are starting to reach out to key folks."

A NEW GENERATION

The early jockeying for 2016 reflects the uncertainty in a Republican Party that has been going through a generational and strategic shift since Romney, 66, lost in November.

Among the most prominent potential contenders, Cruz, Rubio, Ryan and Jindal are all in their early 40s. Walker is 45 and Paul and Christie, both 50, are the oldest.

The lack of an obvious front-runner for the upcoming presidential election is not unusual for the Democratic Party but is for Republicans, who for generations have typically had an experienced contender in line to run for the White House.

"There is no anointed person now, and that's a change," said Tom Rath, Republican strategist in New Hampshire who has advised Romney and former president George W. Bush.

The chaos in the Republican field contrasts sharply with the picture for Democrats, who continue to wait for a definitive sign from former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, the clear front-runner if she decides to jump into the race.

That has made Clinton a target of Republican arrows in Congress and online, attacks that have been fueled by their questions over how she handled the deadly attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, last September.

Republicans could be setting a new ideological course after years in which the party has gotten more conservative, even as the nation's voters have become more diverse and likelier to support moderate and liberal Democrats.

Paul's focus on civil liberties, Cruz's brash, no-apologies conservatism and Christie's moderation-with-an-edge approach could be among the key forces competing for attention in the Republican race, analysts say.

And then there is former Pennsylvania congressman Rick Santorum, who had some bright moments in the 2012 campaign as a conservative alternative to Romney.

The wide open field appears to have given new hope to Santorum, who frustrated Romney and some Republican leaders with his staunchly conservative statements on abortion and women.

Starting early this summer, Santorum, 55, will release a series of documentary-style videos online. Adviser John Brabender says the idea is to create original programming for people to share about Santorum, who won 11 states in the Republican primary season last year.

"We are putting together a narrative of the Rick Santorum story," Brabender said. "It's pretty interesting to see how close he came to the (2012) nomination. If he would have won Michigan, he would have been the nominee. One of our jobs is to sort of remind people of that."

Santorum has also formed Patriot Voices, a political action committee that claims 400 local chapters. His advisers see these as Santorum "sleeper cells," ready to act if he decides to run.

'HE IS GOING TO DO WELL'

One potential stumbling block for Santorum: He would need to do well again in Iowa, where he won in 2012.

But Paul is increasingly popular in Iowa, the traditional starting gate for the presidential race. In Iowa and New Hampshire, Paul seems to be building on his father's small but loyal campaign apparatus.

"He is going to do well here," said Kevin Moore, 36, of Manchester, New Hampshire.

At Paul's appearance in Concord, Moore sold T-shirts with Paul's face and the slogan "Stand with Rand." The slogan rocketed around the Internet after Paul's 13-hour Senate speech in March to protest the administration's use of military drones.

Paul's speech in Concord made clear that he is seeking to prove that he can be more than a mascot for the Tea Party movement. It also showed that he might have some work to do.

He began with a defense of civil liberties, the type of speech that has made him popular across the political spectrum.

But the crowd wasn't completely taken with Paul's lessons on the U.S. Constitution. He stopped mid-speech and turned to a topic that unites Republicans: their dislike of Obama's healthcare overhaul.

"With regard to...let's see...," Paul said. "Anybody in here a big fan of Obamacare?"

The audience laughed, and Paul was back on course.

(Editing by David Lindsey and Claudia Parsons)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/24/us-usa-politics-idUSBRE94N0MG20130524.

Mali sets date for presidential election in July

May 28, 2013

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's government announced on Monday that much-anticipated presidential elections will be held July 28, in a communique that set the dates for the campaign period and a runoff election. The move suggests that the West African country is serious about holding the ballot, despite the fact that the capital of one of the country's northern provinces remains under the control of a rebel group.

The ballot would be the first since a coup in March 2012 ousted Mali's democratically elected president just months before he was due to step down at the end of his final term in office. The coup plunged the country into chaos, creating an opening which allowed extremist groups allied with al-Qaida to seize Mali's northern half.

Besides the crucial city of Kidal, which is now under the de facto rule of the rebel National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad, numerous towns and villages are still not fully under the government's control, making it unclear how they will carry out the vote. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Malians have been displaced by the fighting and are living in refugee camps in the neighboring nations of Mauritania, Niger, Algeria and Burkina Faso, a further logistical challenge for election organizers.

France, which sent more than 4,000 troops to Mali in January to try to free the north, has been aggressively pushing for a quick election in the hopes of restoring the country's constitutional rule. France has announced that it will draw down to 1,000 soldiers before the end of the year. It is looking to hand over security to the Malian government and to a soon-to-be created United Nations peacekeeping force.

