The Dispatch

Father and son missing as floods hit northern Albania

TIRANA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - A father and son were missing in Albania on Sunday after their car was swept into a river during floods in the north of the country as…

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Bulgaria charges five people in connection with Istanbul blast

SOFIA (Reuters) -Bulgarian prosecutors have charged five people for supporting terrorist acts in connection with an explosion in central Istanbul that killed six people on Nov. 13, chief prosecutor Ivan…

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EU police patrol Kosovo’s north after Serb officers quit

MITROVICA, Kosovo, Nov 19 (Reuters) - European Union police officers are undertaking patrols in northern Kosovo after some 600 police officers from the Serb minority quit over a car licence…

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Serbia, Hungary and Austria agree to bolster fight against illegal migrations

By Aleksandar Vasovic BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia on Wednesday agreed with Hungary and Austria to deploy more joint police patrols along its southern borders and align visa policies with those…

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UPDATED: Kremlin “neither confirms nor denies” talks with U.S. in Turkey

Nov 14 (Reuters) - Russian and U.S. officials are holding talks in the Turkish capital Ankara, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Monday, citing a source. Sergei Naryshkin, head of…

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UPDATED: Turkey blames deadly bomb on Kurdish militants, arrests Syrian woman

By Jonathan Spicer, Ali Kucukgocmen and Ece Toksabay ISTANBUL, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Turkey blamed Kurdish militants on Monday for an explosion that killed six people on a busy Istanbul…

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UPDATE – Person who left bomb causing Istanbul explosion arrested – Anadolu citing minister

Nov 14 (Reuters) - The person who left the bomb that caused Istanbul's explosion was arrested by the police, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday according to state-run Anadolu…

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Anti-government protesters scuffle with police in Albania

TIRANA (Reuters) - Opposition protesters scuffled with police in front of the office of Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday where tens of thousands had gathered to protest against corruption,…

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Turkish unemployment rate rises to 10.1% in September

ISTANBUL, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Turkey's unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points month-on-month to 10.1% in September, while a seasonally adjusted measure of labour under-utilisation rose to 20.3%, data showed…

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Bulgarian lawmakers give government month to devise Ukraine military aid plan

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria should send military aid to Ukraine, the parliament decided, giving the caretaker government one month to come up with a plan for what weapons the Black…

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Turkey’s inflation hits 24-year high of 85.5% after rate cuts

ISTANBUL, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Turkish annual inflation climbed to a new 24-year high of 85.51% in October, official data showed on Thursday, slightly below forecast, after the central bank…

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Western Balkans leaders to sign deals on closer integration in Berlin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Western Balkans leaders are set to sign three agreements on mutual recognition of identity cards, university degrees and professional qualifications at a summit in Berlin on Thursday.…

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Albania tells Britain: do not blame us for your immigration problems

LONDON (Reuters) - Albania's prime minister accused Britain of using his country's citizens as scapegoats for its failed immigration policies after derogatory comments by British ministers about a rise in…

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Serbia’s president warns: We’ll shoot down foreign drones

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić issued an order Tuesday for Serbian forces to shoot down foreign drones entering the country’s airspace. According to unconfirmed reports by the Serbian pro-government daily Večernje…

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Germany tells Serbia: you have to choose between EU and Russia

Serbia must decide whether it wants to join the European Union or enter into a partnership with Russia, Germany told Belgrade on Tuesday, two days before six Western Balkan countries are…

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Kosovo backs off from Serb car plate rule after West warnings

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo said it will delay a rule to confiscate cars owned by ethnic Serbs who refuse to use local car plates following criticism by Western countries that…

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Bulgarian parliament backs call to speed up work on euro zone entry

SOFIA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's caretaker government needs to speed up talks with European Union institutions to ensure that the country does not miss its target date of January…

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EP urges Member States to allow Romania and Bulgaria in Schengen area

The European Parliament has urged member states to allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen free-travel area without delay. In a resolution adopted earlier today, MEPs called on the…

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Bulgaria’s inflation increases to 18.7% y/y in September

SOFIA, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's consumer prices rose by 18.7% on an annual basis in September from an increase of 17.7% in August, reaching a new 24-year high, as…

