Ansa news

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 23 - The Tenco Prize 2025 begins on October 23rd at the Ariston Theatre in Sanremo, with the first of three evenings of the Songwriters' Festival. Dedicated to the theme of "Memory," it commemorates the Tenco Club's 50th anniversary and celebrates the origins of Italian songwriting while looking ahead. The new set design, created by artists Zhang Hongmei and Marco Nereo Rotelli, who have long been associated with the Tenco Club, will be unveiled at the event. Their works pay…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 23 - "Never before have so many people gathered," said Prime Minister Viktor Orban during the Peace March, which drew tens of thousands. "We are the largest political force in the country," he said. Orban reiterated that the war in Ukraine is "not ours" and that it is causing the economy to fail. "The EU has no more money, but it wants to continue the war; we are the only country who wants to stay out." According to Orban, President Donald Trump is capable of achieving peace…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 23 - "When we talk about long-range weapons for Ukraine, we mean that the Putin regime should face serious consequences as a result of this conflict. I urge you to support anything that helps Ukraine acquire these capabilities, because it makes a significant difference for Russia. These long-range weapons are not limited to the United States; some European countries also have them, including Tomahawks. We're already talking to countries that can help." Volodymyr Zelensky made…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 23 - On the sidelines of the European Council, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof convened another informal meeting of some of the member states most interested in innovative migration solutions. This was confirmed by Palazzo Chigi. The meeting was attended by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Poland, and Sweden, in addition to Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the…

(ANSA-AFP) - BUDAPEST, 23 OTT - Hungary's government and opposition will hold rival rallies in Budapest on Thursday, each looking to drum up support ahead of tense elections next year. A "peace march" by supporters of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and an opposition gathering later the same day come as US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin said last week they plan to hold a summit in the Hungarian capital. Although Trump said Tuesday he had shelved the planned summit…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 22 - Shots were fired outside Serbia's parliament building in Belgrade on Wednesday, injuring one person, according to local media. A few shots were fired, and a fire broke out inside the tent, which was one of several set up this year by supporters of President Aleksander Vucic during anti-government protests, international media reported. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic described this morning's incident outside parliament in Belgrade as a "serious terrorist act" and said…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 22 - Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is in London today, as delegated by the Prime Minister, to attend the Berlin Process Summit of Heads of State and Government, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. The initiative seeks to foster regional cooperation among the six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia), as well as to support their European aspirations and…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 22 - Szijjártó (Hungarian Foreign Minister) "is in Washington; preparations for the peace summit continue; the date remains uncertain. "When the time comes, we will organise it," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on social media, later inviting people to join him in a peace march in Budapest tomorrow to commemorate the anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. "At tomorrow's peace march, we will demonstrate to the world that Budapest was not chosen at random."…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 22 - According to Politico, Lithuania's Defence Minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, has decided to resign after losing the trust of Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and Social Democratic Party chairman Mindaugas Sinkevičius over the defence budget. On Tuesday, Šakalienė stated that she sees "no other opportunities to work when there is no trust," LRT reported. Ruginienė recently criticised fellow Social Democrat Šakalienė for secretly lobbying on the budget, prompting the decision.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 21 - Today in Ljubljana, French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob emphasised the importance of increasing European competitiveness, including through closer cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the economic and energy sectors. During Macron's visit, which began yesterday with a stop at the port of Koper, a declaration of cooperation in nuclear energy and an agreement to integrate their respective education systems were signed.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 21 - The Banska Bystrica Special Court sentenced Juraj Cintula, 72, to 21 years in prison for attacking Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico last May. According to the website Aktuality.sk, the court convicted Cintula of the particularly serious crime of terrorist attack, as requested by the prosecutor. However, the court took advantage of the opportunity to reduce Cintula's sentence, thereby avoiding a life sentence. The presiding judge justified this decision by citing Cintula's…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 21 - The conservative nationalist party VMRO-DPMNE, which controls Skopje, won the local elections in North Macedonia on Sunday with a clear majority. With 99.9% of the votes counted, the electoral commission announced this morning that the VMRO-DPMNE won 32 mayors in the first round, compared to three for the main opposition, the Social Democratic Party (SDSM). Vredi (part of the ruling coalition) won five mayors in first round, while NAI (in opposition) won four. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 21 - "We are all united in our desire for a just and lasting peace, as the Ukrainian people deserve. We strongly support President Trump's position that the fighting must end immediately and that the current line of contact must serve as the basis for negotiations. We remain committed to the principle that international borders cannot be changed through force." This was stated in a joint statement by EU President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the United Kingdom, France,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 20 - The suspension of the Schengen Agreement at the border between Italy and Slovenia is "related to the international situation, in order to prevent terrorists from infiltrating people fleeing war zones." However, it does not cause "significant problems for the civilian population because it is carried out with great intelligence and discretion. I hope this suspension is lifted as soon as possible, but it is determined by external factors, not Italy's will." This was stated…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 20 - "The Commission has completed its examination of all legislation" from Ukraine and Moldova, European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos stated upon arriving at the European Foreign Ministers' meeting in Luxembourg. "By November, the Council will have the opportunity to launch all six negotiating clusters, and everything will be ready once the process to accelerate reforms is completed," she said. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 18 - Voting in North Macedonia's local elections begins tomorrow. This election is also viewed as a nationwide test for the two opposing political forces—the ruling conservative party VMRO-DPMNE and the opposition Social Democratic Party SDSM—and their coalition partners. More than 300 candidates are running for mayor, with 575 lists competing in 80 municipalities, beginning with the capital Skopje, for a total of 1.83 million voters. The election campaign, which pitted…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 17 - Hungary will allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to enter the country for the summit with US President Donald Trump scheduled in Budapest, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference. "We are prepared to create the necessary conditions for the American and Russian presidents to hold talks in a safe and peaceful environment," the Hungarian FM stated. "All technical issues, from location to timing, have yet to be decided," he added, "but…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 17 - Adria Mobil, a Slovenian caravan and motorhome manufacturer, has been named Factory of the Year for 2025 by the Slovenian business news portal Finance in collaboration with management consulting firm KPMG, according to Slovenian news agency STA. Adria Mobil has 1,300 employees and produces up to 18 trailers, 26 motorhomes, and 20 vans per day on average. The company has four assembly lines for caravans and motorhomes in Novo Mesto, covering over 15,000 square metres,…

