4,295 candidates representing 14 political parties and four party coalitions are running in the general elections that will take place on 5th July next in Bulgaria. According to the most recent poll by Mediana and published in the daily Standart, Boïko Borissov's GERB is due to win 35.8% of the vote ahead of the Socialist Party led by outgoing Prime Minister 23.9%, the MDL, is due to win 12.8%, Ataka 8.9%, the Order, Law and Justice Party 6%, the Blue Coalition 5.7% and Lider 3.9%.

In a paper published in October 2008 by the Robert Schuman Foundation, Nicolas Jean Brehon looked into the reforms undertaken with regard to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Although the threat of the food crisis was re-emerging he notably suggested that foodstuffs become a focal point of the CAP interventions. The change in name of the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries who is now responsible for foodstuffs is a move in the right direction ... This paper is available on the Foundation's site in paper or PDF format for a fee of 10€.

The OECD published a report on 24th June on the economic situation in Turkey, which was part of the OECD's Economic Perspectives. According to this study economic activity started to contract at the beginning of 2008, with the decline in demand amplifying the effects of the international recession. The GDP is due to contract by nearly 6% in 2009 before recovering in 2010. The size of the production gap will bring inflation within the range that was set as an objective. Given the uncertainty that reigns over the world and domestically the credibility of the economic policy is vital to shore up confidence and recovery. A new agreement with the International Monetary Fund will help to protect both national and international investor confidence. Structural reform aiming to accelerate the entry of companies into the formal sector will help to improve long term growth perspectives.

According to INSEE figures released on 26th June the GDP dropped by 1.2% in the first quarter of 2009. Household consumer spending has risen slightly (+0.2%, after +0.1% in the previous quarter). According to figures published by the Employment Ministry on 25th June the number of job seekers registered with the Employment Agency in category A lay at 2,543,100 in mainland France at the end of May 2009. This figure represents an increase in comparison with the end of April 2009 (+1.5% ie +36000). Over one year it had increased by 26.4%. In addition to this on 24th June the Budget Minister delivered a document to the Finance Commission at the National Assembly stating that France's public deficit was due to reach 6%-6.5% of the GDP in 2011 and 5%-5.5% of the GDP in 2012; this is well over the 3% limit allowed by Brussels. France's public deficit is due to reach 7% and 7.5% of the GDP in 2009 and will probably be the same in 2010.

The UN conference with regard to the financial and economic crisis and its effects on development started on 24th June in New York. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon asked for commitment in terms of financial aid to become concrete notably at the G8 and G20 summit; he also wants to guarantee developing countries adequate resources to develop recovery programmes that favour rapid recuperation in trade. The UN and the UN Programme for the Environment (UNPE) also insisted on the investment of funds for economic recovery in the environment sectors, a dynamic industry that can help towards economic recovery.

On 26th June the European Commission authorised the emergency recapitalisation of the Anglo Irish Bank based on the rules included in the EC treaty relative to state aid. This aid provided by the Irish authorities rose to 4 billion euros. It will enable the prevention of severe disruption of the Irish economy without affecting the free competition principle. Indeed this aid of limited duration has been granted as part of a restructuring plan of the bank that is due to be presented before the end of November 2009.

On 23rd June Spanish Secretary of State for the Economy and the Budget Carlos Ocaña announced the state of the national accounts. In May Spain recorded a 19,543 million euro deficit ie 1.78% of the GDP in comparison with a deficit of 2,957 million euros at the same point in the last financial year. In addition to this the Spanish government created an emergency fund on 26th June for the financial sector to a total of 9 billion euros thereby allowing the state to enter the capital of organisations that are in difficulty. The funds, baptised Frob might increase resources by 27 billion euros in 2009 alone. With regard to its initial allocation 6.75 billion euro are public moneys and 2.25 billion euro are being given by the existing guarantee funds in the banking sector that are fed by financial establishments.

According to revised forecasts published on 26th June the ongoing recession in Austria since the start of the first quarter is due to continue during 2009, with the economic institutes, Wifo and IHS forecasting a 3.4% and 4.3% decline in the GDP before a return to growth in 2010. Austrian GDP decreased by 2.6% in the first quarter of 2009, which was the second quarter in decline after -0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2008. In 2008 Austria recorded a GDP growth of 1.8%.

The European Commission is to deliver the second part of its aid to Latvia "in the weeks to come", after having gained the agreement of EU countries' experts," it announced on 26th June. "The Commission consulted the Economic and Financial Committee," that rallies the representatives of the treasuries and central banks of EU countries, "and will now finalise its revised agreement principle" with Latvia "as well as the technical preparation for the second prat of the loan that will be paid soon." Latvia that is suffering greatly from the economic crisis received a loan of 7.5 billion euros at the end of 2008 as part of the rescue plan undertaken by the IMF in which the EU is taking part to a total of 3.1 billion euros.

