The Dispatch

Financial records of nearly every Bulgarian exposed

A 20-year-old cybersecurity worker has been arrested in Bulgaria and charged with hacking the personal and financial records of millions of taxpayers in the country’s biggest ever data breach. Bulgaria’s…

Read More Here

EU Suspects Turkish Drilling Ship has Started Operation Off Cyprus

According to Cypriot daily Fileleftheros, a reliable EU source from Brussels has said that there is talk of “successful drilling” by the “Fatih” that is located off Paphou and there…

Read More Here

EU signals sanctions on Turkey over Cyprus drilling

The European Union will put on hold high-level talks with Ankara and negotiations on an air transport agreement, as well as freezing funding for Turkey next year, over “illegal” drilling…

Read More Here

Photo Story: The 24th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre

A Bosnian Muslim woman cries during the funeral of 33 newly-identified Bosnian Muslims at the Potocari Memorial Center, Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 11 July 2019. The burial was part of…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Washington urges Turkey to halt drilling operations off the coast of Cyprus, Ankara reacts to EU warning

UPDATED: Turkey said on Wednesday it rejected Greek and European Union assertions that Turkish drilling for gas and oil off Cyprus was illegitimate, and said it showed the EU could…

Read More Here

Second Turkish drillship arrives off coast of Cyprus

A second Turkish drillship arrived off the northeastern coast of Cyprus on Monday. The ship, the Yavuz, is expected to begin drilling for oil and natural gas near Cyprus this…

Read More Here

Mitsotakis sworn in as new Greek PM

Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Greece shortly after winning the Greek general election held on Sunday. The center-right New Democracy party won…

Read More Here

Labour shortage a burning issue in Croatia

The President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) Luka Burilović said that Croatia had benefited from its membership of the European Union, however, the labour shortage was becoming…

Read More Here

Turkish central bank chief fired

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has fired the governor of the central bank and replaced him with his deputy. No official reason was given for the sacking of Murat Cetinkaya,…

Read More Here

Turkey to hold military manoeuvres in the Aegean on Greek Election Day

. Turkey has issued a navigational warning reserving a large area south of the island of Kastellorizo, within Greece’s continental shelf, for military exercises on Sunday, July 7th. The same…

Read More Here

Eurojust helps reveal fake organic food fraud in Italy and Serbia

In close cooperation with Eurojust, Italian and Serbian national authorities unraveled a transnational large-scale fraud in the production and trade of allegedly organic food and beverages from rotten apples. In…

Read More Here

Turkey ready to mediate between the US, and Iran

In comments published Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had discussed the possible mediation between Iran and the USA with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the…

Read More Here

Joint foreign policy for Kosovo and Albania

Kosovo and Albania signed a landmark agreement to coordinate their foreign policies and which will include joint embassies. The agreement was signed after Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli visited his…

Read More Here

Win for Albanian Socialists in municipal elections

Preliminary results show that Albania’s ruling Socialist Party won all but two districts in last weekend’s municipal elections that were boycotted by the opposition. Counting on the website of…

Read More Here

Reports of a Turkish drone shot down over Libya

Amid rising tension between Turkey and Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, his fighters are claiming to have shot down a Turkish drone that entered Libyan airspace. A Turkish drone has been…

Read More Here

Erdogan threatens Haftar that Turkey ready to take necessary action over detained Turks in Libya

Turkey warned that forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar would become a “legitimate target” if a group of Turkish citizens that were detained over the weekend were not released immediately.…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Turkish Javelin Throwing

Players throw javelin during the Turkish Javelin Throw League game between Uzmanlar Sports Club and Ilica Sports Club in Erzurum, Turkey, 30 June 2019. Mounted javelin throwing, which is known…

Read More Here

Aylan Kurdi family heartbroken over unauthorized movie about ‘ the boy on the beach’

Reader’s discretion is recommended due to the graphic nature of the photo attached to the story Aylan Kurdi’s family is feeling heartbroken and angry about the unauthorized movie that's…

Read More Here

Haftar threatens to arrest Turkish citizens in Libya

The Libya Observer reports that a spokesperson of Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, Ahmed Al-Mismari, threatened to arrest Turkish citizens and attack Turkish companies and interests in Libya. In the same…

