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Tens of thousands of people have protested across Bulgaria against poverty and corruption. The latest demonstrations came despite the resignation of the government and promises of early elections. (See Prayer Alert 08-2013) The protests followed earlier massive demonstrations with people shouting ‘Mafia, Mafia’, amid outrage over rising electricity prices by as much as 13 percent in what is the European Union's poorest member state. Protesters blamed foreign companies as well as high level corruption. It gradually grew into a civil unrest challenging the established order. Two weeks ago, clashes between police and protesters left two dozen people injured and prompted Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's centre-right cabinet to quit. He has since been hospitalised with high blood pressure. The government's resignation cleared the way for early elections, to be held on May 12. Yet, Bulgarians have expressed their frustration with politics and what they see as unfulfilled promises of EU membership. The Balkan nation joined the 27-nation block in 2007.
Pray: for the people of Bulgaria as they go through this transition of seeing non-corrupt and just government will be elected. (1Ch.21:12)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/26862-news-watch-bulgaria-marches-against-poverty-corruption
Over 12,000 youngsters from some 100 nations have concluded Central and Eastern Europe's first-ever 'Genfest', a youth summit, with a call for a more united and peaceful world. After three days of exchanging ideas on how to realize that utopia, they prayed and listened in front of Budapest's Saint Stephen's Basilica, one of Hungary's largest Roman Catholic Church buildings. During Sunday's open air Mass they were encouraged not to give up their hope and dreams. The Vatican's ambassador to Hungary, the Apostolic Nuncio Alberto Bottari de Castello reminded the participants of this year's Genfest theme: 'Let's Bridge'. He said, ‘Christ is the true bridge between people and God,’ and ‘the Lord wants us to carry out that message as bridges of love towards all people.’
Pray: for all the young people who attended that they will have met with Christ the true bridge between people and God. (Is.42:5-7)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/23157-thousands-of-youngsters-seek-united-peaceful-world-in-budapest
A senior European commission official told a Brussels conference on Wednesday that Afghan’s drug dependency will make reconstruction of the war-torn country very difficult. One of the things Afghanistan needs is long-term development of its civil service so that Afghans themselves can take over control of future events. The aim has to be to allow the Afghan economy to become free of its dependency on drugs which continue to be the main source of illegal revenue in the country.There are 30,000 European troops in Afghanistan aiding the US-led war. Meanwhile, French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he will stay in Afghanistan because it is a fight against terrorists and he does not want the Taliban to make a martyr out of Afghanistan nor allow Pakistan with its nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of terrorists.
Pray: for God to give His strategy to the leaders attempting to free the region of death, deception and disorder. (Is.61:1)
Brussels replaced its popular Christmas tree exhibit this year at the city centre due to concerns that it may offend the local Muslim population. An ‘electronic winter tree,’ will take the place of the traditional Christmas Tree and Nativity scene at the city centre of Grand Place, reports Brussels News. The electronic sculpture will stand 25 metres (82 feet) tall and consists of a set of television screens, reports Brussels Expat. ‘During the daytime you can climb to the top of the tree where you will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of the city,’ the website explains. ‘As soon as it becomes dark the tree turns into a spectacle of light and sound. Every ten minutes an amazing show will unfold.’
Pray:against this over sensitivity by the authorities over the use of Christian symbolism during this season. Have they asked the Muslims and are they now offending Christians? (Jn.6:61b)
More:http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/11/brussels-bans-annual-christmas-tree-it-may-offend-muslims/
Greece - considered one of the most family oriented countries in Europe is now seeing Children being abandoned at nursery groups, churches and foster charities because parents can no longer afford to care for them since the financial crisis caused widespread unemployment across the country. A priest told the BBC that he had not come across children simply being abandoned before. ‘The parents say they do not have any money or shelter or food for their kids, so they hope we might be able to provide them with what they need. In a heartbreaking incident - a single unemployed mother put her child into foster care with a charity after twelve months searching for work. Although she now has a job she cannot afford to take her daughter back as she earns only £16 a day. Previously children went into foster care because of drug and alcohol addiction in the family. Now it is because of poverty.