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Turkey denies involvement with migrant incident at Greek border

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey denied involvement in an incident where Greece found 92 illegal migrants close to its northern border with Turkey, Turkish Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakli said. "As…

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UPDATE -Turkish mine blast death toll rises to 40, one miner missing

By Mert Ozkan BARTIN, Turkey , Oct 15 (Reuters) - An explosion in a coal mine in Turkey's northern Bartin province on Friday killed 40 people, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on…

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Serbia must adapt to EU visa policy to join bloc – German interior minister

BERLIN, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Serbia must adapt to European Union visa policy if it wants to join the bloc, Germany's interior minister said in Luxembourg on Friday. "I hope…

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Turkey’s parliament adopts media law jailing those spreading ‘disinformation’

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament on Thursday adopted a law proposed by President Tayyip Erdogan that would jail journalists and social media users for up to three years for spreading…

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Turkey would write off nearly 30 bln lira of debt under draft law

ISTANBUL, Oct 13 (Reuters) - A Turkish parliamentary commission began discussing on Thursday a draft bill that would write off nearly 30 billion lira ($1.61 billion) of debt, according to…

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Putin puts “gas hub” plan to Turkey’s Erdogan

ASTANA, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday that Turkey was the most reliable route to deliver gas to the European…

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EU’s von der Leyen: proposed candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina

BRUSSELS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The EU has proposed to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU's Ursula Von der Leyen said on Wednesday at the EU Ambassadors Conference…

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Hungary, Serbia agree to build pipeline to ship Russian oil to Serbia

BUDAPEST, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Hungary and Serbia have agreed to build an oil pipeline that would allow Serbia to be supplied with Russian Urals crude via the Druzhba oil…

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Erdogan says Turkey still negative on Sweden’s NATO bid

ANKARA, (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Turkey would continue opposing Sweden's NATO membership bid until its demands are met for a tougher Swedish stance against "terrorist…

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Serbia’s police prevent 200 migrants from entering Hungary, seize money, weapons

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian police prevented 200 migrants from crossing into the country's northern neighbour Hungary and seized money and weapons, the interior ministry said. The number of illegal migrants…

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Bulgaria’s former-PM Borissov seeks path to coalition in fractured parliament

Bulgaria's former prime minister Boyko Borissov said on Tuesday his centre-right GERB party would seek talks with political rivals to try to form a government after an election win that…

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Turkey and Libyan government agree preliminary maritime energy deal

Libya's Tripoli government signed a series of preliminary economic agreements with Turkey on Monday that included potential energy exploration in maritime areas, but Libya's eastern-based parliament rejected the move. Speaking at…

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Moderate Bosniak candidate leads in race for presidency seat

Bosnia votes amid political crisis Moderate Bosniak leader set to win seat in presidency International peace overseer imposes changes to election law SARAJEVO, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Moderate Bosniak candidate Denis Becirevic is leading in…

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Centre-right GERB party leads in Bulgaria election -partial results

SOFIA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The centre-right GERB party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov won Sunday's parliamentary election in Bulgaria, with 25.4% of votes, results from 99% of ballots counted showed…

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UPDATE – Polls close as Bosnians choose between nationalists and reformists

Polls close as Bosnians choose between 'old and 'new' 35% of voters turned out by 3 p.m (1300 GMT) Election authorities say vote proceeded well By Daria Sito-Sucic SARAJEVO, Oct…

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Bulgaria’s GERB party seen leading in election, exit polls show

UPDATE 2-Bulgaria's GERB party seen winning national election SOFIA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The GERB party of ex-Prime Minister Boyko Borissov looked set to win Sunday's election in Bulgaria, the nation's fourth…

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What is at stake in Bosnia’s general election?

