CatalàEnglish Site map Back to main page

News

• Date: 13/01/2009

  Macedonia naming dispute, a destabilizing factor in the Balkans

  

  International Crisis Group calls for Greece to acknowledge Macedonian national identity and stresses its serious “regional implications” · Officials from both States to resume talks in New York next February · Greece opposes the use of the name Macedonia by its neighboring republic as it considers it to be part of its own Hellenic heritage.

• Date: 09/01/2009

  Peoples and nations today: Sardinia

  

  DOSSIER. Sardinia is a crossroads in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the European islands with the highest degree of linguistic and cultural diversity. Even though Italy has entered into the island with the force only a State can have, Sardinians have gained for themselves the legal status of People instead of that of Region, and enjoy a significant degree of self-government which provides for some protection of their languages (particularly Sardinian) and singularities.

• Date: 07/01/2009

  Cypriot leaders keep on building consensus

  NEWS IN BRIEF. Greek and Turkish Cypriot representatives are about to reach an agreement on relations between federated states and the hierarchy of norms

• Date: 02/01/2009

  Peoples and Nations today: Sápmi

  

  DOSSIER. Sámi people –traditionally known as Lapps– are often considered as Europe’s only indigenous people. They live in a territory encompassing four Nordic States and have a shared identity with about ten languages in the verge of extinction. They enjoy autonomy on cultural affairs in three States –Norway, Sweden and Finland– whereas Sámi living under the administration of the Russian Federation are expecting to get it soon.

• Date: 31/12/2008

  New Belgium Prime Minister to take up again negotiations on State reforms

  

  Herman Van Rompuy replaces Yves Leterme, who offered resignation on December 19 · New cabinet leader to set up a working committee to draw up 'solution proposals' for Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde constituency conflict · Van Rompuy will try to serve out the current political term, finishing in 2011.

• Date: 30/12/2008

  South Tyrol: Fiscal autonomy and transfer of more powers, main goals for next years

  

  The President of South Tyrol outlines the agenda for the new legislature · New government of Bolzano-Bozen meets today and will claim for presence in RAI and the State’s Post Office · The autonomist SVP signs a coalition government with the Democratic Party

• Date: 24/12/2008

  The leaders of the three communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina agree to reform the Constitution

  The main Muslim, Serb and Croat parties have officially asked the Parliament of the country to start the adoption of constitutional reforms with a view to strengthen central institutions and rearrange the territorial organization · These are key conditions for Bosnia’s aspiration to EU membership.

• Date: 22/12/2008

  The king of Belgium meets Flemish and Walloon parties after a new political crisis

  

  Prime Minister Yves Leterme offered resignation on Saturday and ruled out a return to office · King Albert II has not yet announced whether he accepts the resignation · The situation might lead to snap elections for next June.

• Date: 19/12/2008

  'Lá Nua', the only Irish language daily newspaper, to close down

  

  After 25 years in production, the newspaper have ceased publication due to official funding being withdrawn by Foras na Gaeilge, the body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language throughout the whole island of Ireland · Lá Nua’s managing director says the decision is “counterintuitive and unwise” · Foras na Gaeilge mantains sales figures are not high enough.

• Date: 19/12/2008

  Peoples and nations today: Aosta Valley

  

  DOSSIER. At the slopes of Mont Blanc, in the Alps, there is one of the alpine countries which has developed a unique personality of its own and is currently one of the most autonomous regions of Italy. In the Aosta Valley Italian state-wide parties play a secondary role, and language –Franco-Provençal and French–, traditions and a high degree of economic self-sufficiency endow the territory with a particularly singular character