https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/rss Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:07:39 +0300 en hourly 1 https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1202737-turkish-military-personnel-equipment-to-transit-bulgaria-on-way-to-romania https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1202737-turkish-military-personnel-equipment-to-transit-bulgaria-on-way-to-romania Fri, 11 Sep 2026 20:52:47 +0300 Personnel and military equipment from the Turkish Armed Forces will move along Bulgaria’s national road network on September 13 and 14, the Defence Ministry’s press office said. The personnel and military equipment will be transported to Romania to take part in a military exercise. The military convoys will be escorted by Military Police Service teams. Bulgaria Yoana Vodenicharova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202565-three-charged-in-romania-over-one-million-counterfeit-euro-scheme-targeting-bulg https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202565-three-charged-in-romania-over-one-million-counterfeit-euro-scheme-targeting-bulg Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:47:51 +0300 Three men have been sent to trial in Romania on charges of producing counterfeit EUR 50, 100 and 200 banknotes at an illegal printing facility in the northeastern county of Suceava and distributing them in Romania and Bulgaria, Digi24 reported. The Romanian criminal group put more than EUR 1 million in counterfeit banknotes into circulation in Romania and Bulgaria, according to the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). The case was uncovered in March, with some of the suspects arrested in Sofia. The three defendants are aged 25, 32 and 41, respectively. The criminal group operated in Romania and Bulgaria from October 2025 until March 24, 2026, and also involved an Italian citizen. He and the 41-year-old group leader transported the counterfeit money between the two countries. According to the source, most of the fake currency, specifically the equivalent of EUR 1,012,300 in EUR 100 banknotes, was put into circulation in Bulgaria. The men remain in custody. They are charged with forming an organized criminal group, counterfeiting currency, putting counterfeit foreign currency into circulation (or acquiring counterfeit payment instruments), and aiding the circulation of counterfeit foreign currency. Prosecutors from DIICOT's territorial office in Iasi asked the court to approve the seizure of the vehicle and the sums of money in Romanian lei and euros confiscated from the men, as well as the tools and equipment used for counterfeiting. Balkans Kristina Ivanova BTA correspondent Martina Gancheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202519-vucic-to-step-down-as-president-after-his-return-from-un-general-assembly https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202519-vucic-to-step-down-as-president-after-his-return-from-un-general-assembly Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:19:00 +0300 Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that he will resign from his post on September 25 or 26, local media reported. Vucic said he intended to step down immediately after returning from the United States, where he will attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The general debate of the 81st UN General Assembly will take place from September 22 to 28, with a day off on Sunday, September 27, at UN Headquarters in New York. High-level representatives of the UN's 193 Member States will participate. More than 150 countries are expected to be represented by their heads of state or government. Early parliamentary elections will be held in Serbia on October 25, and Vucic will take part in the election campaign on behalf of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which he founded. Vucic said that he wanted to start the campaign as an ordinary citizen. He added that the elections should be a democratic contest in which every citizen could decide which of the candidates to trust. Vucic had already announced in June that he would step down, saying at the time that he would submit his resignation within several weeks. Although still serving as president, Vucic has been named the lead candidate on the SNS electoral list and will also be nominated as the party's candidate for prime minister. Balkans Kristina Ivanova BTA Correspondent Teodora Encheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1202393-president-iotova-awards-state-honour-to-greek-ambassador https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1202393-president-iotova-awards-state-honour-to-greek-ambassador Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:07:00 +0300 President Iliana Iotova awarded the Order of the Madara Horseman, First Class, to Greek Ambassador to Bulgaria Alexios Marios Lyberopoulos at a ceremony at the Presidency on Friday, recognizing his outstanding contribution to strengthening bilateral relations. Addressing Ambassador Lyberopoulos, Iotova said Bulgaria and Greece had become "islands of stability" in Europe amid the challenges facing the region, highlighting their role in protecting the EU's external borders and their cooperation on infrastructure, energy, defence, tourism and culture. Iotova noted that Greece was always a friendly country, ready to lend Bulgaria a hand at any time, while Bulgaria offered unwavering friendship in return. She told the Greek