Ansa news

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 3 - Austria, Portugal, Zimbabwe, and Trinidad and Tobago will be non-permanent members of the UN Security Council during the 2027-2028 term. A significant disappointment for Germany, which remains outside of the Western European group. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 3 - "The reinstatement of controls was decided not on the basis of legal provisions, but exclusively for propaganda purposes, to support the political choices of the national and regional governments," said ICS, the Italian Solidarity Consortium, which assists migrants, in a statement in response to the European Commission's request to end controls at the Italian-Slovenian border. "This is not a simple invitation, but, from a legal standpoint, a binding opinion, and failure…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 3 - The Peace Implementation Council (PIC) will meet today and tomorrow in Sarajevo to elect the new High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR), the international community's (now UN-backed) representative in charge of enforcing the Dayton Peace Treaty, which ended Bosnia's bloody civil war in 1995. German Christian Schmidt resigned as High Representative a month ago, and the race has begun. Candidates must gain broad support from PIC member states. According to…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 3 - European Council President Antonio Costa, who is currently on a diplomatic tour of the Western Balkans, stated that Kosovo requires strong and functional institutions capable of implementing reforms and meeting its obligations under the dialogue with Serbia. In Kosovo, where early parliamentary elections are scheduled for Sunday, Costa wrote in X that partnership with the EU "entails responsibility" and that European integration must be a priority across political lines,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 3 - Slovenian authorities denied landing permission to an Israeli airline Israir flight bound for Ljubljana today, diverting it to Zagreb, Croatia, Israir CEO Uri Sirkis said. Sirkis claimed that it was politically motivated, with "the Ljubljana authorities' firm opposition to the Israeli government's stance, in clear violation of civil aviation and European Union agreements." The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated, "Israel has made it clear to the Slovenian authorities that…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 3 - Ambassadors from EU 27 countries have approved the start of negotiations for sectoral roaming agreements between the European Union and six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The goal is to extend the reduction in mobile phone costs to other countries in the region. The Council's decision must now be formally approved as a point without discussion, with adoption expected tomorrow. "The Cypriot Presidency…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 3 - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will pay a working visit to Slovenia on Wednesday, ahead of Lithuania's EU presidency next year, the Slovenian news agency STA reports. The president's office stated that he will discuss political and economic cooperation with Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar during his visit. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 2 - On Tuesday, Slovenia's administered price of regular petrol fell by 11.1 cents to EUR 1.603 per litre, while diesel fell by 10.6 cents to EUR 1.647. Fuel prices are only regulated outside Slovenia's motorway network, while retailers continue to set prices freely along motorways and motorways, according to Slovenian news agency STA. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 2 - Albania's anti-corruption prosecutor's office is investigating a luxury resort project linked to US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as citizens and environmental organisations continue to protest the project. According to Politico, the project includes the uninhabited Adriatic island of Sazan as well as several hundred hectares of the Vjosa-Narta Protected Area, a sensitive coastal wetland with nesting sites for flamingos, seals, and sea turtles. SPAK,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 2 - Kosovo will hold new early parliamentary elections on Sunday, June 7. Vetëvendosje, led by outgoing Prime Minister Albin Kurti (a left-wing nationalist party), won the election in December and is one of the major parties in the running. Kurti is running in a coalition with three smaller parties (Guxo, Alternativa, and Albanian Democratic Party). The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) aim to…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 2 - In its opinions on the temporary reintroduction of internal border controls by Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and Sweden, the EU Commission stated that "although Union law allows for the temporary reintroduction of internal border controls under certain conditions, it also requires the Commission to issue an opinion if such controls last more than 12 months." The Commission "recommends the nine states to work towards the gradual…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 2 - "In this era of global geopolitical uncertainty and economic instability, enlargement is both an opportunity and a geostrategic necessity for Europe. It is an investment in our continent's peace, stability, and security," said European Council President Antonio Costa at a press conference in Tirana with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit on Friday in Tivat, Montenegro. "The summit will be a clear demonstration of our determination…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 2 - The US is considering deploying nuclear weapons in other NATO member states in Europe to reassure allies that reducing conventional military support will not jeopardise security guarantees, according to the Financial Times. According to sources, countries on NATO's eastern flank, including Poland and some Baltic states, have expressed an interest in hosting DCA bases, which are dual-capability aircraft capable of carrying out nuclear strikes. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - VENEZIA, JUN 1 - On Saturday, June 13, 2026, the Venice Lošinj seaplane returns to take off. The initiative is organized by Venice Nicelli Airport with Aelia support as part of the European Regatta L'Ammiraglia 2026 Venice Rovinj Lošinj, promoted by Yacht Club Venice and Europa Adriatica Nordest with Unione Italiana, Anvgd, sailing clubs, municipalities, and the Community of Italians of Rovinj and Lošinj. The first flight will be christened by brothers Ivano and Astellio Boscolo Bielo…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 1 - Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić praised Donald Trump as "by far the most popular American leader in Serbia, thanks to his pragmatism" during an interview with the American news portal "Breitbart," referring to the far-right in the US. The US president himself shared the Breitbart article about Social Truth. Vučić reported that Trump received more than 75% support in Serbia during the 2024 presidential campaign. When asked by interviewer Matthew Boyle, who met with…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 1 - The top leadership of Hungary is engaged in a tug-of-war. President Tamas Sulyok rejected Prime Minister Peter Magyar's ultimatum, ruling out the possibility of resignation despite the fact that the deadline for him to do so had passed. In a Facebook video, Sulyok stated that he will remain in his position and continue to cooperate with the government, including working to unlock European funds destined for Budapest. Magyar's response was quick. Following a meeting with…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 1 - The Italian Chamber of Commerce for Romania (CCIPR), with the support of the Consulate General of Romania in Trieste, is hosting the initiative 'Navigating the Geopolitical Reset: Implications for Global Business' on June 11th in Trieste, in the Sala Maggiore of the Venezia Giulia Chamber of Commerce. The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss new international geopolitical and economic dynamics and their implications for businesses and regions. A particular emphasis…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 1 - German manufacturing stalled as uncertainty and rising costs from the Middle East conflict dampened demand. The PMI dropped to a four-month low of 50.1 in May. "With margins under pressure, something had to give, and that'something' was employment, with manufacturing job losses accelerating at their fastest rate since early 2025," said Phil Smith, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. "Business expectations have stabilised, recovering partially…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 1 - Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) this morning as part of his Western Balkans visit. He will remain in the region until Friday, June 5. Meetings are planned in Bosnia with the three BiH Presidency members: Denis Bećirović (Bosniak Muslim), Željka Cvijanović (Serb), Željko Komšić (Croat), and Prime Minister Borjana Krišto. Costa and his counterparts will talk about the potential and challenges of enlargement,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 1 - "We support Ukraine's future accession to the European Union, but it must first and foremost combat corruption. There must be a timetable, not too long, that allows this country to comply with European regulations. We are willing to assist," and to President Zelensky, "I proposed that the Guardia di Finanza contribute to the fight against Ukrainian corruption, possibly by training the police. But we must also remember that some countries, particularly those in the Western…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUN 1 - The sixth edition of the Festival degli Angeli, organised by the Ermada Flavio Vidonis Group, has officially begun in Ljubljana. The festival also marked the debut of the new edition of the International Rilke Prize for Poetry. Last year's competition drew over 500 participants from various regions and cultural backgrounds. The International Rilke Prize, founded in 2021 to honour Rainer Maria Rilke and the poet's connection to the Duino area, has quickly grown to become…

