Ansa news

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 05 NOV - More than 2,000 university and secondary school students, along with their teachers, demonstrated this morning near Syntagma Square in Athens in front of the Hellenic Parliament, demanding increased funding for public education. Similar demonstrations occurred today in other cities across the country, including Thessaloniki, Heraklion, and Patras. According to police estimates, 4,000 people took to the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece's two largest cities. Students…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 05 NOV - Improving regional connections—bringing territories, citizens, and economies closer together—and promoting European integration: these were the central themes of a meeting in Bucharest between Franco Dal Mas, Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI), and Romanian Foreign Minister Dan Neculăescu. The meeting took place on the eve of the CEI region's Foreign Ministers meeting, which is scheduled for tomorrow in Romania's capital. According to the…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 05 NOV - Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will attend a summit today in Trenčín, Slovakia, with the presidents of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. The summit's main topics are support for Ukraine in the face of Russian invasion, European Union enlargement, and energy availability. Last night, the presidents of the individual V4 nations—Peter Pellegrini, Petr Pavel, Karol Nawrocki, and András Baka—had their first meeting with the central bank…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 05 NOV - Three aircraft were targeted with bomb threats in Bulgaria, prompting security measures at Sofia and Plovdiv airports. Bulgarian media reported this, citing the Ministry of Interior. Two flights from Copenhagen and Madrid arrived at Sofia's Vasil Levski Airport, and authorities have begun screening passengers and crew. A third flight from London landed in Plovdiv. At the moment, no dangerous items have been reported on board the aircraft. The authorities are conducting…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 04 NOV - Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, has stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is "drifting further and further away from the European path" and from the goal of joining the European Union. While presenting the European Commission's new enlargement package, Kos stated that there has been no progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of the judiciary, the fight against corruption, press freedom, or the economy, and that the country's visa policy has even…

(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, 04 NOV - The EU said Wednesday that Montenegro was "on track" to join the bloc in 2028, and urged Ukraine to speed up reforms if it wanted to wrap up membership talks in two years. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has breathed fresh momentum into efforts to expand the 27-nation European Union. Leading the pack of would-be members are Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova. In its annual review of enlargement efforts Brussels set out roadmaps for the four hopefuls. EU enlargement…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 04 NOV - Annual inflation in the Eurozone increased to 4% in October, up from 3.8% in September, according to a 'flash' estimate released by Eurostat, the European Union's statistical office. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 04 NOV - "On this day, the Italian people pay homage to all those who gave their lives for Italy, leaving us a legacy of freedom and unity that we celebrate with renewed awareness. Today, our thoughts are particularly intense and filled with sorrow for our service members who died in recent days in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza share a deep bond with the national community, of which they are an integral part, based on trust…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 03 NOV - Albania intends to renew its migrant agreement with Italy after 2029, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama stated at the Euronews Enlargement Summit. The Prime Minister stated that the agreement could be extended beyond its current expiration date if Rome requested it. "The agreement will remain in force for as long as it is required," Rama stated—certainly for the duration of Giorgia Meloni's tenure in office. "So, until 2030, 2040, 2050... or as long as she is Prime Minister…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 03 NOV - Germany is providing additional assistance to Ukraine in preparation for the upcoming harsh winter. "We will continue to provide assistance until this war is over," Friedrich Merz said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin. "The outcome of this war will have long-term consequences for European security," Merz said at a press conference. According to DPA, the additional winter aid will be worth 200 million euros, with 100 million coming…

(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, 03 NOV - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Tuesday his country had foiled a potential "provocation" overnight on its border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Tusk said he had been informed just after midnight of suspicious activity on Poland's northern border. "We very quickly mobilized the necessary security forces and means on site, and we successfully prevented any attempted acts of provocation, if that was the intention. Of course, we will never be able to completely…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 03 NOV - Serbian courts in Novi Sad and Belgrade released the names of 49 individuals pardoned by former President Aleksandar Vučić in late September, causing a stir. The list includes common criminals, violent individuals associated with football fan groups, and a powerful state official. The then-Serbian president's act of clemency, issued on September 27 just before his resignation and ahead of elections, was portrayed as a "symmetrical" gesture of "mercy" intended to calm…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 03 NOV - "Today, the Republic is present at this funeral; the State stands together, without division, to pay tribute to these four brothers. The Defence family is present, along with their loved ones. To you, "they were your sons," and they have "become symbols—symbols of the pride and joy found in serving." This was stated by Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto during his commemoration at the solemn funeral service for the four Italian service members killed in Bosnia, which…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 03 NOV - Marko Kričak, the head of Serbia's Criminal Police Directorate, and Boško Sekulović, the head of the department for the suppression of crime, were arrested in Belgrade on Sunday and are being investigated for abuse of office. Kričak is also facing allegations of mistreatment. They have been placed in pre-trial detention for up to 30 days. A pre-trial judge at the Belgrade High Court made the decision after receiving a request from the Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor's…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 02 NOV - The bodies of Sergeants Simone Ruggia and Claudio Marchesi, as well as Lieutenant Franco Adriano Zecchillo and Sergeant Laura Procacci, all members of the Italian Red Cross Military Corps, have arrived at Ciampino Airport. They were killed in an Italian helicopter crash in Bosnia last Thursday while on a training flight. President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani were all…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 02 NOV - Davor Macura, a businessman close to Aleksandar Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and owner of Alta Banka, which was recently declared bankrupt, was detained overnight, according to Nova.rs reports. Police had previously spent more than 30 hours searching Alta Banka's offices, beginning on Saturday. In the early hours of Saturday morning, the Executive Board of the National Bank of Serbia revoked the bank's operating licence, effectively declaring it bankrupt.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 02 NOV - According to the National Electoral Commission (RIK), the Student List received 53.01% of the vote, followed by Aleksandar Vučić's United Serbia with 38.98%. The figures cover all 8,392 polling stations, including votes cast abroad, as well as repeat voting yesterday at 53 locations where the original proceedings on October 25 were invalidated or interrupted. The Student List won 140 seats in the National Assembly, while United Serbia won 103; the remaining 7 seats…