The International Monetary Fund welcomed the Irish government's work in the face of the extremely fierce recession that is striking the Irish economy both in terms of preventing the rise in public deficit as well as in stabilising the national financial sector. IMF managers "lauded the rapidity and the size of the authorities' response to date but noted that this work should continue for an extended length of time," announced the international institution whose HQ is in Washington, in its annual healthcheck on the Irish economy. The IMF believes that the government should show greater flexibility and pragmatism in its reaction to the crisis, "given the complexity of the political dilemma that looms and the perspectives of recovery that are due to be modest."

Silvio Berlusconi's government adopted a law on 26th June planning for a new package of anti-crisis measures to a total of nearly 2 billion euros. The main measure plans for the semi-removal of taxes on company profits if these are reinvested. The other leading measure is the reduction with regard to gas bills for companies and families. The plan will cost the Treasury around two billion euros if new expenditure and tax reductions are included. It also includes the expenditure of 190 million euros to help unemployment insurance bodies, funding for vocational training for those who are in danger of losing their jobs, the temporary exoneration of tax for those who suffered the earthquake in Aquila (6th April) and the re-imbursement of up to 70% of the nominal value of shareholders of the former national airline Alitalia dissolved in January 2009.

Polish Finance Minister Jan Rostowski announced on 23rd June a rise in the 2009 budgetary deficit from 18.2 to 27 billion zlotys (from 4 to 5.9 billion euros) as well as a slight decrease in GDP growth forecasts from 0.5% to 0.2%. These changes will be part of the preparation for a budgetary collective by Donald Tusk's liberal government. "The rise in deficit is inevitable and major, up to 27 billion zlotys," said the minister during a press conference. "We are planning in a responsible manner for a 0.2% rise in the GDP," he added. Some hours earlier the IMF announced its own forecasts with regard to the development of the Polish GDP in 2009, reckoning on a decrease of 0.5% and a slight recovery of 1% in 2010.

On 23rd June 21 MEPs of the Italian Democratic Party (PDI) joined the Party of European Socialists (PES). In exchange for this collaboration the PES accepted a name change to become the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (PASD) that now comprises 183 MEPs. The chair of the group was again given to German Martin Schulz, who led the PES in the last term in office.

On 23rd June outgoing chair of the parliamentary group the EPP (European People's Party) Joseph Daul was re-elected to his post by 225 of the 228 MEPs present. The French MEP has been chair of the EPP since January 2007. He succeeded Hans-Gert Pöttering. Thanking his colleagues for their renewed confidence the Group Chair spoke of his determination to continue work over the next five years by implementing EPP priorities: values, social market economy, security, migration policy and the place of Europe in the world. Following the creation of a new conservative group (European Conservatives and Reformers, ECR) the EPP has abandoned the title "ED" (European Democrats). The EPP will remain the leading political group in the European Parliament with 264 members. The EPP group also elected 10 vice-presidents.

On 25th June the Commission took firm steps with regard to the 25 Member States which are preventing European consumers from taking best advantage of the competitive, open energy market since they are not respecting community legislation. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden and the UK will receive warning letters for not having respected regulation measures applicable in the area of gas and electricity.

On 24th June the Commission created the European Partnership for Action against Cancer. The partnership will focus on action that can be taken at EU level to prevent and control more effectively cancer across Europe. In Europe, one in three people will develop cancer in their lifetime. This translates to 3.2 million people being diagnosed with the disease every year. Cancer is not equally distributed in Europe and the chances of surviving cancer differ greatly between countries. By bringing together all relevant organisations working on cancer, the intention is to identify gaps, address needs and learn from each other.

On 24th June the European Commission decided to grant between one and three years to five new countries (Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Malta) for them to bring their deficit under the 3% limit of the GDP in application in the EU. In terms of budgetary discipline the Commission has asked Poland to bring the rate down below 3% in 2012, Romania and Lithuania have to do the same by 2011, and Malta in 2010. It also delayed the date when Hungary, already undergoing an excessive deficit procedure, is to come back into the norm from 2009 to 2011; the date has been delayed from 2010 to 2014 for the UK. An excessive deficit procedure aims to pressure States so that they bring their deficits within the limit. It can go as far as adopting financial sanctions in the most serious cases with regard to countries in the euro area. Procedures will be opened against 11 countries which declared deficits superior to 3% in 2008.

On 23rd June the Commission published a report on public finances. As the European economy suffers its worst post-war recession, the European Recovery Plan provides needed fiscal support to ailing economies. But rising public debts and the contingent liabilities incurred by governments to support the financial sector, together with the prospected increases in age-related expenditure and slowdown in potential growth raise concerns about public finance sustainability. An exit strategy strengthening fiscal policy frameworks, reforming age-related spending and spelling out the broad consolidation measures envisaged when the recovery has taken hold is required to address these concerns and underpin consumer, business and financial market confidence, the 2009 Report on public finances shows.

