The Dispatch

Italian tourists flock to Albania in key boost for economy

By Fatos Bytyci and Florion Goga SARANDA, Albania (Reuters) - A waiter in an Albanian restaurant in the coastal resort town of Saranda apologised to newly arriving customers that little…

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Dardanelles shipping suspended as Turkey battles wildfire

Firefighters battled a forest fire in northwest Turkey for a second day on Wednesday, prompting mass evacuations and causing shipping to be suspended through the nearby Dardanelles Strait. More than 100 cargo vessels…

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Key Turkish opposition figure set to run again for Istanbul mayor

ISTANBUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key figure and possible future leader of Turkey's political opposition, said on Tuesday he is set to run again for…

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Germany ends Bosnian Serb projects over secessionist moves

The German government has shut down four infrastructure projects in Bosnia's autonomous Serb Republic over the secessionist aims of its President Milorad Dodik, the German embassy in Bosnia said in…

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UK announces deal with Turkey to tackle flow of illegal migrants

Britain said it had struck a deal with Turkey in a bid to slow the flow of illegal immigrants passing through the Mediterranean country on their way to Europe, including…

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Turkey plans gold import quota to cut c/a deficit

ANKARA, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Turkey plans to impose a quota on imports of unprocessed gold in order to reduce the negative impact on the current account balance, according to…

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Turkey curbs credit card use for foreign travel, in blow to sector

By Ceyda Caglayan ISTANBUL, (Reuters) - Turkey's banking watchdog has stopped allowing credit card payments by instalment for foreign travel, such as flights, travel agency fees and accommodation, in a…

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Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia fight African swine fever, ask for help

BELGRADE/SARAJEVO, (Reuters) - An outbreak of the African swine fever has forced pig breeders in Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia to cull thousands of pigs since June and is putting pressure…

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Several people dead after Balkans hit by powerful storm

Six people have died in a powerful storm which has battered much of the Balkans - while Southern Europe continues to face a searing heatwave. Dozens of people have also…

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EU ready to re-engage with Turkey, but sets conditions

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) - European Union foreign ministers agreed on Thursday that the bloc should re-engage with Turkey, but set some conditions and did not endorse Ankara's calls to…

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Saudi Arabia buys Turkish drones during Erdogan’s visit

Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to buy Turkish drones, one of several lucrative contracts President Tayyip Erdogan secured for Turkey's struggling economy as Ankara reaps the benefits of his recent…

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Heatwave hits Europe

Sweltering temperatures are sizzling across Europe with some regions facing temperatures expected to climb well above 40 degrees Celsius, the European Space Agency said. The European Space Agency (ESA), whose…

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UPDATED: Turkey gives green light to Swedish NATO membership bid

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, appearing to end months of drama over an issue that had strained the bloc…

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Turkey to raise corporate tax to fund earthquake rebuilding-draft law

ANKARA, July 5 (Reuters) - Turkey will raise corporate taxes to fund the recovery from major earthquakes that struck the country in February, according to a draft law presented to parliament by…

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Egypt, Turkey appoint ambassadors to upgrade diplomatic relations

Egypt and Turkey have appointed ambassadors to each other's capitals for the first time in a decade to restore normal diplomatic relations, their foreign ministries announced on Tuesday. The two…

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Bill Clinton tells Kosovo: stop ‘foolishness’ in Serb-majority north

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, largely credited for ending the Kosovo war more than two decades ago told Kosovo's government to stop its actions in the Serb majority north, where…

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Dubrovnik Bans Wheeled Suitcases in a Bid to Tackle Tourism Noise

The mayor of the city of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, has decided to ban wheeled suitcases due to the noise they make in the streets of this old city. This means…

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Serbia releases three detained Kosovo policemen, easing crisis

Serbia released three Kosovan policemen on Monday, more than a week after detaining them in a border area, easing a mounting standoff between the neighbouring countries and former wartime foes.…

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US, Swedish prosecutors study graft complaint naming son of Turkey’s Erdogan

Anti-corruption authorities in the United States and Sweden are reviewing a complaint alleging that the Swedish affiliate of a U.S. company pledged to pay tens of millions of dollars in…

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FATF adds Croatia to ‘grey list’ of countries under scrutiny

PARIS, (Reuters) - The FATF international financial crime watchdog said it had added EU member state Croatia to its so-called "grey list" of countries under special scrutiny, adding that Cameroon…

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Bosnia reports African swine fever outbreak, WOAH says

PARIS, June 23 (Reuters) - Bosnia has reported an outbreak of African swine fever, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Friday. The disease was detected in a…

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No breakthrough as EU’s Borrell holds crisis talks with Kosovo, Serbia leaders

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed steps to end weeks of violence in predominantly Serb areas of northern Kosovo to the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia on Thursday, but…

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Hungary’s PM Orban calls for fast accession of Bosnia into EU

SARAJEVO, June 22 (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on Thursday for a quick accession of Bosnia and other Balkan countries into the European Union, saying they could…

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NATO ready to act to save Kosovo’s peace, calls for de-escalation

NATO forces in Kosovo are ready to face any situation if acts of violence similar to recent encounters threaten the peace, the NATO commander in Pristina said late on Monday.Some 30 NATO peacekeeping soldiers defending…

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Croatia eying record tourist season after joining Schengen area

By Antonio Bronic ZADAR, Croatia (Reuters) - Croatian tourism officials are anticipating a record year for the sector after the country joined Europe's free-movement Schengen zone in January, which has…

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Flooding in Serbia and Bosnia; torrential rains trigger evacuations

