Homespun solution
Bucharest Mayoral candidate Oprescu has promised to solve the problem of the homeless in the city. And he offers a radical solution if he can't erradicate the problem by conventional means. Oprescu has said, "Should I not be able to find a solution I'll take them home with me, as I have plenty of space in my home." (EvZ - 12 June 2000) Oprescu lives in Primaverii - a residential area where the political elite tend to live. EvZ's correspondent had their tongue in their cheek when wondering if this was "the most concrete and attainable campaign pledge made by all mayor-hopefuls so far."
Raining champion
The newspaper Makedonija Denes reported this week that the freak heavy rain which caused flooding in some parts of Macedonia was the result of a secret Macedonian-Taiwanese experiment to produce artificial rain. Most other pundits, however, have attributed the deluge to the obviously more fantastic and less plausible theory that the accumulated humidity afflicting the country for the past week finally fell to earth due to natural processes.
Diplomatic gambles don't pay off
The Bosnaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this week that it is waiting for a report from Muhamed Saćirbegović, its ambassador to the UN, regarding his arrest in New Orleans on 19 April.
According to Dani, the independent magazine that first broke the story, Saćirbegović was arrested in a New Orleans police department raid targeting underground crime. The Dani story claimed the ambassador was arrested on charges of illegal gambling activities and had to spend a night in jail before a bail hearing in front of a local judge the next morning.
Bail conditions were apparently strict, as Saćirbegović resorted to his right of diplomatic immunity in order to regain his freedom.
The House of Representatives has requested a full investigation of the incident.
Saćirbegović was not the only diplomat in the news for his gambling activities, however. The Estonian ambassador to Washington, Sven Jürgenson, unexpectedly ended up on many newspapers when the Maryland National Guard helicopter he was on had to make an emergency landing at the famous Pimlico racetrack. In a strange turn, track officials then invited the unexpected guests to lunch and some diplomats made their bets - but all apparently lost.
Europhile funds Eurosceptics
After complaining about a lack of balanced debate on Estonia's EU integration, Prime Minister Mart Laar has come up with EEK 200,000 (USD 12,000) of government grants for Eurosceptic organisations. Laar, a fervent EU supporter, said that the preponderance of "Europrogapanda" is not good for Estonia and an open debate is needed - thus the unique funding scheme.
CER Staff, 12 June 2000
Moving on:
