The Dispatch

Turkey imposes fresh weekend curfew

Turkey has imposed a fresh weekend curfew in 24 cities and provinces. Residents of Ankara and Istanbul were among those ordered to stay home from midnight Friday. Only bakeries, pharmacies and…

Read More Here

Gratitude at health services expressed by Turkish national involved in accident in Malta

A Turkish national, heavily injured in a motorbike accident in Malta, expressed his gratitude to Turkey and Malta for helping him return home. The Turkish news agency, Anadolu reports that…

Read More Here

Turkey records highest number of new cases in a week

Turkey has recorded its highest number of new Covid-19 positives since April 30 with 2,253 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to the latest figures by the…

Read More Here

40th anniversary of the death of Josip Broz Tito remembered in former Yugoslavia

A monument of the late Yugoslav communist president Josip Broz Tito in front of a high school named after him in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, 04 May 2020.…

Read More Here

rescEU masks delivered to Spain, Italy and Croatia

Following last week's delivery to Italy, more batches of FFP2 protective masks were distributed throughout the weekend to Spain, Italy and Croatia from rescEU - the first ever common European…

Read More Here

Serbia to end state of emergency

Serbia will end its state of emergency over the coronavirus next week, as the rate of infections has slowed sufficiently, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday. The lifting of the…

Read More Here

Strong Magnitude 6 Earthquake strikes the island of Crete

An earthquake of magnitude 6 struck the Greek island of Crete on Saturday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The strong earthquake struck south of the Greek island of…

Read More Here

Photo Story: The Greeks on the frontline

A series of photos of Greek citizens portraits from different professions, who stayed outside during the lockdown of the country risking their health so that all the rest people can…

Read More Here

EU pledges €3.3 billion to Western Balkan countries

The European Commission has announced over €3.3 billion of EU financial support mobilised jointly with the European Investment Bank to the benefit of the Western Balkans' citizens. This package aims…

Read More Here

Turkey extends closure of schools to end of May

Turkey has extended the closure of schools until the end of May as part of its measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, Education Minister Ziya Selcuk said on…

Read More Here

Hotels in Romania will reopen in May, masks to become mandatory in all enclosed public spaces

The hotels in Romania will reopen after May 15, when Romania will start to ease the restrictions imposed during the state of emergency, prime minister Ludovic Orban said. However, the…

Read More Here

Russia helps Serbia amid coronavirus pandemic

A handout photo made available by the press service of the Russian Defence Ministry shows Russian military specialists disinfecting the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade, Serbia, in line with Russia's…

Read More Here

ANZAC Day services cancelled amid coronavirus pandemic in Turkey

ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day Dawn Services are cancelled this year due to ongoing coronavirus social distancing measures. Anzac Day, held annually on 25 April, is a…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Coronavirus precautions in Serbia

A man makes a purchase over the cling film protective barrier at a farmers market in Belgrade, Serbia, amid the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers markets are being reopened as…

Read More Here

Greece extends coronavirus lockdown measures by a week to May 4

Greece on Thursday extended its general coronavirus lockdown by a week to May 4, saying any relaxation would be staggered out over May and June. Greek authorities imposed a blanket…

Read More Here

Turkey begins 4-day coronavirus curfew

Turkey began enforcing a four-day curfew in 31 provinces as of midnight Wednesday to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The curfew notice, sent in a circular by the…

Read More Here

Dramatic increase in cases in Bulgaria

Bulgaria said on Wednesday it had 1,015 confirmed cases of Covid-19, up from 975 the day before. Although cases have been gradually increasing for more than a month, the health…

Read More Here

Albania to partially reopen economy

Albania’s government plans to allow its mining and oil industries to reopen on Monday, along with hundreds of businesses including small retailers, food and fish processing, farming and fishing. In…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Orthodox Good Friday in Belgrade

A street vendor wearing gloves arranges hand-decorated Easter eggs in Belgrade, Serbia, 17 April 2020. Orthodox devotees will celebrate Easter on 19 April 2020. Customarily, eggs are dyed on…

