Ansa news

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 25 - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has warned that continued US sanctions against Serbian oil group NIS (Naftna Industrija Srbije) will have serious consequences for the country's entire energy, economic, and financial systems. These sanctions are based on the fact that Russian energy giant Gazprom owns the majority stake. The sanctions, which had been delayed since their announcement earlier this year by the previous US administration of Joe Biden, went into effect on…

(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, NOV 25 - A top European court on Tuesday ruled that an EU nation had to recognise a gay marriage recorded in another member state, following a complaint by two Poles married in Germany. The couple, one of whom also has German nationality, were residing there and married in Berlin in 2018. But when they tried to move to Poland and requested their marriage certificate be registered there, they were "refused on the ground that Polish law does not allow marriage between persons…

(ANSA-AFP) - BUCHAREST, NOV 25 - Romania and Moldova on Tuesday announced drone incursions in to their airspace, and Bucharest deployed four fighter jets after a night of massive Russian air strikes in neighbouring Ukraine. Romania and Moldova have repeatedly seen violations of their airspaces, including drone fragments falling onto their soil, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moldovan police said a village was evacuated after drone fragments fell on a house in the Cuhurestii…

(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, NOV 24 - The Polish foreign minister summoned the Israeli ambassador Monday over a social media post by Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial saying Poland was the first country where Jews were forced to wear a distinctive symbol during World War II. The post Sunday by the museum marked the anniversary of the 1939 antisemitic order -- but did not mention that Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany at the time, drawing an angry reaction from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 24 - "It is clear that the EU wants to continue the war in Ukraine without providing Ukraine with military equipment, financing Ukraine's operations, or even knowing how to finance it. Their only suggestions are for member states to provide more funds or issue a joint loan. Hungary will not finance an unwinnable war, nor will it mortgage our grandchildren's future." These were Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's remarks following his remote participation in the meeting…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 24 - Russia has resumed nighttime drone strikes against Ukrainian civilian and port infrastructure near the Romanian border, according to the Defence Ministry in Chisinau, which also reported that the fighters had been scrambled as a precaution. "Radar monitoring systems detected air targets heading towards Ismail (a Ukrainian border town), and two German Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft engaged in enhanced air policing missions scrambled to monitor the air situation. The drones…

(ANSA-AFP) - FRANKFURT AM MAIN, NOV 24 - German business sentiment fell more than expected in November, a survey showed Monday, the latest sign that industry is losing faith in the government's plans to revive the economy. The Ifo institute's confidence barometer dipped to 88.1 points from 88.4 points in October. Analysts surveyed by financial data firm FactSet had expected a reading of 88.3 this month. "Sentiment among companies in Germany has deteriorated," said Ifo president Clemens Fuest. "They…

(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, NOV 24 - In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the Election Commission, with polls almost completed, confirmed late yesterday evening the victory of Sinisa Karan, candidate of Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik, in the early presidential elections held in Republika Srspka (Rs), the Serb-majority entity in BiH. After 92.8 percent of the ballots were counted, 50.9 percent (216,000 votes) went to Karan, compared to the 47.8 percent (188,000 votes) obtained by Branko Blanusa,…

(ANSA-AFP) - LJUBLJANA, NOV 23 - Slovenians on Sunday voted to suspend a new law to legalise assisted dying in a referendum held after critics mounted a campaign against the legislation, partial results showed. Around 53 percent of voters rejected the law, while 47 percent voted in favour, meaning its implementation will be suspended for at least one year. (ANSA-AFP).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 23 - Slovenia's polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. today, allowing nearly 1.7 million eligible voters to vote Yes or No on the law on assisted voluntary end-of-life. The law, passed by parliament on July 24, will be rejected if one-fifth of the electorate—approximately 340,000 people—vote against it, with no minimum turnout requirement. There are a total of 2,971 polling stations open, including 88 so-called omnia polling stations where citizens who have decided…

