To accelerate economic growth and attract foreign investors, Ukraine needs to unblock the privatization process, stated the managing director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, Francis Malige, reports Interfax-Ukraine.

According to Malige, the EBRD is still ready to provide technical support and, for certain targets, to act as a buyer of a minority stake. In particular, the bank may be interested in companies in the energy sector, …

At a plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday, the EU parliament adopted a resolution which accuses Russia of violating human rights in annexed Crimea, especially the rights of Crimean Tatars, Voice of America reports.

European parliamentarians have demanded the release of political prisoners and have called for representatives of the UN, OSCE and the European Council to be granted unobstructed access to Crimea.

The resolution states that the EU Parliament “condemns the sentences given to …

Roman Zabolotny and Grigory Tsurkanu, who were shown in the video from Syria with captured Russian soldiers, have most likely been killed by Islamic State militants, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for the CIS and European Integration Viktor Vodolatsky told reporters on October 5.

According to the MP, on camera the prisoners refused to renounce their orthodox faith, adopt Islam and join ISIS, and so they were killed by the terrorists. Vodolatsky did not disclose the information’s …

The Military Registration and Enlistment office of the annexed Crimea, under the authority of the Kremlin, was ordered to recruit 1,400 contractors to serve in the Armed Forces of Russia, as reported on the Crimean website, Kryminform, citing the head of the Department of Training and Conscription, Vadim Meshalkin.

"We received an order for 1,400 contracted soldiers. So far, about 650 people have expressed their desire to serve...Documents submitted for the remainder are under consideration,” …

Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the Polish ruling party “Law and Justice” said that the potential Polish initiative on demanding reparations from Germany for World War II is being intensely analyzed, as reported by Polskie Radio.

When asked whether Law and Justice aims to start negotiations with the German government on reparations, Kaczyński said that the party "does not rule out such an option," however he added that "there is another possibility… this can be done through American courts." …

About 500 conscripts from the annexed Crimea will be sent for military service in the Russian Federation, as stated by the military commissioner of the Crimea controlled by the Kremlin, Oleg Yermilov, as reported by Krym.Realii.

"We will send [for military service] about 500 people who will serve in different types of armed forces," he said.

Yermilov added that the recruits will be sent mainly to the Moscow and Rostov regions of Russia.The transfer of conscripts will take place after November …

Poland must stop buying coal from the occupied Donbas, said Ukrainian Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Ihor Nasalyk.

“This is not at all partnership-like, and we hope that the Polish government will react to this situation,” Nasalyk said on Wednesday during a meeting with a Polish business in Warsaw, Ukrinform reports.

According to the minister, the origin of the coal can easily be tested with chemical indicators. Nasalyk reiterated that Ukraine does not use anthracite coal from the …

President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, taking part in Russian Energy Week 2017 in Moscow, discussed the possibility of another restructuring of his country's debt to Russia, as reported by RBC news agency.

"Any financial obligations to any bank or state can be restructured. We discussed this issue with our Minister of Economy and Finance. We have no difficulties, and are fulfilling our obligations to Russia. Any restructuring is likely to be the result of the governments’ agreements, so there …