The Lithuanian Finance Minister, Algirdas Semeta and Pole, Pawel Samecki member of the management council of the National Bank of Poland were appointed members of the European Commission announced the European executive in a press release. The two new commissioners were appointed by their respective governments who announced their decision over the last few days "in agreement with the President of the Commission", said Brussels. President of the Commission José Manuel Barroso intends to grant the Budget and Financial Programming portfolio to Algirdas Semeta who will replace Dalia Grybauskaite, elected President of Lithuania said the release. Pawel Semecki, 51, who is replacing Danuta Hübner elected MEP, will be responsible for Regional Policy according to the Commission. Pawel Semecki, before being appointed to the National Bank in 2004 had been chief deputuy of the Polish European Integration Office and Deputy Finance Minister.

The 27 Environment Ministers adopted a draft regulation on 25th June that aims to reduce industrial pollution in both the air and water. The text aims to reduce gas emissions, nitrogen and sulphur composites, dust particles, asbestos and heavy metals from "major combustion installations" (power stations, oil refineries, and large metallurgical furnaces). The new installations will have to fall in line with the standards of the best techniques available in 2016 and respect authorised pollution limits nationally. Carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) are not concerned by this, which the World Wildlife Fund regretted calling on the future procedure for CO2, the most polluting product in the world, to be included.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Washington on 25th and 26th June where she met American President Barack Obama. Discussions focused on North Korea, Iran, disarmament, the economic and financial crisis and negotiations on climate. With regard to Iran they stressed the right of the Iranian people to challenge the result peacefully and the freedom of expression and re-iterated the goal to put a halt to the Iranian nuclear programme. The Chancellor welcomed the new orientation of American policy in the area of global warming. With regard to the management of the economic and financial crisis, Barack Obama insisted on the responsiblity born by both countries.

On 28th June German Chancellor Angela Merkel presented her electoral programme in view of the general elections that will take place on 27th September; she insisted on the need to reduce taxes to boost the economy that is suffering the full force of the crisis. Just three months before the election the Democratic Christian Union and its Bavarian ally the Christian Social Union (CSU) have agreed on the main guidelines in the programme in which the economy occupies a major position whilst Germany is experiencing its greatest recession since the Second World War. "We can bring our country out of this crisis which is unprecedented in the history of the Federal Republic," insisted the chancellor during a press conference. "We are even able to make it stronger than before the crisis." With this 62 page programme that is to be presented officially on 29th June during the CDU-CSU congress, the CDU is trying to draw in voters from the centre, insisting on its attachment to the social market economy, one of the foundation stones of post-war Germany.

Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and leader of the northern part of the island, Mehmet Ali Talat agreed on 26th June during new discussions organised by the UN to open a new crossing point between the South and North. "Measures will be taken to open the Limnitis crossing," said Demetris Christofias after the meeting. Cypriots are requesting the opening of Limnitis to facilitate access to the capital of Nicosia, to inhabitants of Kato Pyrgos in expectation of the reunification of the island.

The Defence Ministers from seven partner countries (Germany, Spain, France, UK, Turkey, Belgium and Luxembourg) involved in the military transport plane programme Airbus A400M only succeeded in reaching a minimum compromise on 22nd June in Sevilla with regard to the future airplane and agreed on a month's additional thinking time. The additional month should lead to a decision on how to integrate the issue of supplementary costs generated by the late delivery of the A400M into future negotiations.

The Greek parliament adopted an amendment hardening regulations with regard to illegal immigration on 24th June doubling the length of provisional detention for those without identity papers and the criminalisation of migrant trafficking. The text takes the length of detention of illegal migrants from three to six months before they are expulsed. It makes it possible to bring detention time up to one year if there are delays in expulsion procedures associated with bureaucratic problems in migrants' home countries. Illegal migrant trafficking which until now was a crime punishable by a five year term in prison depending on the number of migrants involved, is now punishable by 25 years in prison. Smugglers will also have to pay a fine of 20,000 euro that will be increased to 50,000 euro if the crime is repeated.

The National Bank of Poland (NBP) delivered its report on inflation on 26th June. The latter notably includes confirmed estimates with regard to the inflation process as well as inflation factors. This report includes details about the country's monetary policy over the last three months and inflation forecast data for the ongoing year and for the next two years.

Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva convened general elections for 27th September thereby respecting the opinion of the majority of political parties, he announced. "I am calling for the electoral campaigns to take place in total serenity," he declared after calling on all citizens to "take part" and fulfil their civic duty.

