ROMANIA'S MEP ELECTIONS
On March 12, Romania's cabinet decided to postpone the country's European Parliament (EP) elections. The elections were initially scheduled for May 13, despite objections by two of the parties in the ruling coalition. Romanian prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said that he wanted to delay the vote because of constant infighting in the ruling coalition, between his own National Liberal party and the Liberal Democrats and the Democratic Party, formerly headed by President Traian Basescu. "Given the inappropriate political climate and given the importance of these elections, it is necessary to postpone the European Parliament elections until the second half of the year," the cabinet decision said. Romania must hold elections before the end of the year to fill the country's quota of 35 seats in the EP.

YES TO AHTISAARI
The European Parliament approved UN special envoy to Kosovo Martti Ahtisaari's plan for the future status of Kosovo, Focus news agency reported on March 13.  MEPs said that a resolution could soon be adopted regarding Ahtisaari's plan. Ahtisaari has not yet used the word "independence" as such, but most observers have inferred from his proposal that Kosovo will get something very close to independence.
 
VISA-FREE
The Macedonian interior ministry has proposed to Bulgaria to sign an agreement on visa-free status for Macedonians living near the border with Bulgaria. The idea is for Macedonians living of up to 50km from the border to be able to travel without a visa to Bulgaria.  This was reported by a Focus news agency correspondent in Skopje on March 9. The Macedonian interior ministry told journalists that Macedonian negotiations with the European Commission on easing visa arrangements with the country were continuing and the week of March 12-16 would see consultations among EU member states on the issue.

TURKISH PM ILL
Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan cancelled a two-day visit to Albania, which was to have begun on March 13, because he was unwell, his media office was reported as saying by news agency AFP. 
"The prime minister's visit has been put back to a later date on health grounds," Erdogan's media office said. Erdogan (52) had to leave a cabinet meeting on March 12 because of back pains, media reports in Ankara said. His doctors advised him to rest.

PROTEST WORRIES
The prospect of another mass rally against university reforms on March 15 in central Athens was causing the Greek government concern because of fears that a further outbreak of violence could lead to injuries or even deaths, the English-language edition of Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported on March 13. The newspaper quoted sources as saying that the government was emphasising that the March 15 protest should be carefully organised and policed to avoid repeating scenes of the previous week when self-styled anarchists fought running battles with riot police for several hours.