The Dispatch

Croatia’s eurosceptics fail in bid on referendum to block euro

Croatia's right-wing eurosceptic Hrvatski Suverenisti party acknowledged it had failed in an initiative to force a referendum to block the planned adoption of the euro currency. The centre-right government of…

Read More Here

Deaths 50% above normal in Bulgaria, EU’s least vaccinated country -Eurostat

More than 50% more people died in Bulgaria than usual during September, official data showed, making the European Union's least vaccinated country its hardest-hit during a resurgence of coronavirus cases over the…

Read More Here

Update: Petkov scores high in Bulgarians vote in third election this year

Update Entrepreneur and political newcomer Kiril Petkov scored unexpectedly strongly in Bulgaria’s election on Sunday, according to exit polls that suggested he was running close to winning the vote and…

Read More Here

Fire at hospital in Bulgaria kills three COVID-19 patients

SOFIA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Three men died when a fire broke out in a COVID-19 ward of a hospital in the southern Bulgarian city of Sliven early on Sunday,…

Read More Here

Turkey working to get out of FATF ‘grey list’, minister says

ANKARA, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Finance Minister Lutfi Elvan said on Friday Turkey was working with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to get out of a grey list for…

Read More Here

Morgues fill up in Romania and Bulgaria amid low Covid vaccine uptake

Romania and Bulgaria are recording the EU’s highest daily death rates from Covid-19, after superstition, misinformation and entrenched mistrust in governments and institutions combined to leave them the least vaccinated…

Read More Here

Bulgaria’s GERB with strong lead for Nov. 14 election, opinion poll shows

SOFIA, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party kept a substantial lead over its rivals before Sunday's parliamentary election that will be the country's third this year, an opinion…

Read More Here

Serbia’s police detain activist over war crimes protest

The Serbian police late on Tuesday briefly detained a local opposition activist after she threw eggs at a downtown Belgrade wall painting of Ratko Mladic, a convicted war criminal and…

Read More Here

Bulgaria’s daily COVID-19 deaths rise to record high

Bulgaria reported a record number of daily coronavirus deaths on Tuesday as the European Union's least vaccinated country grapples with a fourth wave of the pandemic, official data showed. New…

Read More Here

EBRD pledges 600 million euros for women-led firms in Turkey

ISTANBUL, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is making 600 million euros ($693 million) in new financing available for Turkish women entrepreneurs, it said…

Read More Here

Bulgaria reports African swine fever outbreak at industrial farm

SOFIA, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Bulgarian veterinary authorities on Monday reported a new outbreak of African swine fever at an industrial farm that has a total of 180 pigs in…

Read More Here

Serbia eyes 17 bln euro investment in renewable energy in next 20 years

Serbia must invest 17 billion euros ($19.6 billion) in renewable energy sources like hydro and solar over the next 20 years to replace ailing coal-fired plants and secure supply to…

Read More Here

Croatia tightens measures to fight spreading of COVID-19

ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Amid new record-high COVID-19 daily infections Croatia decided on Friday to tighten measures against the spreading of the disease, including introducing obligatory digital certificates for…

Read More Here

Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia hit highest number of daily COVID-19 infections

Croatia reported on Thursday 6,310 infections of COVID-19 which is the highest daily number of infections since the beginning of the pandemic, the national health authorities said. At the moment…

Read More Here

Bosnia’s peace deal at risk of unravelling – envoy warns the U.N

The U.S.-sponsored peace deal that ended war in Bosnia in the 1990s is at risk of unravelling unless the international community takes measures to stop Serb separatists, a peace envoy warned in…

Read More Here

Political crisis as North Macedonia’s prime minister resigns

North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev resigned on Sunday after his party lost the second round of mayoral elections in several towns in the country, including the capital Skopje. "I…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Erdogan skips Glasgow climate summit in security dispute

President Tayyip Erdogan cancelled plans to attend the global climate conference in Glasgow on Monday because Britain failed to meet Turkey's demands on security arrangements, Turkish media quoted him as…

Read More Here

Photo Story: President of Republic of Malta George Vella visits Zagreb

President of Republic of Malta George Vella (L) inspects honour guards accompanied by Croatian President Zoran Milanovic (R) during his official visit in Zagreb, Croatia, 27 October 2021. President of…