Read More Here

2-8 year jail terms for coronavirus quarantine rule-breakers in Albania

Albania amended its penal code on Thursday to punish anyone breaking coronavirus quarantine and self-isolation rules and infecting others with up to eight years in jail as it slowly prepares…

Read More Here

Bulgarian capital Sofia sealed off

The Bulgarian capital Sofia will be sealed off from Friday to contain the spread of the new coronavirus after the number of confirmed cases jumped in the past two days,…

Read More Here

Greeks fear migrant arrivals from Turkey

Over the weekend various Greek media outlets have reported that a high number of migrants are being allowed to gather on the western coasts of Turkey in preparation to sail…

Read More Here

New lockdown to be imposed in Turkey next weekend

Turkey will impose a fresh lockdown next weekend as part of measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, after a 48-hour curfew in…

Read More Here

Greek government press for charges against priests who provided communion despite ban

The Greek government has asked for a prosecutor to press charges against two priests after they provided holy communion on Sunday despite a ban in place to try to curb…

Read More Here

Turkey allegedly has a plan to push migrants infected with the coronavirus to cross into Greece and other parts of Europe

Greek authorities were reported to have found out that numerous migrants in Turkey have been concentrating in the country's western seaside towns, as if ready to cross into neighboring Greece's…

Read More Here

Two-day lockdown imposed in much of Turkey, Ankara stops all international flights

Istanbul, Ankara and other major Turkish cities locked down for two days from midnight on Friday to combat the spread of the coronavirus under an Interior Ministry order, as the…

Read More Here

EU approves €1 billion in incentives to support Croatian economy

The European Commission has approved two Croatian schemes to support the Croatian economy in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. Croatia notified to the Commission under the Temporary Aid Framework…

Read More Here

Turkey to track mobiles to ensure Covid-positive persons stay home

As the infection and death rate continue to increase at alarming rate in Turkey, the Government of the South Eastern European nation has given itself ample powers in its bid…

Read More Here

Turkey has world’s fastest rising infection rate

Turkey’s number of coronavirus infections is increasing by more than 3,000 a day, reaching 30,217 since the first case was confirmed four weeks ago. Reported fatalities remain much lower than…

Read More Here

Number of COVID-19 Cases in Serbia Nears 2,000

With 284 new cases of the novel coronavirus confirmed in Serbia on Sunday, the total number of infections stands at 1,908. Out of the total number of cases, a majority…

Read More Here

Turkey’s coronavirus death toll rises above 500

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Turkey rose by more than 3,000 to 23,934 on Saturday with deaths related to COVID-19 rising by 76 to 501 people, Heath Minister Fahrettin Koca said…

Read More Here

Russia sending 11 military planes to Serbia with medical equipment

Russia says it is sending 11 military planes to Serbia carrying medical equipment to help in the fight against COVID-19. The Russian Defense Ministry said the aid commitment to the…

Read More Here

Albania extends lockdown

Albanian schools, cafes, restaurants and other public venues will remain shut and restrictions on social and economic activity will stay in place till the end of the coronavirus outbreak, Health…

Read More Here

Photo story: Turkish helping hand to Italy and Spain

The arrival of a plane from Turkey with medical aid for the Coronavirus' emergency, Rome, Italy, 01 April 2020. Turkey has sent military aircraft delivering medical aid and supplies to…

Read More Here

Turkey’s coronavirus death toll rises

Turkey’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak increased by 63 to 277 on Tuesday, its highest rise yet, while the number of confirmed cases from the disease rose by 2,148…

Read More Here

Montenegro introduces lockdown

Montenegro introduced a lockdown on Monday to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected dozens in the small Adriatic republic. In a statement, the government said the lockdown will…

Read More Here

A total of 168 persons die in Turkey

As many as 37 more people died of the novel coronavirus in Turkey in the past 24 hours, according to figures released by the country's Health Ministry on Monday, bringing…

Read More Here

Truckers blocked on border between Bulgaria and Turkey

A column of waiting trucks wanting to cross the border between Bulgaria and Turkey, in the village of Kapitan Andreevo, Bulgaria, 25 March 2020. A record number of drivers and…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Children’s playgrounds closed in Croatia

