Ansa news

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 SET - A roadshow designed to highlight the results of the CEI Fund at the EBRD, as well as the opportunities the instrument provides to regional countries, concluded today with a stop in Belgrade. The roadshow had previously visited Chișinău and Tirana. The Fund, established in 1992 and entirely funded by Italy with over €61 million, is the CEI's primary operational tool. The instrument facilitates technical assistance, know-how transfer, feasibility studies, and investment…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 SET - Friuli Venezia Giulia's "participation in Expo Belgrade 2027 represents an additional opportunity for dialogue with the Western Balkans," said FVG President Massimiliano Fedriga following the signing of a collaboration agreement between the Region and the Commissioner for the Italian Pavilion, Luca Gori, Italy's Ambassador to Serbia. "A territory like Friuli Venezia Giulia—open, dynamic, and capable of connecting people, places, and cultures—can certainly play a leading…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 SET - The remains of 32 Italian soldiers killed in World War I have been returned home after more than a century. The remains, discovered on Slovenian territory, were honoured today with a religious and commemorative ceremony at the Redipuglia Military Memorial in Gorizia. Undersecretary of State for Defence Isabella Rauti, Army Chief of Staff General Carmine Masiello, and 103-year-old Paola Del Din, a Gold Medal of Military Valour recipient, were among those in attendance.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 SET - The fire that broke out yesterday evening at a ground station used by Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet service, in Poland was "deliberately started." Polish Minister for Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that "the modus operandi in this case is clearly Russian." The investigations are ongoing. Police officers and Internal Security Agency personnel have been dispatched to the scene. "The fire was intended to target critical telecommunications infrastructure…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 SET - Diesel prices at service stations across the European Union have reached a new high of 2.23 euros per litre, up from 2.16 euros the previous week, according to an Agence France-Presse analysis based on European Commission-published national data. These figures, tracked since 2005, show record highs in 19 EU countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, due to energy shocks caused by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. (ANSA).

(ANSA-AFP) - LONDON, 24 SET - Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday urged "political will and courage" in the country's protracted battle with Britain over the return of the prized Parthenon Marbles to Athens. The intervention follows several years of talks with the British Museum, which has held the ancient friezes for more than two centuries, over loaning them back and easing a decades-long dispute which has soured UK-Greek ties. It also comes just weeks after the London museum…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 SET - Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated on X that "Russia's massive attack on Ukraine reached Moldova again this morning: four Russian drones violated our airspace, one of which exploded in the north." "Russia's war threatens all of Europe. We condemn this war and stand with Ukraine," Sandu said. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - PORDENONE, SEP 23 - "We will continue with these meetings, which are becoming increasingly substantive and involve the exchange of crucial information." Slovenian Interior Minister Franci Matoz made this statement yesterday in Pordenone, at the conclusion of the trilateral meeting with Italy and Croatia, explaining that the talks focused on the Pact on Migration and Asylum, immigration along the Western Balkan route, and the Italian-Slovenian border. Matoz emphasized that the internal border…

(ANSA) - PORDENONE, SEP 23 - "Pressure on the Western Balkan route has eased, but it is still active, and the situation must be monitored carefully." Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic made this statement yesterday at the trilateral meeting in Pordenone with Italy and Slovenia, emphasizing the need for "very concrete" cooperation among the three countries, including through the continuation of trilateral patrols, which have yielded "good results," especially in combating traffickers. "There…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 23 SET - A basic Slovenian language course started today at the Carabinieri Provincial Command in Trieste. The course, coordinated by Lieutenant Colonel Piermarco Borettaz, commander of the Operational Unit, is intended for 15 officers from various local branches of the force. According to a statement, the Carabinieri Foreign Languages Centre promotes the initiative as part of the 2026 training programme, which occurs every two years. The goal is to improve the officers' linguistic…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 23 SET - "Today, supporting Ukraine means defending not only a single country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also the principles that underpin Europe's security and stability. It is critical that the international community's commitment remains united and tangible," said Franco Dal Mas, Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI), on the sidelines of the sixth International Crimea Platform Summit, which he attended. The summit was held in New York…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 23 SET - The European Union is about to enter an election year that will determine its future. In a few months, the balance of power within the EU Council—where policy dossiers are decided and population size is considered in qualified majority voting—and the European Council—where leaders set political direction—could look very different from today. Indeed, ten member states will vote, beginning with Italy. * FINAL STRETCH OF 2026. Latvia will hold elections for a new…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 23 SET - Trenitalia (part of the FS Group) will collaborate with Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB to launch new international Frecciarossa connections between Italy, Germany, and Austria in summer 2027. The project, which includes routes between Milan and Munich and Rome and Munich, was unveiled at the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin. "We have presented this fantastic collaboration project, which we strongly pursued precisely because of the excellent relationship we have with these two partners.…

(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, 23 SET - The European Commission said Wednesday it has proposed unlocking a first 4.2 billion euros ($4.8 billion) for Hungary and remitting it to the bloc's student mobility and research schemes, after Budapest's new government delivered promised reforms. Prime Minister Peter Magyar launched a reform drive upon winning office this year, aiming to regain access to more than 16 billion euros that Brussels had frozen over rule-of-law concerns during nationalist leader Viktor…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 22 SET - A delegation of representatives from 14 Austrian companies and institutions visited the Port of Trieste today as part of an economic mission organised by Advantage Austria, an organisation within the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber that promotes business internationalisation. Marco Consalvo, President of the Eastern Adriatic Port System Authority, welcomed the group, led by Austrian Commercial Consul Christoph Plank, to the Lloyd Tower. The meeting provided an opportunity…