SARAJEVO, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Bosnia is holding presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday amid its since the end of the 1992-95 war. The polls opened at 7 a.m (0500…

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Russia overshadows vote in Bulgaria

Few countries in Europe take more of their gas from Russia than Bulgaria - and yet Bulgarians are increasingly asking themselves whether they really need it. Energy is top of…

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Weary Bulgarians fear more political turmoil after latest election

DAVIDKOVO, Bulgaria, (Reuters) - Bulgarians bracing for their fourth election in less than two years face a winter of want amid soaring inflation driven by the war in Ukraine, making…

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Turkey rejects Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it rejects Russia's annexation of four regions in Ukraine, adding the decision is a "grave violation" of international law. Turkey, a…

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Turkish trade deficit jumps 160% in August -stats institute

ISTANBUL, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign trade deficit surged 159.9% year-on-year to $11.19 billion in August, with imports surging 40.4%, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed on Friday.…

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Bulgaria’s GERB party expands lead ahead of Sunday’s election

SOFIA, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party widened its lead over its main rival, the reformist We Continue the Change (PP), as the country heads into its fourth…

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Montenegro investigates Russians, Montenegrins on suspicion of spying

BELGRADE, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Authorities in Montenegro have launched an investigation against an unspecified number of people on charges of espionage, a spokesman for the Special State Prosecutor's office…

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Turkey to reinforce military presence in northern Cyprus -Erdogan

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey will rein force its military presence in northern Cyprus after the United States lifted defence trade restrictions on Cyprus, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said. Speaking in…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Istanbul, Turkey

View of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge as fogs cover the Bosphorus, back-dropped by the Camlica mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Via EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN

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Turkish foreign visitor arrivals jump 58% in August

ISTANBUL, Sept 23 (Reuters) - The number of foreign visitors arriving in Turkey leapt 58.3% from a year earlier to 6.3 million in August, data showed on Friday, continuing the…

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Bulgaria inches closer to buying more F-16s to replace Russian jets

Bulgaria inched closer to buying a second batch of eight new F-16 aircraft and related equipment from the United States in a deal valued at $1.30 billion, interim Defence Minister…

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NATO ready to send more troops to Kosovo

PRISTINA, (Reuters) - NATO is ready to ramp up troops in Kosovo if tensions among minority Serbs flare again as a deadline in a spat with the government over car…

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Serbia police clash with right-wing protesters at LGBTQ march

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Police clashed with right-wing protesters on Saturday as several thousand people joined an LGBTQ march in Serbia to mark the end of EuroPride week, an event staged…

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Turkey condemns U.S. decision on Cyprus arms embargo

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign ministry said on Saturday it strongly condemned the expansion of a decision taken by the United States in September 2020 to lift its arms embargo…

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Erdogan wanted to meet Syria’s Assad

ISTANBUL, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had expressed a wish to meet President Bashar al-Assad if the Syrian leader had attended a summit being held in Uzbekistan,…

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Thousands march in Belgrade against planned Gay Pride parade

BELGRADE, (Reuters) - Thousands of religious and right-wing activists marched through Serbia's capital on Sunday calling for authorities to ban a Gay Pride march planned for next weekend. The protesters…

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Turkey’s Erdogan echoes Putin’s gripes over grain exports

ISTANBUL, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he wanted grain from Russia to be exported too, adding Vladimir Putin was right to complain that grain…

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UPDATED: Albanian police search empty Iranian embassy after papers burned

TIRANA, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Albanian counter-terrorism police searched the empty Iranian embassy in Tirana on Thursday, hours after Iranian diplomats burned papers inside the premises following the severing of…

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Albania cuts Iran ties, orders diplomats to go after cyber attack

TIRANA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Albania is ending diplomatic relations with Iran and has ordered Iranian diplomats and embassy staff to leave within 24 hours, after an investigation into a…

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Erdoğan repeats threat against Greece: We can come suddenly one night

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday repeated his stark warning to neighbouring Greece regarding alleged airspace violations over the Aegean Sea. It is time for Athens to "pull themselves…

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Turkey’s inflation touches new 24-year high of 80.2%

ISTANBUL, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Turkey's annual inflation climbed to a fresh 24-year high of 80.21% in August, a bit below expectations according to official data,after the central bank unexpectedly…

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Erdogan accuses Greece of ‘occupying’ demilitarised islands

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused Greece of occupying islands in the Aegean Sea that have a demilitarised status, and said Turkey was prepared to "do what is…

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