14

Mar

Balkan countries close border crossings to stop coronavirus

Serbia, Albania and Romania have closed many of their border crossings in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus, leaving some parts of the Balkans practically cut off for…

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14

Mar

Kosovo confirms its first cases of coronavirus

Medical staff wear face masks to protect against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the state hospital University Clinical Center in Pristina, Kosovo, 14 March 2020. The government of the Republic…

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14

Mar

Six new cases, a total of 41 people infected with coronavirus in Serbia

  According to the latest data from the Serbian Ministry of Health, six new cases of coronavirus infection have been registered in our country. "From the last report until 6…

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14

Mar

Turkey closes border to passengers from 9 countries

Turkey announced late Friday it will close all border gates to passengers coming from nine European countries to fight the coronavirus outbreak. An authorization letter signed by Turkish Interior Minister…

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13

Mar

Turkey confirms 2nd coronavirus case

  Turkey’s health minister announced on Friday another case of the coronavirus (COVID-19), only the second case seen in the country. “He is from the immediate circle of our first…

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13

Mar

Traffickers behind Alan Kurdi death get 125 years

Three organizers of the human trafficking ring which led to the death of Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, in a case which made headlines worldwide, were sentenced in Turkey Friday to…

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13

Mar

Bulgaria declares state of emergency over coronavirus

The Bulgarian parliament voted unanimously on Friday to declare a state of emergency until April 13 to contain the spread of coronavirus after the number of confirmed cases in the…

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12

Mar

Balkan cocaine cartel taken down in Montenegro

A large Balkan criminal network trafficking drugs, mainly cocaine, from source countries to Europe has been dismantled in a large international operation. This hit has severely disrupted/cut one of the…

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11

Mar

Turkey’s Erdogan likens Greek authorities to Nazis for returning migrants

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that there was "no difference" between the Nazis and the Greek authorities forcibly repelling thousands of migrants seeking to reach Greece…

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11

Mar

Slovenia to close border with Italy, Bosnia bars entry from coronavirus-hit countries

Slovenia plans to close its border with Italy for non-commercial traffic to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Marjan Sarec said. He did not say when the decision would…

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11

Mar

Turkey confirms first coronavirus case

A Turkish citizen with high fever and cough symptoms was diagnosed with the coronavirus following tests, making him the country’s first confirmed diagnosis, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said early…

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10

Mar

Erdogan announces new summit with Macron and Merkel for next week

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Tuesday a new summit in Istanbul with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel next week, with possible attendance of Britain's…

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10

Mar

Refugee situation in Turkish-Greek border under focus in Brussels

EU leaders warned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to respect the terms of a previous deal to keep migrants away from Europe's borders, after the Turkish leader came to…

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10

Mar

Albania cancels flights and ferries to Italy until April 3

Albania's government has shut down schools for two weeks and cancel flights and ferries to Italy until April 3. Just before midnight, the health ministry said a 28-year-old man and…

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09

Mar

‘Open the gates’ to migrants, Erdogan tells Greece before EU talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will hold talks in Brussels Monday as he called on Greece to "open the gates" for migrants at Turkey's border trying to get…

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07

Mar

Erdogan expected in Brussels on Monday

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to be in Brussels on Monday for a one-day working visit, his office said amid a charged conflict between Turkey and the European Union…

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07

Mar

Migration agreement between Turkey and EU is dead – Greek PM

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered the Turkish coastguard to prevent migrants from crossing the Aegean sea because of the risks, state media reported. A Turkish jurists group has slammed…

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05

Mar

Erdogan flies to Moscow for Syria ceasefire talks with Putin

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan flew to Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin over a potential ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib, where their militaries are facing off in a…

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05

Mar

Turkey deploys police at Greek border to stem pushback of migrants

Turkey is deploying 1,000 special police forces along its border with Greece on Thursday to halt the pushback of migrants towards its territory, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said, adding that…

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05

Mar

EU ministers hold emergency talks in the wake of tensions at the Greek-Turkish borders