Read More Here

Bulgaria hits record high daily coronavirus cases, hospitals stretched

Bulgaria's tally of coronavirus infections has risen by 6,813 in the past 24 hours, a record daily increase as the European Union's least vaccinated country grapples with a fourth wave…

Read More Here

Turkish Minister calls grey-listing decision ‘a political move’

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has lambasted the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for putting the country on the so-called grey-list, definiting as a political move. "We all know that…

Read More Here

Turkey and West climb down from brink of biggest diplomatic crisis

Turkey and its Western allies climbed down from a full-blown diplomatic crisis on Monday after foreign embassies said that they abide by diplomatic conventions on non-interference, averting a threatened expulsion of 10 ambassadors.…

Read More Here

Erdogan’s critics say expulsion call is diversion

President Tayyip Erdogan's political opponents said his call to expel the ambassadors of 10 Western allies was a bid to divert attention from Turkey's economic difficulties, while diplomats hoped the…

Read More Here

Croatia’s right-wing eurosceptics seek referendum on euro adoption

ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Croatia's conservative and eurosceptic party Hrvatski Suverenisti (Croatian Sovereignists) began a two-week drive on Sunday to collect signatures in a bid to force a referendum…

Read More Here

Turkey’s citizenship-for-homes sales hit roadblock

Record sales of homes to foreigners in Turkey, driven by a sharply falling currency and the promise of citizenship, are starting to slow after a new government rule aimed at…

Read More Here

UPDATE – Turkey to expel U.S. envoy and nine others, Erdogan says

ISTANBUL, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that he had told his foreign ministry to expel the ambassadors of the United States and nine other…

Read More Here

Turkish defence minister warns against alliances that harm NATO

NATO-member Turkey's defence minister said the forming of alliances outside of NATO would harm the organisation, according to comments released on Saturday, after Greece and France agreed a defence pact…

Read More Here

FATF ‘grey lists’ Turkey

An international watchdog downgraded Turkey to a so-called grey list for failing to head off money laundering and terrorist financing, a decision that could further erode foreign investment after a…

Read More Here

Serbia introduces COVID-19 passes for indoor cafes and restaurants

Serbia will make a COVID-19 “health pass” mandatory for access to restaurants, cafes and bars in the evenings, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic announced, as the country struggles with persistently high…

Read More Here

Bulgaria makes COVID ‘health pass’ obligatory for leisure activities

Bulgaria will make a COVID-19 "Green Certificate" mandatory for indoor access to restaurants, cinemas, gyms and shopping malls, the health minister said, as the country struggles with a rising number…

Read More Here

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Van, Turkey

Turkish soldiers patrol with military vehicles next to a wall on the Turkey-Iran border line in Van city, Turkey. Turkey completed 63 km of the modular concrete wall, which it…

Read More Here

Erdogan hopes for continued cooperation with post-Merkel Germany

Istanbul (dpa) - Turkey seeks to maintain good working relations with the upcoming new German government, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday in Istanbul. "I hope the successful work we have carried…

Read More Here

Serbs say they will pull their region out of Bosnia’s army, judiciary, tax system

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who advocates the secession of the Serb-dominated region from Bosnia, said that the Serb Republic will pull out of the Balkan country's armed forces, top…

Read More Here

Croatia confirms migrant pushback

Croatia acknowledged that its police officers had participated in a violent pushback of migrants on the border with Bosnia, and Greece promised to investigate reports of similar action by its…

Read More Here

Bulgarian police detain 3 foreigners after sensitive data goes missing at arms plant

Three senior foreign employees of Bulgaria's biggest weapons maker Arsenal have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the disappearance of sensitive products and documents from the company's plant,…

Read More Here

IKEA to shift more production to Turkey to shorten supply chain

Sweden's flat-pack furniture giant IKEA is planning to move more production to Turkey to minimise problems with global supply chains and increased shipping costs, the company's chief financial officer for…

Read More Here

Turkey registers 29,802 new COVID-19 cases, highest since April 30

Turkey logged 29,802 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the highest number of daily infections since April 30, health ministry data showed, as Health Minister Fahrettin Koca urged citizens to get…

Read More Here

Tensions simmer after Turkey sent off Maltese registered Cypriot vessel away from its continental shelf

Turkey sent a Greek Cypriot research vessel away from what it says is its continental shelf in the Mediterranean on Sunday after it entered the area without permission, Turkey's Defence…