(di Francesco De Filippo) (ANSA) - GORIZIA, MAY 31 - "Education begins with education in the family, with education in reading. If we fail in this area, no school will be able to fill this gap in children." Speaking thus is Mirt Komel, writer and teacher of Philosophy and Modern Literature at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Dept.Cultural Studies University of Ljubljana, on the sidelines of a meeting. Komel is concerned about the "growing generation gap given the fact that young people no longer…

(ANSA-AFP) - BERLIN, MAY 30 - Flights were suspended at Munich airport on Saturday after two pilots reported a suspected drone sighting shortly after 9:00 am, a police spokesman told AFP. "In coordination with German air traffic control, the security authorities then decided to close the runways," the spokesman said, adding that it was "not possible to say how long the closure will last". (ANSA-AFP).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAY 30 - The Brenner Pass closes at 10:30 a.m. for an environmental demonstration on the Austrian side. Currently, traffic flows freely, but significantly less. Many tourists and transporters have clearly rescheduled their trips to avoid this day, which would have been especially busy for the return of German tourists from the Whitsun holidays and the June 2nd long weekend. Heavy vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes will be banned on Italy's A22 motorway from 7:00 a.m. to approximately…

(ANSA-AFP) - PARIS, MAY 30 - France's favourite intellectual Edgar Morin, a World War II Resistance member who dedicated his life to promoting critical thinking and combatting intolerance, has died at the age of 104, his wife said Saturday. "He is the grandfather of all French people and the memory of the last (20th) century," the left-wing Liberation newspaper wrote in a 2021 profile of the dapper philosopher who had a fondness for hats and silk cravats. The son of secular Jewish immigrants, he…

(ANSA-AFP) - BUDAPEST, 29 MAG - Hungarian police said Friday they would not ban next month's Pride parade in Budapest, a reversal from last year when the event was barred under former nationalist premier Viktor Orban. "During the notification process for the 2026 Pride parade and the subsequent in-person consultation with the organisers, no grounds for prohibiting the assembly arose," police told AFP in an email. (ANSA-AFP).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAY 29 - Budapest and Brussels reached an agreement to release frozen European funds totalling approximately €16 billion. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar made the announcement at a press conference alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "These European funds will help to boost the economy. We have agreed to take all necessary steps to facilitate their release," Magyar stated. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAY 29 - EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban in Brussels. "Hungary is a key partner for a merit-based EU enlargement policy," Kos wrote on X. "We agreed to collaborate closely to advance the candidate countries on this basis." "Ahead of next week's Western Balkans Summit," she said, "we reaffirmed our commitment to assisting all Western Balkan countries on their path to EU membership." (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAY 29 - "Congratulations, Andris Kulbergs, on your appointment as Latvia's Prime Minister. I look forward to working with you on critical issues for Latvia and Europe, such as defence, competitiveness, Ukraine, and the EU's long-term budget. We will address all of these issues together in June," wrote European Council President Antonio Costa in X, after Latvia's Parliament voted to support the new centrist government. Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, also…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAY 29 - Dragiša Milović, vice president of the Srpska Lista (SL), the party representing the Serb minority in Kosovo closely linked to Belgrade, has declared that the party's goal is to "win all 10 seats guaranteed to the Serb community" by the Kosovo Constitution in the early elections "for the assembly of temporary institutions in Pristina" scheduled for June 7. The purpose is to "protect and defend the interests of the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija in parliament." (ANSA).