European Union countries offered more money on Wednesday for border policing in Greece and humanitarian aid in Syria's Idlib, but they were in a bind over Turkey as they sought…

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04

Mar

Balkan countries step up controls at borders

Countries along the so-called 'Balkan route', where hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers crossed in 2015-2016, are pledging not to allow migrants to cross this time after Turkey's decision not…

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03

Mar

Greece is Europe’s Shield – Von Der Leyen extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs council

The head of the European Commission has sent a strong message of support to Greece in its attempts to stop migrants crossing its border from Turkey. "Our first priority is to…

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03

Mar

Erdogan says EU and world is not understanding Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that "millions" of migrants would soon head for Europe, drawing accusations from EU leaders that he is trying to pressure them into backing his…

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02

Mar

Turkey downs two Syrian fighter jets as it intensifies Idlib attacks

Turkey has escalated a widespread offensive against Syrian troops and their allies, shooting down two government planes, wiping out dozens of pieces of military hardware including tanks and radar systems,…

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01

Mar

Greek – Turkish border – EU border agency Frontex is on ‘high alert’

Greece blocked nearly 10,000 "illegal" entries into the European Union from Turkey on Saturday and Sunday morning, a government official has said. The Greek government announced on Sunday that it…

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01

Mar

4000 migrants try crossing Turkish – Greek border

Riot police and the Greek army on Saturday deployed tear gas along the country’s land border with Turkey to try to stop migrants from entering the country. A government spokesman said thousands of…

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29

Feb

Russia and Turkey Agree to Reduce Tensions in Syria’s Idlib

Russia and Turkey have agreed to reduce tensions on the ground in Syria’s Idlib province while continuing military action there, the Russian foreign ministry said on Saturday following several days…

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29

Feb

Turkey lets refugees exit towards Europe

Groups of refugees and migrants are heading towards the EU after Turkey said it would not abide by a deal to stop them reaching Europe. Turkey's communications chief said the…

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28

Feb

Kosovo to lift tariffs on Serbian products

Kosovo will abolish 100% taxes imposed on import of raw material from Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina on March 15, Kosovo’s prime minister said on Thursday. Albin Kurti, who took office…

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28

Feb

NATO calls on Russia, Syria to halt Idlib offensive

NATO head Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia and Syria on Friday to halt their Idlib offensive and said the military alliance stood in solidarity with member state Turkey, which lost 33…

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28

Feb

Russia Sends Warships to Syria

Russia on Friday said it was sending two warships armed with cruise missiles to waters off the Syrian coast and blamed Ankara for the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in…

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28

Feb

NATO to hold extraordinary meeting after attack on Turkish soldiers

Following Turkey's request, NATO will hold an extraordinary meeting Friday over attacks to Turkish soldiers in Idlib, north-western Syria. Late Thursday, at least 33 Turkish soldiers were martyred and tens…

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28

Feb

Turkey says it will not stop Syrian refugees reaching Europe

Turkey, faced with a possible new wave of Syrian migrants and dozens more dead Turkish soldiers in Idlib, will no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe, a senior Turkish…

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28

Feb

Escalation between Turkey and Syria after Turkish soldiers killed

Dozens of Turkish soldiers have been killed in an airstrike in Syria’s Idlib province, in a dramatic escalation in the battle for control of the country’s last opposition stronghold. Turkish…

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27

Feb

Albania President warns his country could become the ‘North Korea of Europe’ again

Albania risks becoming once again “the North Korea of Europe,” its own president Ilir Meta warned on Thursday as he defended his role in a constitutional clash that threatens to…

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25

Feb

Two Turkish soldiers killed in Libya – Erdogan

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that two Turkish troops were killed in Libya, where Turkey supports the internationally-recognised government in the north African country's conflict. "We have two martyrs…

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23

Feb

Earthquake of magnitude 5.7 strikes Turkey-Iran border region, nine deaths reported in Turkey

An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck the Turkey-Iran border region early on Sunday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. Nine people, including three children, have died following the earthquake…

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22

Feb

Church vs State dispute brewing in Montenegro

Montenegro has been rocked by a conflict between the pro-European government and the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is protesting against a new law that makes it obligatory to register church…

