The Dispatch

Photo Story: Official launch ceremony of the FRONTEX Joint Operation in North Macedonia

Members of FRONTEX talk prior to the official launch ceremony of the FRONTEX Joint Operation in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, 20 April 2023. It is planned that in 2023,…

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Turkey, Tunisia banks most at risk from tighter financing conditions – S&P Global

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - Tighter global financing conditions are putting pressure on emerging market banking systems, with those in Turkey and Tunisia most at risk, ratings agency S&P Global…

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Bosnia Serb leader Dodik threatens to declare independence

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik told his ally Serbia he was seriously considering declaring the autonomous Serb Republic independent from the rest of Bosnia unless a row…

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Leaked U.S. intel document claims Serbia agreed to arm Ukraine

By Jonathan Landay and Aleksandar Vasovic WASHINGTON/BELGRADE, April 12 (Reuters) - Serbia, the only country in Europe that has refused to sanction Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, agreed to…

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UPDATED: Bulgaria’s GERB party urges lawmakers to create a government after inconclusive vote

SOFIA, April 5 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party, which came first in an election last Sunday, urged the country's political parties to put a new government in place "whatever…

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Heavy snow, strong winds sweep through western Balkans

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Heavy snow and strong winds, unusual for the springtime, swept through most of the western Balkan region. In central Serbia, a bus swerved off a snow-covered road…

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Bulgaria set for tough coalition talks after fifth inconclusive election

Bulgaria looks for lengthy and difficult coalition talks after a parliamentary election, the fifth in two years, again failed to produce a clear winner. A bloc led by the centre-right GERB party…

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Mother and baby reunited in Turkey nearly two months after earthquake

A mother has been reunited with her baby in southern Turkey after a DNA test confirmed it was her daughter, almost two months after a devastating earthquake ripped through the…

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UPDATED: Former Kosovo president Thaci pleads not guilty to war crimes

THE HAGUE, April 3 (Reuters) - Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci on Monday pleaded not guilty to 10 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity as his trial opened…

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UPDATED: Ex-PM Borissov’s GERB nudges ahead in Bulgarian election – partial results

SOFIA, April 3 (Reuters) - A bloc led by the centre-right GERB party of former prime minister Boyko Borissov narrowly won most votes in Bulgaria's parliamentary election, according to partial…

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Montenegro’s ex-economy minister Milatovic declares victory in presidential run-off

PODGORICA (Reuters) - Montenegro's former economy minister Jakov Milatovic declared victory in a presidential election run-off on Sunday, over long-standing incumbent Milo Djukanovic, ending more than three decades of his…

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Montenegro holds run-off presidential election

PODGORICA, April 2 (Reuters) - Montenegrins were set to vote in a run-off presidential election on Sunday, pitting long-time incumbent Milo Djukanovic against a Western-educated economist pledging to lift the…

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Bulgarians vote in their fifth parliamentary election in two years

By Stoyan Nenov SOFIA, April 2 (Reuters) - Bulgarians vote in their fifth parliamentary election in two years on Sunday amid rising resentment towards political elites who many see as…

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Montenegro to elect president in tight race after year of deadlock

Both candidates pledge continuation of EU-accession bid Incumbent Djukanovic has dominated Montenegro for 33 years Faces challenge after two governments collapse within year Rival Milatovic, former economy minister, vows new…

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Disillusioned Bulgarians head to polls for fifth time in two years

DEVIN, Bulgaria, (Reuters) - In the rugged Rhodope mountains in southern Bulgaria, many voters have little hope that Sunday's parliamentary election, the nation's fifth in two years, will produce a…

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Turkish parliament ratifies Finland’s NATO accession as Sweden kept waiting

ANKARA, (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament approved a bill on Thursday to allow Finland to join NATO, clearing the way for the country to become part of the Western defence alliance…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Konya, Turkey

An aerial view taken with a drone of a sinkhole in a field in the Karapinar district of Konya, Turkey. Hundreds of sinkholes (also known as dolines, and 'obruk' in…

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Kurdish Party wont field Presidential candidate in setback for Erdogan

Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and its allies will not field a presidential candidate in May, its co-leader said on Wednesday, raising the prospect of the opposition uniting against…

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Albania suspends Golden Passport Scheme in effort to reassure European partners

Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has announced that the country's Golden Passport Scheme has been temporarily suspended, after pressure from EU and international institutions against such programmes continued to mount.…