BELGRADE/SARAJEVO, (Reuters) - Days of torrential downpours have caused flooding in Serbia and Bosnia, forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency in many areas, with the rain not expected…

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Kosovo PM presents plan to de-escalate tensions in the north

Kosovo's prime minister on Tuesday (June 12) presented a plan to defuse tensions in its Serb-majority north that would include fresh local elections and cuts in special police, bowing to…

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Montenegro’s pro-EU Europe Now Movement claims victory in snap vote

Election first since defeat of veteran leader Djukanovic Former Yugoslav republic is an EU membership candidate Polls show pro-European parties dominating vote By Aleksandar Vasovic and Branko Filipovic PODGORICA, (Reuters)…

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UPDATED: Montenegro holds parliamentary vote to secure reforms, EU path

Election first since defeat of veteran leader Djukanovic Former Yugoslav republic is an EU membership candidate Polls show pro-European parties dominating vote By Aleksandar Vasovic and Branko Filipovic PODGORICA, June…

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Kosovo must grant Serbs more autonomy to join EU and NATO, US envoy says

BELGRADE, June 7 (Reuters) - Kosovo must give greater autonomy to Serb-majority municipalities in the north of the country if it wants to move closer to joining NATO and the…

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NATO says reinforcements arriving in Kosovo after clashes last week

Reinforcements for NATO's peacekeeping force have begun to arrive in Kosovo following last week's unrest in the north of the country, the alliance said on Monday.Violence flared after Kosovo authorities…

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Sweden, Turkey, Finland set for more Swedish NATO membership talks

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey, Sweden and Finland will meet later this month to try to overcome ojections that have delayed Sweden's NATO membership bid, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on…

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World Bank lends $50.8 mln to cut air pollution in Bosnian region

SARAJEVO (Reuters) - The World Bank has approved a 46.1 million euro ($50.8 million) loan to help Bosnia's autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation tackle alarming air pollution and its health and economic…

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NATO member Turkey to send troops to Kosovo amid unrest in the north

ISTANBUL, June 3 (Reuters) - Turkey plans to send commandos to Kosovo on Sunday and Monday in response to a NATO request to join the alliance's KFOR peacekeeping force following…

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Turkey’s Erdogan takes oath for new term as president

ANKARA, June 3 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took the oath of office for a new five-year presidential term on Saturday, extending his rule into a third decade. "I,…

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Kosovo, Serbia presidents meet under EU pressure to defuse crisis

By Andrew Gray and John Irish BULBOACA, Moldova, (Reuters) - The presidents of Kosovo and Serbia held talks on Thursday on resolving a political crisis that has spiralled into violence,…

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EU condemns violence in Kosovo, will keep talking to all parties; NATO ready to deploy more troops

CHISINAU, June 1 (Reuters) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell repeated on Thursday that violence in Kosovo had to be condemned, adding he would continue to speak to the…

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Lira hits record low as Turkey prepares for new cabinet

ISTANBUL, May 31 (Reuters) - Turkey's lira tumbled on Wednesday to a fresh record low against the dollar as President Tayyip Erdogan prepared to decide the shape of his new…

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UPDATED: Kremlin: Russia backs Kosovo’s Serbs, their rights must be respected

MOSCOW, May 31 (Reuters) - Russia supports Kosovo's Serbian population and believes their legal rights and interests must be protected, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. Peskov also told…

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Bulgaria’s Denkov gets mandate to form cabinet

Former Bulgarian Education Minister Nikolai Denkov has been given a mandate to form a cabinet within seven days following elections in April, the Sofia Globe reported on its website. Last…

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‘Large eruption brewing up in centre of Europe’ says Russia’s Lavrov on Kosovo

"A large eruption is brewing up in the center of Europe, in the very place where in 1999 NATO carried out an aggression against Yugoslavia, violating all possible principles of Helsinki…

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Free but unfair election: how Erdogan held onto power in Turkey, and what this means for the country’s future

Recep Tayyib Erdogan will remain president of Turkey for another five years after winning Sunday’s run-off election over his long-time rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. If he serves the full five-year term,…

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NATO peacekeepers secure Kosovo town halls in standoff with Serb protesters

Serbs reject new ethnic Albanian mayors after vote boycott Kosovo police repel Serbs trying to break into town hall US rebukes Kosovo for imposing mayors in mainly Serb area LEPOSAVIC,…

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Turkey’s Erdogan prevails in election test of his 20-year rule

Erdogan to enter third decade in power Putin congratulates his 'dear friend' Vote shows polarised nation after divisive campaign By Can Sezer, Ali Kucukgocmen and Huseyin Hayatsever ANKARA (Reuters) -…

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Erdogan says Turks have given him new presidential mandate

ISTANBUL, May 28 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday Turks had given him the responsibility of governing for the next five years, declaring Turkey as the only winner of a…

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NATO urges Kosovo to de-escalate tension with Serbia

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO urged Kosovo to dial down tensions with Serbia, a day after its government forcibly accessed municipal buildings to install mayors in ethnic Serb areas in the…

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Turkey heads to presidential election runoff

Turks vote on Sunday May 28 in a presidential election runoff between the incumbent Tayyip Erdogan and his challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu that will decide whether the president extends his rule…

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Tens of thousands gather in Serbia in Vucic’s show of power

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Tens of thousands gathered in the center of Belgrade on Friday in support of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in a show of power following big anti-government protests…

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Turkey far right party leader backs Erdogan’s challenger in runoff

ANKARA, May 24 (Reuters) - Turkey's anti-immigrant Victory Party leader endorsed opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu on Wednesday, potentially boosting the challenger as he aims to make up ground and defeat President Tayyip Erdogan in Sunday's runoff…

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