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22

Feb

Bulgarian PM denies links to suspected money-laundering scheme in Barcelona

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has denied links to a suspected money-laundering scheme based in Barcelona. He issued the denial after a Barcelona-based newspaper published a front-page report on Friday…

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20

Feb

Albania and Kosovo considering shared embassies

The Albanian Minister-in-office for Europe and Foreign Affairs Gent Çakaj and the Foreign Minister of Kosovo Glauk Konjufca met to discuss the establishment of common economic space for free movement…

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19

Feb

Erdogan warns EU has no authority to make decisions on Libya

If a fair agreement cannot be reached in international talks, Turkey will support Libya’s legitimate Tripoli administration in taking control of the whole country, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.…

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19

Feb

New Croatian president says independent media, judiciary and the scientific community are the strongest defense against any form of tyranny

Croatia’s new president Zoran Milanovic urged more solidarity in society as he formally took office and called for vigilance against populist approaches to issues such as climate change that may…

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17

Feb

North Macedonia heads to early election in April

North Macedonia’s parliament dissolved itself on Sunday and set April 12 for an early election, eight months ahead of the end of the current term, in what is seen as…

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15

Feb

Kosovo and Serbia sign deal on rail and road links in huge diplomatic step

Kosovo and Serbia have agreed to create rail and motorway links between the two countries in a huge diplomatic step for the region. Representatives of both Balkan states signed a…

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11

Feb

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Istanbul, Turkey

Rowing athletes perform during their practices at Halic by Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey.   Photo:   EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

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10

Feb

Photo Story: Traditional Honey Day mass in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Orthodox faithful light candles attached to jars of honey during a holy mass for the 'sanctification of honey' at the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin church in the town…

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09

Feb

Serbia struggles with population decline

According to the World Bank, Serbia’s population of just below 7 million is projected to fall to 5.8 million by 2050. That would represent a 25% fall since 1990. The…

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09

Feb

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

A general view of fog surrounding of the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.   Photo: EPA-EFE/FEHIM DEMIR

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06

Feb

Huge operation against illegal IPTV distributors in Bulgaria

Europol supported a massive crackdown on illegal IPTV distributors in an operation executed by the Cybercrime Unit of the Bulgarian General Directorate Combating Organised Crime of the Ministry of Interior…

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06

Feb

Photo Story: Aftermath of the fatal air accident in Turkey

Photos of the scene of the tragic air accident in Istanbul as firefighters and Pegasus Airlines crew inspect the wrecked plane after a Pegasus Airlines plane has skidded off the…

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05

Feb

One dead, 157 injured after passenger plane skids off runway at an Istanbul airport

One person died and 157 were injured after a passenger plane skidded off the runway at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport, according to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. The plane was…

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05

Feb

Deadly avalanche in Turkey

Turkish soldiers and rescue workers try to rescue people after double avalanche at Bahcesaray district in Van city, east of Turkey 05 February 2020. Twenty-one people have been killed and…

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05

Feb

Reports Turkey deploying Islamic extremists to Libya

Syrian militants affiliated with groups such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State group are currently being sent by Turkey to fight on behalf of the U.N.-supported government in Libya, according…

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04

Feb

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Istanbul, Turkey

An aerial picture taken by drone shows Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge under heavy fog at the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey.   Photo: EPA-EFE/TOLGA BOZOGLU

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03

Feb

Deadly confrontation between Turkey and Syria

At least six Syrian government soldiers were reportedly killed by Turkish shelling in Idlib region, Syria, on Monday, in an attack that came in "retaliation" for an earlier strike by Syrian troops…

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02

Feb

Kosovo’s biggest parties reach new government deal

Kosovo’s two biggest parties reached a deal on Sunday to create a new government almost four months after the Balkan country held snap elections following the prime minister's resignation. Albin…

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02

Feb

More earthquakes and tremors shock Turkey

A 4.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Turkey's western province of Manisa early Sunday, according to the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). A number of aftershocks jolted the area following the…

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