ambassador that recent years had seen significant progress in joint projects along the north-south axis, much of which she attributed to his work. Lyberopoulos said changing geopolitical circumstances made further strengthening the already strong Greek-Bulgarian relations even more important at both bilateral and regional level. He expressed hope that Bulgaria would continue to prosper as it deserves to. Bulgaria Kristina Ivanova Yoana Hristova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202397-croatia-adopts-large-scale-package-of-measures-to-protect-consumers-from-price-i https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202397-croatia-adopts-large-scale-package-of-measures-to-protect-consumers-from-price-i Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:30:03 +0300 The Croatian government has adopted on Friday the 11th package of measures to protect households and businesses from the surge in energy prices and the rising cost of living. The aid also covers micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The package will be in effect from October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 and is worth nearly EUR 260 million, Croatian media reported. The decision comes amid strong price pressure on global energy markets. In one year, Brent crude oil has risen by 49% to USD 100 per barrel, and the reference price of gas has jumped by 136% to EUR 78 per megawatt-hour, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was quoted as saying at a government meeting. This surge is reflected in transportation costs, industry, and food prices. Thus, both the competitiveness of the economy and the living standards of citizens are threatened - an effect that the cabinet is trying to mitigate. "Today, our fellow citizens, if it weren't for government measures, would pay EUR 1.88 per litre of Eurosuper at gas stations instead of EUR 1.67. Eurodiesel would cost EUR 2.10 per liter instead of the current EUR 1.70, and blue diesel for agricultural needs, which is currently sold for EUR 1.34 per liter, would cost EUR 1.44," said Plenkovic, quoted by the Croatian national television HRT. The Prime Minister also underscored that the Okoli underground gas storage facility is 78% full. The goal is to reach 80% by October 1, in accordance with the European Commission's recommendations for filling gas storage facilities. The government is providing EUR 126.4 million to control electricity prices. Electricity bills for households, the public and non-profit sectors remain unchanged. This measure is worth EUR 52.7 million and will save citizens about EUR 15 per month, or nearly EUR 180 per year. EUR 43.7 million have also been secured against the increase in the price of gas and heating for citizens and the public sector. The largest part of this, EUR 42 million, goes to freezing the price of gas, preventing a 16% jump.  Subsidies for firewood also continue. The measure covers 60,000 households that purchase firewood from the state-owned enterprise Croatian Forests, with the discount increasing sharply from the current 5% to 20% and the scheme will be in effect until April 1, 2027. The most vulnerable groups of citizens (those receiving minimum income, disability benefits, social pensions for old age and unemployed veterans) retain their right to energy vouchers of EUR 70 per month, for which EUR 54.6 million have been allocated. Similar relief is provided for social service providers (foster families, patronage care and social homes). In addition, veterans and civilian victims of war in the social care system will receive a one-time assistance of EUR 70. The government is also strengthening direct control over market prices. The reference date for the so-called "anchoring" of prices remains May 2, while the ceiling on the prices of 100 basic products is maintained. What is new is that the obligation to announce an additional price and publicly publish price lists also extends to services.  Along with the economic package, Prime Minister Plenkovic announced that a new Rental Housing Act will soon be presented to the cabinet. It will introduce strict regulations - it will prohibit raising rents more than once a year. Even then, the increase will be limited and will not be able to exceed the annual growth of the housing price index, as reported by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Balkans Atanas Malakchiev BTA exclusive by Diana Glasnova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202330-turkish-police-detain-27-over-alleged-plans-for-armed-attacks-on-schools https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202330-turkish-police-detain-27-over-alleged-plans-for-armed-attacks-on-schools Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:36:28 +0300 Turkish police have launched an operation across 22 provinces of the country against members of a group found to have been preparing armed attacks on schools, Turkish media reported on Friday, quoting the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office (ACPPO). According to the ACPPO, the criminal organization is called C31K and was found to have posted on social media and communication platforms about preparations for armed attacks on three schools in three provinces. Arrest warrants have been issued for 32 suspects, including 19 minors, who were involved in various offences. Twenty-seven suspects have been detained, while five others are being sought. Police said C31K is an abbreviation