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Turkey halts transit of sanctioned goods to Russia -exporter, diplomat

By Ceyda Caglayan and Jonathan Spicer ISTANBUL, March 20 (Reuters) - Turkey halted the transit of Western-sanctioned goods to Russia this month after a year of war in Ukraine and…

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Serbia wants to normalise ties with Kosovo but will not sign any agreement

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia wants normal relations with Kosovo but still won't sign any agreement with it, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday, a day after he verbally agreed to…

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Montenegro President Milo Djukanovic headed for run-off election

PODGORICA (Reuters) - Montenegro's veteran president, Milo Djukanovic, will face a run-off on April 2 against a pro-Western former economy minister, after no candidate secured a 50% majority in a…

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Montenegro votes in presidential election

PODGORICA, March 19 (Reuters) - Montenegrins began voting on Sunday in a presidential election that will influence the outcome of a parliamentary vote in June as well as the small…

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Serbia, Kosovo reach agreement to implement EU-backed deal normalising ties

OHRID, North Macedonia, (Reuters) - Kosovo and Serbia have reached an agreement on implementing a European Union-backed deal to normalise ties, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said late on…

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Thousands in Belgrade protest against Western-backed Serbia-Kosovo deal

BELGRADE, March 17 (Reuters) - Several thousand people gathered in Belgrade to protest against a Western-backed deal to normalise ties between Kosovo and Serbia, which they view as recognition of…

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Photo Story: Deadly floods hit earthquake zone in southeast Turkey

An excavator rescues vehicles in flood waters after deadly floods hit Sanliurfa, Turkey. According to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, 16 people were killed in the flood disaster in the…

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Serbia, Kosovo deal possible this year

BELGRADE, March 16 (Reuters) - An agreement over the normalisation of ties between Serbia and Kosovo this year is "entirely" possible, a U.S. envoy said. Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic and…

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Turkey plans to ratify Finland’s NATO bid ahead of May polls

By Orhan Coskun ANKARA, March 15 (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament will "highly likely" ratify Finland's NATO accession bid before it closes in mid-April, two Turkish officials told Reuters on Wednesday,…

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Russia says Serbia is under Western pressure to join sanctions

Serbia is under unprecedented pressure to impose sanctions on Russia, a spokesperson for the Russia's Foreign Ministry said, after a Serbian minister said the country should join Western sanctions against…

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Slovenia’s PM urges Bosnia to embrace ‘historic’ moment for EU integration

Slovenia's Prime Minister Robert Golob on Monday urged Bosnia's leaders to embrace a "historic moment" created by the war in Ukraine and kick off reforms required by the European Union…

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Turkey’s quake toll tops 48,000 as govt races to build container cities

ANKARA, March 13 (Reuters) - The death toll in Turkey from last month's major earthquakes has risen to 48,448, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday, as authorities rush to…

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Polls show Erdogan lags opposition by more than 10 points ahead of May vote

ANKARA, March 13 (Reuters) - New polls show the Turkish opposition's presidential candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leading against President Tayyip Erdogan by more than 10 percentage points ahead of elections on…

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EBRD to invest 1.5 bln euros in Turkey’s earthquake-hit regions

ANKARA (Reuters) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said that it will invest up to 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in the next two years to support…

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Erdogan officially calls Turkish elections for May 14

ANKARA, March 10 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan officially set Turkey's parliamentary and presidential elections for May 14, a month ahead of schedule, signing the decision in a ceremony shown…

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PHOTO STORY: Demonstration in favour of the Soviet Army monument in Sofia

People hold Russian and Bulgarian flags in front of the Monument to the Soviet Army during a protest in Sofia, Bulgaria, 09 March 2023. Hundreds protested against the Sofia Municipal…

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Turkey earthquake damage set to exceed $100 billion: UN agency

Damage caused by a devastating earthquake in Turkey will exceed $100 billion, a U.N. Development Programme official told a press briefing on Tuesday. "It's clear from the calculations being done…

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Turkey’s opposition bloc eyes deal to reunite, elevate popular mayors

Turkey's opposition neared a deal on Monday in which the right-wing IYI Party could return to an alliance that it quit three days ago, opening the way to mounting a…

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Serbian nationalists march in protest against Kosovo talks