(ANSA-AFP) - BANJA LUKA, NOV 23 - Bosnia's Serb-majority entity began voting Sunday to pick a replacement for its banned firebrand president, Milorad Dodik, who was removed for defying Bosnia's international peace envoy. Dodik was ejected from office in August following his conviction for ignoring rulings by the international appointee who oversees a peace deal which has held Bosnia together since the end of its 1990s inter-ethnic war. The early vote in the Republika Srpska (RS) -- one of Bosnia's…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 22 NOV - A wave of severe weather, with frigid temperatures and snowfall, is hitting the Balkans. Heavy snow has fallen over the past few hours, particularly in Sarajevo and across Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in Croatia, Serbia, and other parts of the region. In the Bosnian capital, regional media reported that traffic was paralyzed for hours, with crews of snowplow workers deployed to clear streets of snow and ice. Many towns across Croatia have been struggling with the…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 22 NOV - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, referring to new episodes of ultranationalism and ethnic hatred in Croatia, said he was horrified by the resurgence of fascism in Europe and expressed hope for a strong condemnation of such expressions of hatred by the European Union. Speaking to reporters today on the sidelines of the opening in Belgrade of the fourth edition of the Wine Vision by Open Balkan fair, Vucic commented on the latest performance last night in Osijek, in…

(ANSA-AFP) - KYIV, 22 NOV - Ukraine and the US are launching talks in Switzerland on ways to end the war, a Ukrainian negotiator said on Saturday, after Washington sent Kyiv a plan which accepts some of Moscow's demands. "In the coming days in Switzerland we are launching consultations between senior officials of Ukraine and the United States on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement," the Secretary of Ukraine's Security Council, Rustem Umerov, who is on Ukraine's negotiating team,…

(ANSA-AFP) - SARAJEVO, NOV 21 - The Bosnia's Serb statelet's snap presidential election on Sunday signals an end to the overt political leadership of Milorad Dodik - a populist who regularly threatened to break away from Bosnia. Once seen as a moderate by Western diplomats, Dodik was forced from office over his tense relationship with the international envoy charged with maintaining a peace treaty that has held the country together since its 1990s war. Although it may be the end of Dodik's time…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 21 - Radio Free Europe (RFE) will cease operations in Hungary after five years of operation, as ordered by the United States Agency for Global Media. The Hungarian editorial staff announced the closure today, releasing their final pieces. RFE, an organisation established by the US Congress after World War II to inform the people of Eastern Europe during the Cold War, has resumed operations in Hungary to defend press freedom, which has been threatened by Orbán's illiberal…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 21 - European leaders Merz, Macron, and Starmer, in their phone call with Zelensky, stated that they "will continue to pursue the goal of safeguarding vital European and Ukrainian interests in the long term," reaffirming their "unwavering and full support for Ukraine's pursuit of a lasting and just peace." This is according to the call transcript, provided by the German government. The leaders "welcomed the US efforts," including proposals regarding Ukraine's sovereignty and…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 21 - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has categorically denied allegations made by a Croatian journalist that he was involved in the so-called 'Sarajevo safari' incident, which involved snipers from Italy and other countries who allegedly travelled to the Bosnian capital for fun to shoot unarmed civilians, including women and children, for a large sum of money during the 1990s siege. "I have never killed or injured anyone, nor have I ever done anything similar," Vucic was…

(ANSA-AFP) - WASHINGTON, NOV 21 - Ukraine would give up a swathe of eastern territory to Russia and slash the size of its army under a sweeping 28-point peace plan backed by US President Donald Trump, according to a draft obtained by AFP. Kyiv would also pledge never to join NATO, and would not get the Western peacekeepers they have called for, although European warplanes would be stationed in Poland to protect Ukraine. A US official told AFP the draft plan includes a powerful security guarantee…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 21 - Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob voted early in favour of a referendum on voluntary end-of-life care, which would either confirm or repeal the law passed last summer. The consultation is set for next Sunday. According to Golob, the law aims to give every adult who is capable of understanding and wanting the right to choose how to end their life in the event of intolerable suffering caused by an incurable disease or permanent health damage. Opponents of the law, who…