for the cybercrime and violence group "31st Floor of Hell". It has been organized through social media and messaging applications and has specifically targeted children and young people. According to NTV, the group was preparing attacks for the first day of the new school year, which begins on Monday, September 14. Last school year, Turkiye saw two serious shooting incidents at two schools in the country's southeast, in which 10 people were killed and 28 injured. Following the incidents, the Interior Ministry stepped up security measures at schools across all 81 provinces of Turkiye. Balkans Valentin Evstatiev BTA exclusive by Nahide Deniz https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202324-bulgaria-works-to-accelerate-construction-of-kapitan-andreevo-north-border-cross https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202324-bulgaria-works-to-accelerate-construction-of-kapitan-andreevo-north-border-cross Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:16:26 +0300 Bulgaria is working to accelerate the construction of a new border crossing with Turkiye, Kapitan Andreevo North. It is expected to handle heavy-duty traffic, thereby drastically reducing waiting times at the busiest land border of the European Union, said Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev, as quoted by the press center of the Ministry of Interior. Delegations from the two countries inspected the site designated for the future border crossing. It will be located in the area of the village of Kapitan Andreevo, north of the existing checkpoint. The site is situated close to the existing checkpoint, which will significantly facilitate the construction of the supporting infrastructure. According to Turkish Deputy Trade Minister Sezai Ucarmak the project, which is intended exclusively for heavy-duty vehicles, will increase traffic efficiency and promote the development of new trade relations. He commended the efforts of the Bulgarian government to improve and further develop relations between the two countries. Both sides expressed readiness to sign the agreement for its construction in the coming days and to establish a joint expert commission to determine the technical specifications. The project is part of the strategy to improve border control and represents an important step for the Trans-European Transport Network. The two delegations highlighted the good cooperation between the border and customs authorities in combating drug trafficking, countering smuggling and illegal migration. At the height of the holiday season, the main priority was measures to facilitate the transit of Turkish citizens travelling to and from Western Europe. It was noted that the Bulgarian side is actively working on the expansion and reconstruction of all three main border crossings with Turkiye – Kapitan Andreevo, Lesovo, and Malko Tarnovo. On the Bulgarian side, representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Customs Agency, and the General Directorate of Border Police also participated in the bilateral meeting. The meeting was held at the Kapıkule border crossing. It was a follow-up to the discussions held during the visit of Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci to Sofia in early August. Balkans Petya Petrova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202178-romanian-caretaker-pm-bolojan-open-to-early-elections https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202178-romanian-caretaker-pm-bolojan-open-to-early-elections Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:57:26 +0300 Romania’s caretaker Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said he would not sabotage possisble early parliamentary elections if such a decision were deemed necessary to overcome the country’s political crisis. He was speaking in an interview with B1 TV Friday, where he was asked what his National Liberal Party (PNL) was preparing for in the near future: government, opposition or early elections. “If – and I stress that I do not want this under any circumstances, because these are serious matters for the country – we fail to form a government, the next constitutional step ... in the event of a continued deadlock or a government that once again fails to win approval ... is to meet the conditions for holding early elections. If these conditions are met and the President of Romania considers this to be the solution for breaking the deadlock, we will not sabotage such a course of action,” Bolojan said. He added that early elections were not the easiest solution, but were a constitutional reality. The Romanian caretaker prime minister did not, however, rule out the possibility of forming a transitional government. “The solution I proposed at the beginning of the summer – and which I still consider feasible – is the formation of a transitional government. I called it a ‘government of truce.’ I envisage a technocratic government – one that, of course, has a prime minister but relies primarily on technocrats,” Bolojan said. Romania has been without a regular government for 129 days. The country has been in a political crisis since the pro-European broad coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Save Romania Union (USR), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) and the parliamentary group representing national minorities broke up at the end of April. The Social Democrats subsequently initiated a no-confidence motion together with the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which led to the fall of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s cabinet in early May. More than 56% of Romanians would definitely go to the polls if early parliamentary elections were held this Sunday, according to a poll by INSCOP Research published on September 10. The far-right nationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) would win 39.7% of the vote, followed by the Social Democratic Party with 18.7% and the National Liberal Party with 16.3%, if elections were held this Sunday, the poll showed. Balkans Petya Dikova BTA correspondent Martina Gancheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202140-balkan-schools-turn-to-lockers-and-digital-textbooks-to-lighten-schoolbags https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1202140-balkan-schools-turn-to-lockers-and-digital-textbooks-to-lighten-schoolbags Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:03:44 +0300 Lockers, digital textbooks and better timetables are among the measures education and health authorities across the Balkans are adopting to lighten pupils' schoolbags. Splitting textbooks into smaller volumes is another common approach in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the region. Such changes to school routines complement guidance for pupils and parents. In most countries, including Bulgaria, experts recommend that schoolbags weigh no more than 10% to 15% of a child’s body weight, with some countries treating 10% as the preferred limit and 15% as the maximum. In practice, the guidance is often hard to follow. Politika reported cases of first-graders in Serbia carrying bags weighing 6 to 8 kg, while Slovenia’s Delo put the average schoolbag weight at 4 to 7 kg, depending on age. Parent groups in North Macedonia say bags can weigh 5 to 7 kg even for children in grades one to five. In Romania, media checks have found schoolbags weighing 6 to 10 kg despite a legal weight limit. Textbooks make up only part of the load. Pupils also carry exercise books, stationery, materials and equipment for art and physical education, and water bottles. Lockers are therefore among the simplest solutions used across the Balkans. Greece plans to install individual lockers in primary schools nationwide in the new school year, Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki said. The measure could cover about 4,000 schools. Digital textbooks are another way to ease the burden. In Turkiye, they are part of a broad technology overhaul in education under the FATIH project, launched in 2010. Figures published on the Turkish Education Ministry’s website show that millions of pupils and teachers have received free tablets through the project, while hundreds of thousands of classrooms have been fitted with interactive smartboards. The ministry also operates EBA, a platform offering electronic versions of all state-issued textbooks. Some textbooks are split into separate printed volumes so pupils can carry only the section they need, rather than a bulky book covering the full year. The Education Ministry in Cyprus has issued a circular instructing teachers not to require pupils to merge exercise books or add pages to old ones. It recommends using one exercise book per subject wherever possible. Teachers must specify in advance which supplies pupils will need for each lesson. The ministry also recommends keeping anthologies, dictionaries and grammar books in classrooms. Romanian education authorities are also introducing individual lockers and digital textbooks to reduce the load on children, although the measures are not yet widespread across all regions. Local media say the schoolbags carried daily by 96.1% of pupils exceed both the legal maximum and the weight limit recommended by doctors. They cite findings from independent bag-weighing campaigns conducted by parent associations and school communities. Timetabling can also help. In Croatia, experts quoted by the news website Index recommend arranging lessons so pupils have fewer subjects each day and carry fewer textbooks. They advise against scheduling subjects that require extra materials, such as physical education and art, on the same day. Lockers are also among their recommendations. Health authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina also advise schools to factor in the textbooks and supplies pupils must carry when drawing up timetables, and to provide storage space wherever possible. Parents are advised to check schoolbags at least once a week and remove unnecessary items. Despite differences among education systems across the Balkans, national approaches point to a common trend: responsibility for tackling heavy schoolbags is gradually shifting from pupils to schools, which are changing how teaching is organized. Alongside reminders to pupils not to overload their bags, schools are considering measures ranging from lockers and electronic textbooks to smaller textbook modules, fewer exercise books and better timetables. Balkans BTA Balkans Desk Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201939-young-greek-artists-to-exhibit-at-two-sofia-galleries https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201939-young-greek-artists-to-exhibit-at-two-sofia-galleries Fri, 11 Sep 2026 07:36:00 +0300 The Borders / Synora exhibition of work by young Greek artists opens at Sofia’s Goethe-Institut and Doza galleries on Friday evening, the organizers said. A