L’avenir de l’Europe se joue en Grèce ...

« Le nouveau gouvernement français, qui se cantonne dans un silence prudent, devrait affirmer haut et fort, qu’il respectera les décisions du peuple grec, et rejettera toute proposition d’exclure la Grèce de l’Europe ou de la zone euro. » 

Iraqi Kurdish opposition group rejects regional president's orders to leave Arbil

Iraqi Kurdish opposition party Gorran said on Monday it has rejected orders by the leading Kurdish party, headed by regional President Masoud Barzani, for its officials and politicians to leave Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, an opposition official said.

Bulgarian PM bemoans EU focus on Greece

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov has joined the choir of voices criticising Greece’s stance in the ongoing bailout negotiations with its creditors, saying that the protracted saga was diverting attention from other issues facing the European Union.

Pentagon to Pay ’Syrians’ $400 per Month to Fight ISIL

The US Defense Department announced Monday that it will allocate salaries for the new militants who are fighting the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group, describing them as "moderate Syrians".

"Non escludo il Grexit" (Varoufakis)

"Io escludo una Grexit come soluzione ragionevole. Ma nessuno può escludere tutto: io non posso escludere che una cometa impatti la Terra", ha detto al quotidiano tedesco Bild, "Ciò che so è che Frau Merkel, il mio collega Wolgang Schaeuble, io e tutti i colleghi europei abbiamo una grande responsabilità per il nostro popolo: evitare la disgrazia".

Bulgarian PM Borissov sends ministers to Brussels to plead for financial support (the country faces the plight of being unable to pay salaries)

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov is sending five to six cabinet ministers to Brussels to plead for the speeding up of the release of European Union funds, as the country faces the plight of being unable to pay salaries of thousands of employees.

Ukraine cuts deputies’ salaries

They will now get a monthly pay of 6,500 hryvnias ($540) against the previous 17,000 ($1,400), said Yatsenyuk....
 
Ukraine parliament cut salaries of higher-ups, deputies and cabinet ministers on Thursday, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Thursday.

Amendments to the state budget and tax code stripped high-ranking officials of 10,000 hryvnias each ($830). They will now get a monthly pay of 6,500 hryvnias ($540) against the previous 17,000 ($1,400), said Yatsenyuk.

Ukraine’s Parliament Introduces 1.5% Military Tax

Ukraine’s parliament amended its tax laws to introduce a 1.5-percent military tax based on workers' income, Parliament Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov said Thursday.

“With the goal of providing finances to raise the military capabilities of the state, it is suggested to temporarily introduce a new all-national tax, a military tax through January 1, 2015. This tax will be set at 1.5% from the incomes of individuals from their salaries, as well as from other income, compensation or other monetary awards that are transferred to the taxpayer," the amendment reads.

Proposal on minimum wage rejected in Swiss referendum

Swiss voters rejected an initiative to introduce a nationwide minimum wage in a referendum on Sunday.

The initiative was launched by the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions, the largest national trade union in Switzerland and has gathered since 2012 over 110,000 valid signatures from Swiss citizens.

Under the trade union's proposal, employees on a minimum wage in Switzerland would earn hourly at least 22 Swiss francs (25 US dollars), equal to 4,000 Swiss francs a month for a full-time job of 42 hours a week, which would have been the world's highest minimum wage, doubling the rate in Luxembourg, France, Britain or even much higher than that of the United States.

Average Serbian monthly salary in March EUR 375

BELGRADE -- Average net salary paid in Serbia in March amounted to RSD 43,452 (EUR 375) - down by 1.4 percent in nominal and 1.1 percent in real terms compared to February.

This was announced on Friday by the Statistical Office of Serbia.

The average net salary in March this year went up by 4.2 percent in nominal terms and 1.9 percent in real terms year-on-year.

Allemagne: Merkel se résoud à un salaire minimum généralisé. -De 8,50 euros (horaire).....

AFP - La chancelière allemande Angela Merkel a affirmé jeudi que l'Allemagne allait se doter d'un salaire minimum généralisé, une concession faite à ses futurs partenaires de gouvernement sociaux-démocrates.

"Nous allons décider des choses que, au vu de mon programme, je ne considère pas comme justes, parmi elles un salaire minimum généralisé", a dit la chancelière dans un discours à Berlin, évoquant les négociations en cours entre son parti conservateur et les sociaux-démocrates (SPD) pour former un gouvernement.

Greek media mirror citizens' fears, hopes over Merkel victory.

ATHENS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The results of Germany's federal elections dominated Greek media on Monday, mirroring Greek citizens' fears and hopes over the impact of Angela Merkel's victory on the resolution of the Greek and European economic crisis.
Half of Greeks according to a recent poll believed that Merkel's reelection would have negative effects for Greece due to her insistence on tough cuts in wages, pensions and social services to tackle Greece massive debt problems.
Greek media reflected this notion on Monday, focusing on the significance of the outcome for Greece, in particular if a new grand coalition emerges in Berlin.

Commanders file resignation ahead of top meeting in Turkey. Around 170 commissioned officers have resigned since the beginning of 2013

Two top Turkish Armed Force commanders, Nezih Damcı and Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu, have filed in their resignations ahead of a top Military Council meeting, according to daily Hürriyet.

The council meeting is set to take place in the early days of August, and the resignations were filed in just before the official meeting was kicked off. The Chief of General Staff has intervened, according to daily Hürriyet, in order to retract the resignations.

Damcı, in particular, is known for his involvement in the Uludere raid, which caused the death of 35 civilians when the group of smugglers was mistaken for terrorists.

Greek diplomatic missions down-under to close

Perth and Wellington face the axe as Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs feels the pinch....
The Greek Consulate in Perth and the Embassy of Greece in Wellington are among six embassies and three consulates around the world to be closed as part of sweeping cuts, as the Greek government grapples to reduce its own costs. Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to sell its former diplomatic properties to raise millions of euros. Further salary reductions for Greece’s diplomatic staff are also on the cards, with reports indicating that MFA salaries may be reduced by 15 to 20 per cent in some cases. The first phase of the plan will see the closure of Greek embassies in Wellington, Lima, Montevideo, Khartoum, Hanoi and Harare.