Read More Here

Serbs unblock roads in Kosovo as NATO moves to end car plate row

JARINJE, Kosovo - Serbs removed trucks and cars used to block the border with Kosovo on Saturday as NATO troops moved in under a European Union mediated deal to end…

Read More Here

Bulgaria centre-right party endorses university rector for president

SOFIA, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party on Friday endorsed a university rector to run for president in a contest to be held in tandem with a parliamentary…

Read More Here

Kosovo, Serbia agree deal to end border tensions

Kosovo agreed to withdraw police units from its northern border with Serbia to end a mounting dispute over vehicle licence plates that briefly escalated into violence and prompted NATO to…

Read More Here

Partners or rivals? Russia and Turkey navigate awkward alliance

Turkey's defence purchases from Russia have alarmed Ankara's NATO partners but the two countries remain rivals in wars from the Middle East to the Caucasus, highlighting the faultlines running through…

Read More Here

EU no longer agrees on Balkan membership guarantee, diplomats say

The European Union, fearing a political backlash in member states, can no longer agree to give a guarantee of future membership to the six Balkan countries once promised a place in the club,…

Read More Here

Kosovo PM urges mutual car plate recognition with Serbia to ease tension

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Wednesday his country and neighbouring Serbia should start recognising each other's car licence plates to allow free movement of people…

Read More Here

New centrist faction to run in Bulgaria’s third election this year

Popular former interim economy and finance ministers have set up a centrist political faction to compete in Bulgaria's third parliamentary election this year on pledges to tackle widespread corruption and…

Read More Here

Turkish President Erdogan says to meet Greek PM in New York

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that he would meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next week in New York.…

Read More Here

Albania votes in its first female dominated government

Albania's parliament on Friday voted in the first cabinet to be dominated by women since the multi-party system was introduced 30 years ago. After a parliamentary session which lasted more…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Bulgaria reappoints caretaker PM ahead of third election of 2021

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev reappointed caretaker premier Stefan Yanev on Thursday to lead an interim government until the country holds its third set of parliamentary elections this year on Nov.…

Read More Here

Bulgarian president calls November 14 snap polls

President Rumen Radev has called Bulgaria's third parliamentary election this year for Nov. 14 after inconclusive polls in April and July failed to produce a government, the president's media office…

Read More Here

Turkey logs highest cases of coronavirus since May 4

Turkey logged 27,802 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the highest number of daily infections since May 4, health ministry data showed, as Health Minister Fahrettin Koca urged people to get…

Read More Here

Merkel sees long road for Western Balkan states to EU membership

Western Balkan states have a long way to go to achieve membership in the European Union but it is Germany's goal that they do, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday. At a joint news…

Read More Here

Serbian protesters demand more action to stop industrial pollution

BELGRADE (Reuters) - About 2,000 protesters marched through Belgrade on Saturday to urge Serbia's government to do more to prevent industrial pollution, and some denounced plans by Anglo-Australian miner Rio…

Read More Here

Bulgaria’s parliament approves 2021 budget changes ahead of polls

SOFIA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's parliament approved on Saturday changes to the 2021 state budget aimed at shielding the country from an upsurge in coronavirus cases and woo struggling…

Read More Here

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Beyobasi, Turkey

An Afghan migrant who is taking care of over 200 sheep of Bulent Sarioglu in Beyobasi village, Turkey. Afghans in Turkey amount to 400,000, making them the second largest group…

Read More Here

Turkey jobless rate climbs to 12% in July as supports end

Turkey's unemployment rate rose to 12.0 percent in July from 10.6% a month earlier as pandemic-related labour supports expired, according to data on Friday that also showed an uptick in…

Read More Here

Fire in North Macedonian COVID-19 hospital kills at least 10

At least 10 people were killed when a fire broke out in a makeshift hospital for COVID-19 patients in the North Macedonian town of Tetovo, the country's health minister said.…

Read More Here

Bulgaria, EU’s least vaccinated nation, faces deadly surge

Bulgaria has one of the highest coronavirus death rates in the 27-nation European Union and is facing a new, rapid surge of infections due to the more infectious delta variant.…

Read More Here

Turkey optimistic inflation will drop below 10% by end of 2022

Turkey expects inflation to fall to 16.2% by the end of the year and hit 9.8% by the end of 2022, according to government forecasts published late on Sunday that…

Read More Here