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Balkan Developments

Ambassador of Turkey to Bulgaria says agreement on refugees was not at risk

Foto: Archivo personal
Ambassador of Turkey to Bulgaria Süleyman Gökçe dismissed warnings voiced by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that there was risk of failure of the agreement between the EU and Turkey to stem the flow of refugees to Western Europe. The European Commission knows that there are fluctuations in the number of migrants, but there is norise, the diplomat said. Meanwhile, it became clear that the EC would decide in September whether Turkey fulfilled the requirements for lifting the visa regime. Turkey hoped to have visa-free regime with the EU on July 1, 2016 in the framework of the agreement to limit migration flows to the EU. However, the European Union urges Ankara to meet 72 conditions, including changesto the law for combating terrorism, which according to Brussels, gives excessive powers to the Turkish government and special services.

Turkey recognizes possibility of errors in purge after coup

Foto: Archivo
Turkish leaders have said for the first time that the purge after the failed coup of July 15, could lead to errors. The purge has been criticized abroad because of its massive scale. "If there were errors, we would correct them," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said. During the investigation of the coup more than 18,000 people were arrested and nearly 10,000 of them are subject to prosecution. 66 000 civil servants have beenfired.

700 migrants gave up crossing Serbian borders

Foto: BGNES

Since establishing joint patrols of police and army on the borders of Serbia with Bulgaria and Macedonia over 700 migrants have given up crossing the border illegally and three people, suspected in human trafficking, have beendetained, spokesperson at the Serbian Ministry of Defence, Jovan Krivokapic told Serbian RTS TV channel. Most of the attempts to illegally cross the border came from Macedonia and the number of illegal crossings of the Bulgarian border was smaller. Serbia's borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria have already been guarded by joint patrol teams of police and military. Serbian authorities announced that this measure would remain in effect until the situation required it.

Serbian PM envisions coalition with Socialists

Foto: EPA/BGNES
Within the next 10 days the Serbian parliament will vote on the new government, Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic has announced. He pointed out that he had received support from his Serbian Progressive Party to open negotiations with the Socialist Party of Serbia for entry of its members in the composition of the new government. This puts an end to uncertainty about the government after Vucic's party won the parliamentary elections on April 24. Hevowed to prepare the Balkan country for joining the EU by 2020, to keep close relations with Russia, as well as to reduce public debt and revive growth.

Tourism services in Romania mark growth

Foto: wikipedia
Sales of tourist services for the Romanian coast have marked a 40-percent rise, while spa and mountain resorts marked a growth of over 114% in comparison to the same period last year. According to representatives of the Romanian tourism sector, terrorist acts that were committed in foreign countries, partly motivated the decision of the tourists to prefer Romania. Demand for holidays in the country has been growing thanks to security, but also because hotel owners have made investments aimed at modernisation of hotels and the services they offer.

English: Alexander Markov

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