(ANSA) - TRIESTE, NOV 20 - Slovenia announced on Thursday that border controls with Croatia and Hungary, which were initially implemented in October 2023, will be extended for another six months, until June 21 of next year, according to the Slovenian news agency STA. The current controls were set to expire on December 21. The government justified the extension by citing a "high level of terrorist threat" and the fact that the EU is "surrounded by instability and conflicts." (ANSA).

(ANSA-AFP) - BERLIN, NOV 20 - Volkswagen's truck and bus making subsidiary MAN announced job cuts Thursday as part of plans to shift production to lower-cost Poland in the latest blow to Germany's embattled automotive sector. About 2,300 jobs -- or roughly 20 percent of its German workforce -- would go in the country by 2030, the company said. There would be no compulsory redundancies as part of the cuts, it added, opting instead for voluntary measures such as early retirement. Sluggish economic…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 20 - The FIFA draw in Zurich determined Bosnia as Italy's other possible opponent in the World Cup play-off final. The other semifinal in Italy's half of the draw pits Wales against Bosnia. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 20 - Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani issued a decree today dissolving parliament and calling for new elections. The decision comes after two failed attempts to form a new government following the February 9 election. Before signing the decree to dissolve parliament, Osmani met with political party leaders. According to local media, the outgoing prime minister and leader of the ruling Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party has proposed December 28 as the date for new elections.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 19 - "Our presence in Kyiv confirmed the CEI's long-term political and concrete support for Ukraine," said Franco Dal Mas, Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI), who was in Kyiv on an institutional mission. He met the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Italian Ambassador Carlo Formosa. The mission took place in conjunction with the International Conference on Food Security, to which Dal Mas was invited by Ukrainian authorities. "I enthusiastically…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 19 - Kosovo is likely to hold new legislative elections soon, after parliament rejected a new cabinet led by the ruling Vetevendosje (Self-Determination, VV, nationalist left) party for the second time today. Only 56 out of the required 61 votes were cast in favour of the government team presented by Prime Minister-designate Glauk Konjufca, a VV member. There were 53 votes against, and four abstentions. Kosovo has been without a new government since the last elections on February…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 19 - According to Greek Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos, a new "major maritime hub" will be built in the industrial area of Eleusis (or Elefsina), west of Athens, with US support. The announcement comes after the minister met with Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US Ambassador to Greece, last Tuesday. Greek media sees the project as part of Washington's strategy to limit Beijing's regional influence. In 2016, the Chinese state-owned company COSCO acquired a significant stake…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 19 - To facilitate the "rapid and seamless movement of troops, equipment, and military resources across Europe," the European Commission and the High Representative are "strengthening defence readiness" with a military mobility package that aims to establish a "military Schengen" as soon as possible (as anticipated by ANSA). The Commission also intends to promote "disruptive innovation" in the military sector and strengthen the European defence industry by developing a roadmap…

(ANSA-AFP) - BUCHAREST, NOV 19 - NATO members Romania and Poland scrambled fighter jets on Wednesday after Russian attacks in neighbouring Ukraine, with Bucharest saying a drone breached the country's airspace. Moldova, which lies between Romania and Ukraine, also reported a drone breach, summoning the Russian ambassador. Romania and Moldova have repeatedly seen violations of their airspaces, including drone fragments falling onto their soil, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. On Wednesday…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, NOV 19 - "This time it was not only an act of sabotage, as in the past, but also an act of state terrorism, with the clear intent to cause human casualties." He added, "Our response will be more than diplomatic." This was stated by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in an address to the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish Parliament, in response to the sabotage incidents on the Warsaw-Lublin railway. He explained that "a foreign state sent well-trained saboteurs. They miraculously…