(ANSA) - AMSTERDAM, OCT 17 - The PES Congress, which began in Amsterdam, voted to expel Smer, the Slovak political force founded by Robert Fico, from the party. "We are a progressive family, and all of our members believe in European values such as equality, the rule of law, and a strong social Europe," reads a message from the PES on X. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 17 - After speaking with US President Donald Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin today to discuss the upcoming meeting between the two leaders in Budapest to end the Ukraine conflict. The Hungarian prime minister made the announcement during an interview with Kossuth Radio. "Trump had a productive meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday. The foreign ministers are working to resolve outstanding issues…

(ANSA) - GORIZIA, 16 OTT - The second edition of the Cross Border Film School was unveiled today. This cross-border advanced film education programme is promoted as part of BorGO Cinema, a hub dedicated to the seventh art established in the heart of Gorizia with funding from the Borghi National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and collaboration between the Cross Border Film School, Palazzo del Cinema, Hiša filma, Kinoatelje, and èStoria. Over 220 applications from around the world were received,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 16 - The German daily Tageszeitung, Taz, a point of reference for the German progressive world, will release its final print edition tomorrow. The newspaper's ownership cooperative decided some time ago to transition entirely to digital media, with only the Saturday edition remaining in print, which has long been envisioned as a true weekly publication. Taz will release a special issue tomorrow with contributions from German and international authors. The newspaper was founded…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 16 - Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik has confirmed that the referendum, which was originally scheduled for October 25 and was intended to rally popular support and opposition to foreign interference in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Serb-majority entity, will now take place on a different date, most likely January 9, the entity's national holiday. "It is important for the Serb people to hold a major and historic referendum in which we can affirm that…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 16 - The Greek Parliament voted in favour of the bill, which is supported by the conservative Nea Dimokratia government and allows for a 13-hour workday under certain conditions. The new law was approved with the votes of members of the Nea Dimokratia party, which has the majority in parliament. The vote came after two days of heated debate in parliament, including a clash between the ruling party and the opposition, which accused Nea Dimokratia of attempting to undermine…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 16 - Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico's expulsion from the Party of European Socialists will be formalised tomorrow at the Congress in Amsterdam. "It is up to the EPP to decide on Vučić's continued membership, as we do not interfere in other groups' affairs."What I can say is that the PES congress starts today in Amsterdam, and tomorrow's agenda includes the definitive expulsion of Fico's party, Smer-SD. I believe this is a message to all autocrats," Croatian Socialist…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 15 - "As part of the preparations for the European Council, I had a lengthy phone conversation with President Antonio Costa. I expressed my surprise that, once again, Ukraine is being prioritised over the EU's massive economic and political problems," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico wrote in X. "I reminded Costa that I will not discuss new sanctions against Russia until the summit conclusions include instructions for the Commission on how to address the automotive industry…

(ANSA-AFP) - VIENNA, OCT 15 - An Austrian court on Wednesday sentenced fallen property tycoon Rene Benko to two years in prison for insolvency fraud, the first conviction in a wide-ranging investigation into the collapse of his real-estate empire. Benko, once one of Austria's richest men, founded Signa Holding in 2000, but the debt-laden group crumbled in 2023 in the largest insolvency proceedings in the country's history. Creditors, including in the United Arab Emirates and Thailand, are reportedly…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 15 - The Greek parliament is scheduled to vote tomorrow morning on a bill supported by the conservative Nea Dimokratia government that legalises the 13-hour workday under certain conditions. The bill allows employees to work 13 hours a day for the same employer (exceeding the standard 8-hour workday) for no more than 37 days per year under a voluntary agreement, with a 40% pay increase. Currently, Greek law allows for a 13-hour workday, but only for two different employers.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 15 - "We've lost control of our borders," said British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is chairing today's migrant summit at Lancaster House in London with representatives from Western Balkan and some EU countries. According to media reports, the Home Office Minister in Keir Starmer's Labour government has issued a warning about illegal immigration that concerns not only the United Kingdom but Europe as a whole. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT 15 - "Almost twenty years ago, Serbia decided to join our Union. It wasn't just a strategic decision. It was a heartfelt decision. The Serbian people made the request. Therefore, we look forward to Serbia redoubling its commitment to the EU," said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a press briefing in Belgrade alongside Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. (ANSA).