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Hundreds of Serb nationalists and Orthodox Christians marched in Belgrade on Sunday to protest against a Western plan aimed at mending ties between Serbia and its former…

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Erdogan indicates Turkey elections to be held on May 14

President Tayyip Erdogan indicated on Wednesday that elections will be held on May 14, sticking to his previous plan for the vote with a date just over three months after…

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Serbia, Kosovo back normalising ties but need more talks -EU’s Borrell

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo agreed on Monday to a Western-backed deal to normalise relations but more talks are needed on the implementation of the pact, European Union foreign policy…

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UPDATE – One killed in new Turkey quake, 69 injured as buildings collapse

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -An earthquake shook southeast Turkey on Monday, killing one person, injuring 69 and causing some buildings to collapse, Turkish authorities said. It hit three weeks after a massive…

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Turkey begins to rebuild for 1.5 million left homeless by earthquakes

ANTAKYA/ANKARA, Turkey, (Reuters) - Turkey has begun work to rebuild homes following this month's devastating earthquakes, a government official said on, as the combined death toll in Turkey and Syria…

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Turkey introduces regulations for earthquake rebuild

ISTANBUL, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Turkey has imposed regulations for earthquake rebuilding work in its region hit by this month's devastating tremors, according to a presidential decree published in the…

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Turkey investigates building contractors as quake toll rises

ISTANBUL, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Turkey will widen an investigation into building contractors suspected of violating safety standards following its devastating earthquake, the interior minister said, as the country stepped…

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Bulgaria could adopt the euro from 2025 if ready -EU’s Dombrovskis

SOFIA, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Bulgaria could join the euro zone from January 2025 if it meets all entry criteria, the European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said on Thursday. Bulgaria…

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Albania seizes 22,500 tonnes of oil suspected of coming from Russia

TIRANA, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Albania has seized an oil tanker carrying 22,500 tonnes of oil suspected of coming from Russia and arrested the crew for breaching a Western embargo,…

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Erdogan leaning towards holding Turkish elections in June

By Orhan Coskun ANKARA, Feb 22 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan's government is inclined to hold Turkey's elections as scheduled in June, having cooled on the idea of postponing due…

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Turkey bans layoffs, offers salary support in earthquake zone

ANKARA, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Turkey launched a temporary wage support scheme and banned layoffs in 10 cities on Wednesday to protect workers and businesses from the financial impact of…

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WATCH: Death toll rises after fresh earthquake hits Turkey-Syria border

Six people were killed in an earthquake which struck the border region of Turkey and Syria, CNN Turk reported on Tuesday, two weeks after a larger quake killed more than…

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EU expansion crucial for peace in Bosnia, says last President of Yugoslavia

Bosnia and Herzegovina gained European Union candidacy status last December, nearly two decades after the country stated its desire to join the bloc, but the question of eventual EU membership…

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Panic as Turkey, Syria rocked again by 6.3M earthquake

ANTAKYA, Turkey Feb 20 (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southern Turkey near the Syrian border late on Monday, setting off panic and further damaging buildings two weeks after the country's worst earthquake in…

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Blinken, in Turkey, urges speedy Nordics accession to NATO

Turkey has blocked Swedish, Finnish NATO bids Blinken says Sweden and Finland have taken needed steps Cavusoglu says Sweden needs to take more action By Humeyra Pamuk and Huseyin Hayatsever…

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Blinken says U.S. will back quake-hit Turkey “for as long as it takes”

ANKARA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Washington will support Turkey "for as long as it takes" after earthquakes rocked the country…

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Turkey clears away rubble from earthquake, rescue efforts wind down

Rescue work winds down in Turkey Pregnant women need help Turkey death toll rises By Henriette Chacar and Ali Kucukgocmen ANTAKYA, Turkey, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Turkey stepped up work…

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Blinken to talk aid, Nordic NATO bid in visit to quake-hit Turkey

MUNICH, Feb 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive on Sunday in Turkey for an official visit and discuss how Washington can further assist Ankara as…

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Survivors dug out of rubble in Turkey, but many families pray to find a body to mourn

Survivors dug out of rubble 12 days after quake Many families just want a funeral and grave to mourn Death toll more than 46,000 Some 26 million people need aid,…

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Six charged after 18 migrants found dead in truck in Bulgaria

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgarian prosecutors have charged 6 people with human trafficking after 18 Afghan migrants were found dead inside a truck dumped on an dirt road near the capital…

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