Monday's statement by the transitional government said the campaign for president will begin at midnight on July 7 and end at midnight on July 26. If no candidate wins an absolute majority, a runoff will be held Aug. 11.

Wind power blows into Africa

Cape Town (AFP)
May 26, 2013

Giant turbines churning in the wind are a rare sight in Africa -- but that will not be the case for long.

Until now the meager amounts of investment in African wind energy have predominantly come from governments and foreign donors.

But this is changing fast, say experts.

Private investors smell profit in beefing-up the continent's over-stretched power grids and swarms of new wind turbines are soon expected to emerge.

If all plans on the table come to fruition, capacity will increase tenfold.

"When you look at the on-going and planned projects, you see actually over 50 percent of the projects being sponsored by the private sector," said African Development Bank economist Emelly Mutambatsere.

Today wind makes up one percent of electricity production, or just 1.1 gigawatts.

But an additional 10.5 gigawatts is in the pipeline.

According to an African Development Bank study of 76 wind projects, two thirds are pending.

Liberalization of electricity markets has helped prise open the sluice gates for investment.

"The state still plays a big role in a lot of the countries," Mutambatsere told AFP. "But a number of countries have liberalized to some extent."

North Africa -- including Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco -- have led the way. But sub-Saharan Africa is catching up.

This year saw the first large commercial wind farm in the region come on line, a 52 megawatt project in Ethiopia.

Further south, the continent's heaviest carbon emitter South Africa is a striking example of the sector's growth.

The coal-rich nation --gunning for an extra 18 gigawatts of capacity from renewables such as wind -- has opened power production projects to private bidders for the first time.

The first bidding round of 28 projects drew $5 billion in investments, according to the energy ministry.

"There's a huge boom going on in South Africa in wind and renewables," said South African Wind Energy Association CEO Johan van den Berg.

"South Africa previously had eight operative wind towers or turbines and there's about 250 under construction at the moment."

Last year, investment in South African renewable energy increased in excess of 20,000 percent, he said.

Meanwhile in Kenya the $815 million, 300 megawatt Lake Turkana Wind Power Project is hoping to break ground in November.

With wind flow of 11.8 meters per second the project is "a dream" according to chairman Carlo van Wageningen.

According to Richard Doyle of renewable energy consulting firm 3E, tough conditions in key green markets like Europe have played a role in the pivot to Africa.

So too, the healthy returns promised in developing markets.

"There's been a veritable flood of companies out of their home markets in Europe into developing economies generally and Africa is one of those focal areas."

However, he added that any "boom" tag had to be qualified by recognizing conditions elsewhere.

"If markets were less tight in Europe, would as many developers be in Africa? Almost certainly not," he said.

And the Global Wind Energy Council secretary general Steve Sawyer says public financing will always play a role in smoothing out erratic investment flows.

However, he said, there was growing understanding among governments that "in order to create a sustainable energy system, a large degree of private investment is required".

"That level of investment can only be achieved by creating the kind of policy environment which sufficiently reduces the risks to investors such that they are willing to do project finance," he added.

With just 0.1 percent of the 2011 world market in Africa and the Middle East, the continent is still playing catch up.

Large-upfront costs mean wind is a long way away from overtaking dirtier but cheaper energy sources like coal and gas.

By 2030, wind is only expected to account for two percent of Africa's power mix, according to the International Energy Agency.

Coal is set to remain king at 37 percent, followed by gas at 32 percent.

"It won't become a dominant power source but it will become an important contributor to the energy mix," said the bank's Mutambatsere.

Source: Wind Daily.
Link: http://www.winddaily.com/reports/Wind_power_blows_into_Africa_999.html.

Scotland, South Korea team up on renewables

May 7, 2013

SEOUL, May 7 (UPI) -- The Scottish government announced it signed a memorandum of understanding in South Korea to work together on marine energy technology.

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney led a delegation to South Korea to examine the potential for joint work on renewable energy.

Pakrk Yoon-soo, director of green policy for Incheon, South Korea, said he expected to incorporate Scotland's renewable knowledge into his planning regime.

"The development of tidal energy is one of the city's primary goals," he said in a statement.

Business executives from Scottish tidal developer Nautricity, who traveled with Swinney, said it was expected that South Korean companies would work on marine energy projects through joint ventures with Scottish counterparts.

"It is only through working with other countries in this way that we can continue to improve our own framework, to ensure that we remain at the forefront of the renewable technology revolution," Swinney said.

Scotland has one of the most ambitious renewable energy plans, aiming to generate 100 percent of its electricity needs through renewables by 2020.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2013/05/07/Scotland-South-Korea-team-up-on-renewables/UPI-29441367921768/.