ANKARA (AFP) – The Turkish government may bring parliamentary elections forward from November to September, a senior member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) told the Anatolia news agency yesterday. “The government does not favor early elections, but is considering moving the polls to September due to the possibility of snow blocking roads in the eastern provinces in November,” MP Yasar Yakis said in the northwestern town of Akcakoca. The elections are currently scheduled for November 4. The media have speculated that the AKP wants to bring the poll forward by two months, but is hesitating because it will mean that a constitutional amendment, to take effect in October, lowering parliamentary eligibility from 30 to 25 years, would not be implemented.

SKOPJE (Reuters) –FYROM arrested three dozen police and customs officers yesterday in a crackdown on bribery at border crossings, officials said. The Interior Ministry said 29 police officers and six customs officials were detained in raids across the country. The operation was continuing, police internal affairs chief Voislav Zafirovski told a news conference. “We’re talking about bribery, we’re talking about money,” he said.

Bosnian-Serb authorities announced plans yesterday to rebuild a 16th-century Banja Luka mosque six years after the last attempt resulted in anti-Muslim riots. “It’s in the interests of the (Bosnian-Serb) government and Islamic community to have this object rebuilt as soon as possible so that we can apply to have it put on UNESCO’s list,” said Bosnian-Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik. During Bosnia’s war in 1993, Serb forces flattened the Ferhadija mosque, which had been on a UNESCO heritage list. (AFP)

Bulgarian veterinary health authorities reported yesterday an outbreak of swine fever in the southeast of the country and said they were preparing to slaughter 142 pigs to prevent the spread of the disease. The disease was detected Thursday in a farm in the village of Tenevor. (AFP)