(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 22 SET - 'Be Open' will be the guiding theme of the citywide cultural events calendar for Barcolana58, presented by Generali, inviting people to turn places into spaces for encounters and to look at the sea through different forms of expression, from art and science to music, literature, and film. The program, running from October 2 to 11, was presented today in Trieste. "Be Open reflects Barcolana's ability to welcome new ideas and energies," said Mitja Gialuz, president of the…

(ANSA) - UDINE, 22 SET - Balkan Corridor 8 as an axis for developing renewable energy exchanges between neighboring countries is one of the issues at the center of work launched by the Italian Energy Communities Forum (IFEC), which aims to connect Italy, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania. "A Balkan energy community is taking shape here, the so-called Corridor 8," said Sergio Olivero, coordinator of IFEC's four working groups and a representative of the Energy Center at the…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 22 SET - "This is the seventh trilateral meeting since Italy decided three years ago to suspend the Schengen agreement at the Slovenian border; these meetings serve to strengthen the friendship between our three countries and confirm the wisdom of the decision we made," said Luca Ciriani, Minister for Relations with Parliament. It was a "right, timely, and successful choice—as evidenced by the figures the Interior Ministry allows us to release today: 1.6 million people checked,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 22 SET - Serbian authorities today revoked the expulsion order, which included a one-year ban on entering the country, issued on September 4 against Massimo Moratti, an Italian citizen and long-time human rights expert. Moratti informed ANSA about the news, which was confirmed by a post on the *Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa* (OBCT) portal, with which he has worked for years. Following the public outcry over the initial reports, Serbia granted Moratti a 15-day suspension…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 22 SET - "A preliminary analysis of flows along the Balkan route shows that, in the first eight months of 2026, irregular entries into the European Union fell by 28% compared to the same period the previous year and by 42% compared to 2024. These trends are also supported by data collected at the Italian-Slovenian border," said Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi after a trilateral meeting with the Interior Ministers of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. Piantedosi also discussed…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 22 SET - An arrest warrant has been issued for Vlora Hyseni, the director of Albanian intelligence services and a Kosovo native. The Special Court Against Corruption and Organised Crime (GJKKO) ordered the precautionary measure as part of an investigation into businessman Ergys Agasi, who is accused of corruption in relation to State Agency for Information Systems tenders. Agasi, who had been a fugitive for several months, was apprehended last August. Hyseni's arrest order has…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 21 SET - The Slovenian government announced that the maximum permitted retail prices on the national road network in Slovenia will be €1.748 per litre for petrol and €2.012 per litre for diesel fuel beginning tomorrow, September 22, 2026, and continuing through Monday, September 28, 2026. The current regulated diesel price is a record for Slovenia. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 21 SET - The Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Lithuania was inaugurated today in Trieste, attended by Dalia Kreivienė, Lithuanian Ambassador to Italy. The Honorary Consul is Lilli Samer, the CEO of Samer & Co. Shipping S.p.A., a historic Trieste-based shipping company founded in 1919. Ambassador Kreivienė emphasised that the consulate's establishment coincides with increased logistical integration between the Adriatic and Baltic regions. "I accept this role with great enthusiasm…

(ANSA) - UDINE, 21 SET - Suns Europe, the festival devoted to contemporary artistic production in Europe's minoritized languages, will run from October 2 to 10 in Cormons, San Vito al Tagliamento, Codroipo and Udine. The program includes music, theater and literature, with the final concert set for October 10 at Teatro Nuovo in Udine. The 12th edition will feature artists from Friuli, Sardinia, Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country and Wales, as well as from Friuli Venezia Giulia's Slovenian community.…

(ANSA-AFP) - BERLIN, 21 SET - Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed Monday to keep his ruling coalition together for the sake of Germany's "democratic future" after crushing defeats in two regional elections fuelled speculation about his future. "We are determined to live up to the historic responsibilities our country is facing," said Merz about the coalition between his centre-right CDU and the centre-left SPD. "It is about nothing less, and nothing more, than the democratic future of our country."…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 21 SET - "Europe cannot be strong without the Western Balkans," said Franco Dal Mas, Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI), speaking at the "Friends of the Western Balkans" meeting in New York, which was convened by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to Dal Mas, the Western Balkans must remain at the centre of the European agenda, particularly in terms of connectivity and a stronger, more secure Europe. Dal…

(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, 21 SET - Poland is seeking to host 15,000 US troops on its territory, its deputy defence minister said Monday, as Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine enters a fifth winter. "We are speaking about a target number of 15,000 soldiers," minister Stanislaw Wziatek told broadcaster RMF FM. He said this would include about 10,000 soldiers deployed on a rotational basis, as well as "3,500 to 5,000" stationed permanently. US President Donald Trump on Thursday touted "major progress"…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 21 SET - An institutional meeting was held in Ljubljana, attended by a Confindustria Slovenia delegation led by Anna Mareschi Danieli and representatives from the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and the Italian Embassy in Slovenia. The Italian delegation met with senior officials from Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs' Directorate for Economic Diplomacy, Development, and Humanitarian Aid. The meeting was intended to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the Italian…

(ANSA-AFP) - BERLIN, 21 SET - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz starts the week more damaged than ever after his centre-right CDU party suffered two bruising regional election defeats at the hands of far-right and far-left parties. Just 16 months in office, Merz has seen his approval ratings plummet while his party has suffered a string of regional election losses against the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which also leads nationwide polls. Fighting speculation that his CDU/CSU…

(ANSA) - BERLINO, SEP 20 - The AfD's surge shows no signs of slowing in Germany: the far right is racking up votes in Mecklenburg but is also gaining ground in Berlin, especially among those who are fearful of the future and the skyrocketing cost of living—and who are angry and disappointed with Chancellor Merz's policies. In the capital, voters are often middle-aged or elderly; they are afraid of losing their economic status and want to send a message of resistance, of a break with the past.…