Eugen Tomiuc

Western Press Review: NATO Expansion, Uzbekistan, Cyprus, and Afghanistan Aid

Prague, 30 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Topics of discussion in the international press today include NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe; yesterday's terrorist attacks in Uzbekistan, which killed 19 people; UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's plan for the reunification of Cyprus; the Afghan aid conference in Berlin; Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsii's letter of repentance; and more.

Cyprus: Annan Presents Changed Peace Plan In Switzerland

Kofi Annan Prague, 29 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today presented his latest -- and likely final -- plan for the reunification of Cyprus. It's a last-minute attempt to strike a deal between Turkish and Greek Cypriots to allow a unified Cyprus into the European Union on 1 May.

World: Doping -- Performance-Enhancing Drugs A Threat To Health And Ethics (Part 1)

The highly competitive world of sport has fostered a dangerous rise in the use of performance-enhancing substances -- both among professional athletes and ordinary young people looking for a confidence-booster. Antidoping watchdogs say regulations are in place to ensure the Summer Olympic Games in Athens will be drug-free. But experts say efforts must be intensified to fight the influence of doping on both national sport and youth culture. In the first of a three-part series on doping, RFE/RL correspondent Eugen Tomiuc looks at the rise of performance-enhancing drugs and measures to curb them.

World: Doping -- 'Muscle Mania' Poses Risk of Steroids Abuse Among Youths (Part 2)

In the second of the three-part series on doping, RFE/RL correspondent Eugen Tomiuc looks at a dangerous trend -- the growing popularity of anabolic steroids among young people striving for a better body and a boost in confidence.

World: Doping -- Traditional Methods Giving Way to 'Designer' Drugs (Part 3)

In the third and final part of our series on doping, we present the main substances and methods banned in sports. Most of the banned substances appear on the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2004 Prohibited List, but a leading expert also speaks about the new, difficult-to-detect substances called designer steroids.

Kosovo: NATO Sends Reinforcements Amid Continued Violence

New clashes erupted today in Kosovo as NATO began sending reinforcements to the troubled province. Yesterday's outbreak of violence between Kosovar Serbs and ethnic Albanians has left at least 22 people dead. Russia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the crisis in the protectorate.

Georgia: Government Holds Emergency Meeting On Adjaria

Prague, 15 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has held an emergency government meeting ahead of tonight's deadline (2030 Prague time) for leaders in the Adjaria autonomous region to accept Tbilisi's authority or face economic sanctions.

Turkey: Council of Europe Says Ankara Progressing On Reforms, But Deficiencies Remain

A preliminary report by the Council of Europe says Turkey has proven its commitment to constitutional and legislative reform and no longer needs to be monitored. The report is seen as an important step for Turkey toward opening accession talks with the European Union. But human rights groups say Ankara still has much to do to stop the violation of minorities’ rights, to improve freedom of expression, and prevent torture.

EU: Is Membership A Bridge Too Far For Western Balkans, Ukraine, Caucasus?

The European Union, which in May undergoes the largest expansion in its history, has reiterated that possible enlargement in future will continue to strictly depend on prospective candidates fulfilling admission criteria. Analysts say a further enlargement of the bloc to include other countries in the Balkans and Eastern Europe will depend both on the countries' readiness and on how fast the expanded EU can integrate the 10 new members. But they add that, in the long run, the EU is likely to shift focus from enlargement itself to partnership agreements with its future neighbors.

Eastern Europe: Orthodox Church Still Wields Political Clout

The Romanian Orthodox Church has ruled that its priests cannot belong to political parties or hold public office. Romania will hold general elections later this year, and the governing Social Democrats are keen to attract support from the church. Relations between the Orthodox Church and the government have reportedly remained strong in the Balkans and Russia after the fall of communism. Too strong, some analysts argue.

East/CIS: UN Says High HIV/AIDS Rates 'Punish' Bad Governance, Discrimination

A UN report on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union says the region has one of the fastest growing rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the world. The document suggests a high correlation between a country's successful transition to democracy and the ability of governments and civil societies to curb the spread of the disease.

Caucasus/Central Asia: OSCE Official Speaks Out On Human Trafficking Initiative

Europe's largest security and human rights watchdog, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is launching a three-year, $2.5-million initiative to fight the increasing trafficking of human beings in Southeastern, Central, and Eastern Europe. RFE/RL talked to Helen Santiago Fink from the Anti-Trafficking Program, about the plan's objectives, as well as the situation in other regions, such as the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Eastern Europe: First Consultative Body For Roma May Soon Be Established

The Council of Europe is inching toward establishing the first consultative body for Europe's estimated 10 million-strong Romany population. The forum could become operational before the end of the year. It is meant to aid continental organizations in developing policies for Romany populations and to coordinate efforts to improve the situation of Roma in different countries.

Russia: Moscow Subway Blast Kills At Least 39, But Circumstances Remain Unclear

An explosion in the Moscow subway today killed at least 39 people and injured more than 100 others. Russian officials say the blast was a terrorist attack, apparently caused by a bomb. But investigators say the explosion could also have been accidental. The blast is the latest in a series of attacks in the Russian capital that have been blamed on Chechen rebels and is raising anew the issue of safety on Moscow's public transportation system.

Romania: Brussels' Tough Stance Sends Clear Signal To Other EU Hopefuls

The European Union is demanding that candidate country Romania provide urgent information on the adoption of many Romanian children abroad despite a 2001 moratorium. The request follows a call from European Parliament's rapporteur on Romania to suspend membership negotiations with Bucharest unless more reforms are implemented, including measures to protect children's rights. The unprecedented call raises the issue of whether the EU integration process for candidate countries is reversible.

Eastern Europe: Hunting Brown Bears Is Big Business, But At What Cost?

Environmentalists warn that brown bear hunting in some Eastern European countries has turned into a profitable business that threatens to drastically reduce the number of animals, which are already a threatened species in Europe. Some conservation organizations warn that officials may be overestimating the number of animals to allow higher hunting quotas, resulting in more profits.

WHO: Organization Says Urgent Action Needed To Reshape Health-Care Systems, Fight AIDS

Balkans: Report Says Human Trafficking Is On The Rise

Eastern Europe: U.S. Plan To Redeploy Bases Stirs Mixed Feelings

World: UNICEF Report Finds 65 Million Girls Are Being Denied Access To Basic Education