PODGORICA (AFP) - Montenegrin police confirmed yesterday the arrest of 12 people on terrorist charges on the eve of Sunday’s general election in the newly independent Balkan country. Police were looking for another five suspects, among them two US citizens of Balkan origin, who were still at large, Rajko Malovic of the Interior Ministry told reporters here. On Sunday, local media had reported the arrest of 14 people, including three US citizens.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has voiced fresh concerned about Romania’s commitment to fighting corruption just two weeks before it is due to recommend when the country should join the EU. Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn and Justice Commissioner Franco Fratini sent a warning letter to Romania’s Deputy Prime Minister Bela Marko after Parliament failed to pass a draft law sought by Brussels.

Turkey’s prime minister is to travel to the US in a few weeks to meet with President George W. Bush, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday. Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to discuss issues including Turkey’s view on the recent Israeli-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon and possible US help in fighting Kurdish rebels based in Iraq. (AP)

About 500 people gathered yesterday at the grave of former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic to mark the traditional Orthodox six-month mourning period. Supporters swarmed to the drab industrial town of Pozarevac, 60 kilometers (40 miles) east of Belgrade, where he is buried. (AP)

Police evacuated passengers and staff from Sofia’s airport for more than two hours yesterday after a bomb threat, but found no explosives, officials said. Air traffic was restored, but police restricted access to the airport. Rumen Savov, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said he saw no link between the incident and the September 11 anniversary. (AP)

A Turkish military aircraft crashed yesterday in the west of the country, but the pilot survived the accident, a local official said. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. (AFP)