Pray: for God to give Greece’s politicians and bankers and leaders in commerce and industry the strategies to lead Greece back into His purposes. (Pr.21:5-6)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/broke.greeks.giving.up.their.children/29149.htm
Voters in Bosnia-Herzegovina have begun casting ballots in general elections that are seen as crucial for the future of the fractured nation where politicians seek membership in the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). There are international concerns the country will fall apart along ethnic lines. Almost 15 years after Bosnia's ethnic war ended, Muslims, Croats and Serbs have begun voting in elections that at least some people hope will increase cooperation in the fractured nation. The international community, which monitors Sunday's vote, point out that cooperation between the different ethnic communities is crucial, also to overcome a major economic crisis in the country, where statistics show over 40 percent of people are unemployed. Bosnia's more than three million voters can decide the future of their former Yugoslav republic at over 5,000 polling stations. First official results are expected by midnight local time. Pray: that this Sunday’s vote will lead to increased cooperation between the communities. (Ro.15:5a) More: http://www.worthynews.com/9606-news-watch-bosnia-votes-for-future-of-divided-nation-update
‘Politicians from the West must put pressure on Bosnian politicians so that Catholic war refugees can also return to Bosnia at long last,’ said Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka Diocese, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Talking to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Komarica, chair of the Bishop's Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina, called on politicians to make sure refugees' basic rights are respected. According to the bishop, Catholics, who are ethnically Croats, have not received the same rights as Bosniaks and Serbsin the country. Bishop Komarica said: ‘Croatian Catholics must finally be put on an equal footing with the other two ethnic groups. They must be allowed to return from abroad and possibilities must be created for them to build up a life in their hometowns.’
Eight out of ten instances of violentattacks on members of the LGBT community in Europe go unreported, according to a report published (15 May). According to the report, compiled by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, and based on the experiences of 93,000 respondents across the European Union, around LGBT) people in Europe have suffered some form of violent attack. However, the huge majority of those attacks go unreported. This is part of a growing trend in Europe, says agency director, Morten Kjaerum. A report to be published in the autumn on anti-Semitism reveals that around 85% of Jewish respondents who faced attacks based on religion said they did not report the incidents. ‘There is an acceptance that violence is an everyday occurrence for these people,’ he said. In addition, there exists a ‘devastating’ lack of confidence in law enforcement agencies.
Pray: that the reactions of people to the LGBT community will not be hatred but God’s love. (1Jn.3:10)
More: http://www.neurope.eu/article/bette r-reporting-hate-crime-must-europe
Tens of thousands of Belgians took to the streets on Sunday to shame political leaders who have failed to form a government more than seven months after an election and left the country at the mercy of financial markets. Organisers of the ‘Shame: no government, great country’ protest said up to 50,000 people had joined the march through the capital Brussels. Police put the figure at 34,000. Since the inconclusive June 2010 parliamentary vote, a caretaker administration has run the country while Dutch and French-speaking party leaders have argued over the degree to which powers and tax-raising rights should be transferred to regions of the linguistically divided country. ‘We are here because we want to show the political leaders that things must change. It's the politicians who are trying to split the country'.
Pray: that the government would listen to the people and work through their differences together. (Ep.4:2-4)
Divided French and Dutch speaking parties gathered in Brussels on Tuesday in a fresh bid to forge a new Belgian government. It is now more than 450 days since Belgium had a fully functioning administration; the country passed that unenviable milestone on Monday. Despite 15 months of deadlock it is hoped the latest round of talks will finally break through the impasse. Reporting from Brussels euronews Gulsum Alan says: ‘Some believe a deal can be reached if the Liberals and Christian Democrats want it badly enough. The alternative could be elections’. Longstanding linguistic and cultural divisions lie at the heart of the political stalemate, however the most acute problem is the future of Brussels. French speaking parties oppose plans to break up the city’s current electoral boundaries, a key demand of their Flemish counterparts. Belgium’s socialist leader Elio Di Rupo is the man currently charged with trying to strike a deal. He has had 10 predecessors since the elections in 2010.
Pray: for the spirit of unity to prevail and differences be healed. (Eph.4:3)
More: http://www.euronews.net/2011/09/06/belgium-seeks-new-government-after-450-milestone/