Read More Here

Tension as Albania goes to the polls

Albania is set for an election like no other since emerging from half a century of communism in 1990. Prime Minister Edi Rama has campaigned hard for Sunday's local…

Read More Here

EU threatens Turkey with sanctions over drilling off Cyprus

The EU has threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey if it continues "illegal drilling" in waters near Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. The warning came at an EU summit…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Protests in Albania

Riot police throws pepper spray on supporters of the Albanian opposition during a protest in Shkoder, Albania. Opposition has called to boycott the local election process on 30 June. Photo:…

Read More Here

Bulgarian Cybercrime Department in action against IPTV criminal network

Under the supervision of the Bulgarian Supreme Prosecutor’s Office of Cassation, police officers from the Bulgarian Cybercrime Department from the General Directorate Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Interior…

Read More Here

EU delays accession talks with N. Macedonia and Albania

EU ministers have decided to delay opening accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia. The European Commission last month recommended that accession talks should begin with the Balkan countries after…

Read More Here

Turkey to launch second drilling vessel for natural gas operations near Cyprus

Reuters reports that Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez announced that Turkey will launch a second drilling vessel, the Yavuz, on Thursday that will begin natural gas operations near Cyprus at…

Read More Here

Tourism industry in Croatia appeals for more foreign workers

Croatia’s association of tourist firms (HUT) and the national association of employers (HUP) said in a joint appeal to the Government in Zagreb to allow more foreign workers into the…

Read More Here

Bulgaria ready to protect North Macedonia’s airspace

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said his country could help protect its southwestern neighbour North Macedonia’s airspace if it completes a deal for the purchase of eight F-16 aircraft from…

Read More Here

Pressure continues on the government of Albanian Prime Minister Rama to quit, local elections cancelled

The streets of Tirana were once more paralyzed Sunday as Albanian opposition leader Lulzim Basha again brought thousands of his supporters onto the streets of the Albanian capital in his…

Read More Here

Photo story: Turkish President Erdogan is best man at footballer Mesut Ozil’s wedding

A handout photo made available by the Turkish President Press office shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2-R) his wife Emine Erdogan (R) attend a wedding ceremony of German…

Read More Here

Frontex border agency deployed for the first time outside the EU

Frontex officers for the first time were deployed out the borders of the European Union. The European Union's border agency on Tuesday, for the first time stationed officers along…

Read More Here

The Netherlands warns about travel to Turkey

The Dutch foreign ministry has warned holidaymakers heading to Turkey that their phones and other electronic apparatus can be confiscated if officials think there may be a connection to organisations…

Read More Here

EU warns Turkey about drilling off the coast of Cyprus

As several leaders voiced support for sanctions against Turkish companies, the European Union has warned Turkey about drilling off the coast of EU-member Cyprus. As tension escalates in the Mediterranean, the EU-27 at the…

Read More Here

Ferry stranded in rough sea off the coast of Croatia

A ferry carrying almost 350 people is drifting in the Adriatic Sea after experiencing technical problems. The ferry 'Aurelia' left the Italian city of Ancona late on Wednesday heading for…

Read More Here

Slideshow: The Pope in Bulgaria

On his second day in Bulgaria, Pope Francis made an early morning visit to a refugee center, thanking children and families for their joy despite the pain of leaving their…

Read More Here

North Macedonia elects pro-western president

North Macedonia’s pro-western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, won a run-off presidential vote after a campaign dominated by divisions over a change to the country’s name that was agreed to mollify Greece…

Read More Here

Possible final vote in North Macedonia presidential election

Polls have opened in North Macedonia for a presidential election runoff between two top vote-getters from the first round. More than 3,400 polling stations opened Sunday for the final vote.…

Read More Here

Pope Francis Sunday starts trip to Bulgaria and North Macedonia

Pope Francis on Sunday starts a trip to Bulgaria and North Macedonia where he will have to tread carefully because of sensitive relations with the dominant Eastern Orthodox Church in…