(ANSA-AFP) - SOFIA, 02 NOV - Bulgaria's President Iliana Iotova, who favours dialogue with Moscow and opposes military aid to Ukraine, won a presidential runoff vote on Sunday. The race for the largely ceremonial post had pitted Iotova, an ally of Prime Minister Rumen Radev, against Andrey Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister backed by the pro-Western opposition. Iotova gained between 57.4 percent and 58.2 percent of the vote, according to estimates from several polling institutes,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADO, NOV 1 - Several thousand people gathered today in front of the train station in Novi Sad, in northern Serbia, on the second anniversary of the collapse of the newly built platform canopy, which killed 16 people, including two children, At 11:52 a.m., the time of the tragedy, the crowd observed 16 minutes of silence—one minute for each victim. That incident and the resulting outrage over the lack of transparency in infrastructure project contracts and corruption sparked student…

(ANSA-AFP) - SOFIA, 01 NOV - Bulgarians began voting Sunday in a highly contested presidential election, which has pit two candidates with opposing views on the Ukraine war and ties with Russia, against a backdrop of heightened security concerns in the Black Sea. President Iliana Iotova, who favours dialogue with Moscow and opposes military aid to Ukraine, will face Andrey Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister backed by the pro-Western opposition. (ANSA-AFP).

(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADE, 31 OTT - Serbia's central bank on Saturday revoked the licence of Alta Bank, whose owner reportedly had close ties to former president Aleksandar Vucic's party, which suffered a heavy loss in recent elections. Local media reported scenes of customers rushing to branches and cash machines in Serbia and neighbouring North Macedonia, where Alta Bank has a subsidiary, to try to withdraw their savings. Such withdrawals were no longer possible in Serbia and deposits were to be repaid…

(ANSA-AFP) - TIRANA, 31 OTT - Masked protesters hurled stones at police in Albania's capital on Saturday on the margins of a fresh anti-government demonstration demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. The leaderless demonstrations started peacefully in May over perceived corruption, triggered by opposition to a luxury hotel project in a protected nature reserve that is linked to US President Donald Trump's family. Since mid-October, they have morphed into a wave of often violent protests…

(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, 31 OTT - Poland's president called urgent crisis talks with party representatives on Saturday after a dramatic showdown at the country's constitutional court between the centrist government and nationalist right. Karol Nawrocki cut short a trip to Senegal and returned to Warsaw, where police had surrounded the court on Friday following the suspension of its president Bogdan Swieczkowski. He said the talks were necessary because of "the threat to internal security", in a statement…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 30 OTT - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged China's leadership to reduce its significant trade deficit with Germany. "We want to maintain close trade and economic relations that provide long-term benefits for both sides," Steinmeier said during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The head of state explained that Germany and China have highly dynamic economic ties. "Given such dynamism, it is only natural that we should constantly reassess the…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 30 OTT - Guido Crosetto, the Italian Defence Minister, has arrived in Tuzla, Bosnia, to see those injured in yesterday's helicopter crash, which killed four Italian military personnel. The Minister is accompanied by General Luciano Portolano, the Chief of Defence Staff. Two of the 11 injured service members are receiving treatment in Tuzla, while the remaining nine are in Brčko. Following these visits, the Minister is expected to travel to Camp Butmir in Sarajevo, the headquarters…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 30 OTT - According to the Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, the German economy expanded unexpectedly by 0.2% in the third quarter of 2026. Experts see this as another sign of recovery, despite the burden of the Iranian war and low water levels that hampered river transport this summer. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 30 OTT - "Simone, Claudio, Franco Adriano, and Laura. Four lives were cut short while serving Italy. Today, my thoughts are with them and the people who love them. Together with Minister Guido Crosetto, I laid a bouquet of roses at the Circus Maximus to honour our four service members who died in Bosnia. We wanted the 'Defence Village,' which was set up ahead of November 4th, to serve as a place of reflection for everyone. To stand with those in need, to honour the memory of those…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 29 OTT - "In this time of great sorrow, my thoughts are first and foremost with the families of those who have died; I extend both my personal condolences and those of the entire Defence establishment. "There are no words to describe such a great loss." This was Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto's statement regarding the helicopter crash in Bosnia. The aircraft carried 15 people; four service members—two from the Italian Army and two from the Italian Red Cross Voluntary Military…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 29 OTT - "The tragic accident involving an Italian EUFOR helicopter in Bosnia and Herzegovina has caused great sadness. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those who are currently working for peace and stability in the region and are going through a difficult time. They have my deepest sympathies, as does the Italian government," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on social media. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - ROME, 29 OTT - "For us, the Balkans are a political priority because these countries are destined to become part of the EU. The Central European Initiative must work to prevent any temptation to turn toward Russia that could jeopardize these countries' reunification. I call it reunification, not enlargement. These countries were unable to become part of Europe because communist dictatorships prevented them from doing so." Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani made the remarks while addressing…