Serbia calls for a clearer European perspective for Western Balkans

"The Western Balkans need a more obvious European perspective." This was stated by Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic at a press conference in Berlin with his German counterpart Heiko Maas. He stressed that the region belongeds to the European family both geographically and in its culture and mentality, Tanjug reported. Regarding relations with Kosovo, Selakovic stressed that Serbia was in favour of a compromise, but not "for one country to get everything and the other to get nothing".

A day before this press conference, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak arrived in Belgrade from Pristina. In a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, he warned that Serbia and Kosovo must resume talks with each other in order to make progress on the path to EU membership, Free Europe reported.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade, like five EU countries, does not recognize it.

Turkey gives powerful financial support to Northern Cyprus

Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus recognized only by Ankara have signed a financial co-operation agreement in 2021, BTA reported. This came after a meeting between Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Ersan Saner.

"Our goal in this agreement is to invest, to help create an independent economy of Northern Cyprus," Oktay said at a joint news conference.

The agreement envisions Turkey investing $ 336.83 million in Northern Cyprus this year, as the total amount of support is $437.88 million. Oktay said that Turkey, as a motherland and a guarantor country, would continue to do everything possible to ensure that Turkish Cypriots continued to live in peace, tranquillity and prosperity.

Romania’s President: Romanians have a right to know who is to blame for the violence

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has demanded explanations from the ministers of justice and interior because of the termination of the case for the suppression of an anti-government protest on August 10, 2018, in which hundreds of demonstrators were injured, BTA informs. "Romanians have every right to know who is to blame for the violence against peaceful protesters," the president wrote on his Facebook account.

The decision to suspend the investigation against former gendarmerie chiefs was announced by the Bucharest court on March 2ⁿ, after which civil society organizations staged a protest in court.

The 2018 protest against the then Social Democrat government gathered nearly 80,000 people in Victory Square in Bucharest. Law enforcement forces dispersed the protesters with tear gas, water cannons and batons. At least 450 people, including 30 gendarmes, were injured.

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake shakes central Greece

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre near the town of Elassona, 24 km northwest of Larissa, rocked Central Greece. It was also felt in Albania, northern Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bulgaria. The earthquake on March 3, followed by aftershocks, caused injuries but no casualties.

Many people have been rescued from the rubble of collapsed buildings. Children were evacuated from an old school building in Damasi. Dozens of residents in the area spent the night outside their homes, many of them sleeping in their cars. Others were housed in tents at a stadium, as well as in five hotels in the cities of Trikala and Larissa, BTA reported.

Zagreb Airport again recognized as the best in Europe

Franjo Tudman International Airport in Zagreb, Croatia, is recognized as the best in Europe in the category of airports with an annual capacity of 2 to 5 million passengers for the third consecutive year.

The ranking is based on a survey of passengers organized by the International Airport Council (ACI) on the quality of airport services in 2020 dubbed as "the most difficult year in the history of civil aviation."

Compiled by Miglena Ivanova

English version Rositsa Petkova

Photos: EPA/BGNES, aa.com.tr