Read More Here

Turkey pushes EU for membership decision

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the EU needs to decide what's going to happen regarding Turkey's application for EU membership. The Turkish President suggested the EU should halt full EU…

Read More Here

Czech international Sural killed in car accident in Turkey

Czech Republic international footballer Josef Sural, 28, was killed and six other Alanyaspor players were injured Monday when their van was involved in an accident on the way home from…

Read More Here

Australia Prime Minister downplays terror threat at ANZAC Gallipoli event

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday played down any potential link between the arrest of a suspected Islamic State group member in Turkey and the ANZAC commemoration attended by…

Read More Here

Turkey foils terrorist attack during ANZAC commemorations in Gallipoli

Turkish authorities have arrested a suspected Islamic State member they believe was planning to attack a World War One commemoration at Gallipoli attended by hundreds of Australians and New…

Read More Here

EPP leader Weber insists no EU membership for Turkey

Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People's Party (EPP), insisted that Turkey cannot become a member of the European Union, in an interview with Euronews. Weber, tipped to replace…

Read More Here

North Macedonia presidential vote heads for run-off

Following the first round of North Macedonia's presidential election, which has been overshadowed by the country's name change deal with Greece, none of the three candidates won support from…

Read More Here

Historic first Presidential vote in North Macedonia tainted by fears of low turnout

Voters in North Macedonia on Sunday will vote to elect a new president in the country's first election since it changed its name. The vote for the largely ceremonial post…

Read More Here

Widow of late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has died in Russia

Once dubbed "Lady Macbeth of the Balkans," Mirjana Markovic, the widow of ex-Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic has died in Russia. Her husband died in jail in 2006 while on…

Read More Here

Illegally sold public land in Albania confiscated

Prosecutors have confiscated public land on the western Albanian coast that was illegally sold or owned by a former lawmaker and other officials. The land is estimated to be worth…

Read More Here

Deadly shootout at Albania’s airport

A gang of thieves broke into Tirana International Airport and grabbed bags of cash as they were about to be loaded onto an Austrian Airlines plane flying to Vienna. As…

Read More Here

Bulgaria seizes 1,500 kg of cannabis at Serbian border

Bulgarian border police seized nearly 1,500 kilograms of cannabis at a checkpoint on the Serbian border. The drugs were discovered hidden inside a truck among linoleum during a routine check…

Read More Here

Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson made honorary citizen of Sarajevo

Bosnia’s capital has declared Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson an honorary citizen for the concert he performed while the city was under siege during the 1992-95 war. The award…

Read More Here

Turkey condemns Netanyahu’s plan to change West Bank status

Turkey on Sunday criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "irresponsible" for saying he would annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins Tuesday's election. Turkish Foreign…

Read More Here

Joint European police action against Albanian drugs traffickers

Police in five European countries carried out a huge strike against a gang of Albanian drugs traffickers, making 67 arrests. A total of about 650 police officers in Belgium, the…

Read More Here

Turkish election board rules in favour of partial Istanbul recount

Turkey’s High Election Board ruled in favour of a recount in seven of Istanbul’s 39 districts after an initial count showed the main opposition candidate earned a narrow victory in…

Read More Here

Erdogan loses capital in local elections

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suffered a major setback in local elections after his party lost the control of the capital Ankara. The opposition party is also claiming victory…

Read More Here

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to become a mosque

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul will be controversially turned into a mosque. The Hagia Sophia, known as Ayasofya in Turkey, in the…

Read More Here

Pressure so Turkish firms resume construction in Libya

Mithat Yenigün, the Chairman of Turkey's Association of Construction Material Producers, said that Turkish firms wish to resume work in Libya despite the current crisis. In comments to the Turkish…

Read More Here

Karadzic has sentence increased to life in prison

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic Wednesday had his sentence increased to life in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal. The International Criminal Tribunal cast the final judgement on whether…

Read More Here

Istanbul’s new airport to be fully operational in April

Turkish authorities have set the full opening of Istanbul’s new airport, Istanbul Airport (ISL), for next month and the relocation of operations and equipment from Atatürk International Airport (IST) to happen…

Read More Here