Two men wearing protective face masks walk in Ban Josip Jelacic Square in downtown Zagreb, Croatia, 30 March 2020. Croatian authorities have decided to order the closure of cafes, restaurants…

Read More Here

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Sofia, Bulgaria

A woman clears her car from the snow in Sofia, Bulgaria. Bulgarian authorities have declared a ban on intercity travel around the country in an effort to slow down the…

Read More Here

Albania sends 30 doctors and nurses to Italy

Albania has sent 30 doctors and nurses to Italy, the worst-hit country in Europe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Albanian Prime minister announced on Saturday. The Albanian medical team was…

Read More Here

Albanians will need a permit to leave the house

Albanians will need a permit to leave the house to get necessities as part of stricter measures to contain the outbreak there. Permission can be obtained by app or text…

Read More Here

Turkey halts intercity trains, limits domestic flights

Turkey halted all intercity trains and limited domestic flights on Saturday as part of measures to contain a fast-growing coronavirus outbreak, as the number of cases jumped by a third…

Read More Here

Coronavirus death toll in Turkey surpasses 44 victims

Turkey confirmed seven more deaths from coronavirus on late Tuesday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 44. A total of 3,952 coronavirus tests have been conducted in the last…

Read More Here

Bulgaria approves amended state of emergency law after President’s veto

Bulgaria’s parliament agreed on Monday to cancel some parts of a law that establishes a state of emergency to limit the spread of the coronavirus after the president wielded his veto…

Read More Here

Montenegro reports its first death from coronavirus

A 65-year old man from the Montenegrin town of Herceg Novi who died in hospital in the capital Podgorica on Sunday is the Adriatic country's first victim of the coronavirus,…

Read More Here

Turkish Airlines says 85% of its passenger planes idle

Turkish Airlines’ board chairman said on Sunday that 85% of the carrier’s passenger planes were not being used at the moment, after Turkey banned flights from more than 60…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Aftermath of the earthquake that hit Croatia

Scenes from this morning’s earthquake in Zagreb after a 5.3-magnitude earthquake that hit near the capital in Croatia. A magnitude 5.3 earthquake has shaken Croatia damaging buildings and cutting off…

Read More Here

Albanian Army prepared to use force to enforce curfew

Albania's Government has deployed its Army to enforce a strict 40-hour curfew. The curfew is hoped to slow the spread of coronavirus and follows people flouting previous measures. go out…

Read More Here

Croatian PM appeals to keep social distancing after earthquake

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic called on citizens to remain outside their homes after a powerful earthquake rocked the country on Sunday morning. Plenkovic and Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocks Croatia, 15-year-old killed

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the Croatian capital of Zagreb on Sunday at 6.30 a.m. (0530GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to the German Research…

Read More Here

CoVid-19 – Bosnia registers its first death

A Bosnian man became the first to die of the coronavirus in the Balkan country, the manager of a hospital in the northwestern town of Bihac has said. Bosnia has declared a nationwide state…

Read More Here

Serbia’s military deploys at borders to help fight coronavirus

Serbia’s military deployed at the borders on Wednesday, for the first time in over a decade, as authorities imposed a state of emergency to try to curb the spread of…

Read More Here

Kosovo’s government facing crisis as Interior minister is fired on CoVid19 response

Kosovo’s government faces a major crisis only a few weeks after taking power as one of the coalition partners is threatening to walk out of government. On Wednesday morning, Prime…

Read More Here

Turkey confirms first CoVid19 death

Turkey confirmed its first death from the coronavirus late Tuesday, according to its health minister. Anadolu News Agency said that a patient, 89, died while 51 additional cases were diagnosed,…

Read More Here

Turkey reports new cases of coronavirus, bars and nightclubs ordered to close

Turkey reported 12 new cases of the virus on Monday, its highest daily rise since the country announced its first case last week. Two of the new cases were related…

Read More Here

Serbia introduces state of emergency, borders closed to foreigners

A Serbian flag files over the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, Serbia, 15 March 2020. On Sunday, the Serbian authorities declared the state of emergency on Sunday over the situation…

Read More Here