According to a poll published on 23rd June by the Statistics Office if a referendum took place on the adoption of the euro in May 43% of the Swedes would vote against it, 42% for and 15% had no opinion. The number of people against the euro has dropped significantly since the study was undertaken in November 2008 when the figure stood at 47% of the population. The same study shows that in May 2009 56% of the Swedes consider their country's membership of the EU a good thing versus 51% a year earlier.

On 25th June the Council of Europe's Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) published the report on their visit undertaken in Lithuania in April 2008. The delegation studied in detail various issues with regard to prisons, notably the situation of juvenile or life-sentence prisoners and prisoners. Moreover and for the first time in Lithuania the delegation visited a hospital in which people sentenced to follow psychiatric treatment are placed; they also visited a social welfare institution.

According to Eurostat data published on 25th June the new industrial orders index dropped by 1% in the euro area in April 2009 in comparison with March 2009. In March the index decreased by 0.2%. In the EU orders regressed by 0.5% in April 2009, compared with -0.5% in March 2009. In comparison with April 2008 entries fell by 35.5% in the euro area and by 35% in the EU.

According to the first estimates for 2008 published by Eurostat on 25th June the GDP per capita, measured in purchasing power standards varied between 40% and 253% of the European average amongst Member States. Whilst Luxembourg (253 PPS), Ireland (140 PPS) and the Netherlands (135 PPS) recorded the highest GDP levels per capita, Latvia (56 PPS), Romania (46 PPS) and Bulgaria (40 PPS) were amongst the countries that were well below the average.

On 26th June Eurostat together with the Directorate General for Health and Consumers published the fourth issue of "Consumers in Europe". This study presents a wide range of data on consumer markets and problems relating to consumer protection. The publication starts with a presentation of the profile of the European consumer and sales networks, followed by 12 chapters devoted to various consumer markets (food products, alcoholic drinks, clothing, lodgings, furnishing, health, transport, communications, leisure and culture, education, restaurants and hotels, goods and various services), each providing data on consumer spending and prices.

The Bertelsmann Foundation has just published a study on Iran entitled "Präsidentenwahl im Iran- Hoffnung auf Kooperation?/Presidential Elections in Iran: Is Cooperation Possible?" The author believes that it is time to bring Iran and its neighbours closer together as well as the West even though concessions will have to be made on both sides. Iran will win acknowledgement for its government system and its role as regional power but at the same time it will have to submit to the strict control of its nuclear programme.

The Center for European Reform has just published a study entitled "The EU's approach to Israel and the Palestinians: a Move in the Right Direction". Clara Marina O'Donnell indicates that divisions between Palestinians and the reticence of the new Israeli government to work on a solution that is based on the existence of two viable States weakens the perspectives of peace in the Middle East. The EU must however do its best to support the USA's efforts to bring both parties to the negotiation table.

In its quarterly report "Economic Outlook for the Euro Area in 2009 and 2010" published on 24th June the European Forecasting Network (EFN) maintains that the euro area experienced an unprecedented downturn in its economic activity in the first half of 2009. In 2009 as a whole the authors expect a record 4.5% decline in the GDP and a 16% decrease in industrial production. Next year their expectations are slightly more positive.

The production and consumption of heroïne, cocaïne and cannabis is tending to slow in the world, whilst ecstasy and synthetic drugs are proliferating in developing countries revealed the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in its annual report published on 24th June. "The world cocaïne, opium and cannabis markets are stable and are tending to decline, but a rise in the production and the use of synthetic drugs is feared in developing countries," stressed the UNODC, whose HQ is in Vienna.

After Istanbul and Tel Aviv the Jewish Museum of Munich has taken the visitor who wants to find the traces and history of German Jewish emigration to New York. Until 30th August it is completing a series of a three part exhibition entitled "Places of Exile"; an overview of the Jewish community of Munich established in the New York quarter of Washington Heights, in the north of Manhattan.

UNESCO retained 16 new sites - including three extensions of sites that are already registered - to feature on the world heritage list alongside nearly 900 other sites that have already been listed: the Wadden Sea (Germany and the Netherlands), Dolomites (Italy), the Tubbataha Reef (extension Philippines), Stoclet Palace (Belgium), the Loropéni Ruins (Burkina Faso), Hercules Tower (Galicia, Spain), from the great saltworks of Salins-les-Bains, to the royal saltworks at Arc-et-Senans, the production of open-pan salt (extension, France), Cidade Velha, the historical centre of the Ribeira Grande (Cape Verde), the hydraulic system of Shushtar (Iran), the sacred town of Caral-Supe (Peru), Levoca and the works of Master Paul to Spis (extension, Slovakia), Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal (UK), the Royal Tombs of the Joseon dynasty (Korea), the Sacred Sulamain Too Mountain(Kyrgyzstan), La Chaux de Fonds/Le Locle, urban clockworks (Switzerland) and Mount Wutai (China).