month later, on October 12, Bulgarian artists will exhibit at two galleries in Thessaloniki, the Goethe-Institut and To Pickap. The Sofia exhibition will feature Daphne Vlasidou, Kostas Xanthis, Konstantina Fakou, Alexandra Papavasiliou, Georgia Sozou, Maria Anna Sauridou, Efstathia Savvidou, Kalliopi Fesara, Aneta Timotheou and Sofia Kiousi. Works by Bilyana Tokmakchieva, Hana Mishel Ivanov, Kiril Buhovski, Kalin Mihov, Lyuba Maznova, Ina Dobreva, Filip Boyadzhiev, Sveta Atanasova, Georgi Pavlov and Samuil Velev will be shown in Thessaloniki. The curatorial team comprises Savvidou (Greece) and Gergana Minkova (Bulgaria). The project is organized by The Artist at Play (TAAP), a community of young and emerging artists based in Sofia that promotes collaboration, creativity and mutual support. It aims to encourage artistic exchange through a series of group exhibitions featuring young artists from both countries, bringing the two art scenes closer together and overcoming barriers to their interaction. Despite their geographical proximity, free movement within the Schengen area and traditionally high numbers of Bulgarian tourists visiting Greece, the visual arts communities in Sofia and Thessaloniki remain relatively unfamiliar with each other, the organizers said. One reason, they said, is that many arts professionals have traditionally looked "to the West", towards prestigious galleries, institutions and major international events. This focus has also contributed to a shortage of lasting regional partnerships and exchange initiatives in the Balkans. Curator and cultural researcher Melanie Roumiguiere (Germany/Argentina) will be a special guest of the project in Sofia and Thessaloniki. She will lead a workshop in Sofia on September 12 and meet project participants and members of the local art scene. Roumiguiere headed the visual arts department of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Artists-in-Berlin programme, an international residency programme, for many years. Her work focuses on the relationship between local and global artistic contexts, with a particular interest in curatorial practices that broaden and rethink the traditional boundaries of art institutions. The accompanying programme in Sofia includes a discussion with Savvidou, Xanthis and Vlasidou on September 14. An interactive children’s game, Discover Contemporary Art: A Treasure Hunt, is scheduled for September 19, with advance registration required. A curator-led tour of Doza Gallery and the Goethe-Institut follows on September 25. Balkans Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201909-serbian-student-movement-launches-election-campaign-with-rally-in-novi-sad https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201909-serbian-student-movement-launches-election-campaign-with-rally-in-novi-sad Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:11:24 +0300 Serbia's student movement launched its election campaign with a rally in the centre of the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad, TV N1 reported. During the rally, the students presented some of the candidates who will feature on their parliamentary candidate list. Those introduced included President of the Judicial Power Trade Union, Nemanja Duric, Novi Sad cardiologist and Medical Faculty lecturer Ilija Srdanovic, Sombor Faculty of Education lecturer Ljubica Oparnica, and Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy lecturer Jovo Bakic. Other candidates presented were Belgrade Faculty of Chemistry lecturer Radomir Saicic, Novi Pazar political scientist Adem Mavric, and actor Tihomir Stanic. The student movement announced that it would conduct a door-to-door campaign and called on citizens to support it. Early parliamentary elections in Serbia are scheduled for October 25. Their announcement was one of the demands of the students, who have been holding anti-government protests for months. For the first time, they will contest Serbia's parliamentary elections with their own list. They have not yet announced the full list of candidates and have said that the students themselves will not stand for election. The student movement emerged from mass anti-government demonstrations following the collapse of the canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad in November 2024, in which 16 people were killed and another was seriously injured. The protesters accused the government of causing the incident as a result of widespread corruption in the country and called for systemic changes. The government has denied responsibility and accused the protesters of destabilizing the state. Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), together with its coalition partners, have been in power in Serbia since 2012. Although Vucic remains the country's President, the SNS has announced that he will head its parliamentary candidate list in these elections and will be its candidate for prime minister. Balkans Konstantin Karagyozov BTA Correspondent Teodora Encheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201732-nato-s-joint-force-command-naples-commander-visits-north-macedonia https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201732-nato-s-joint-force-command-naples-commander-visits-north-macedonia Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:30:28 +0300 A delegation from NATO’s Joint Force Command Naples, led by Commander Admiral George Wikoff, is on a two-day visit to North Macedonia and, together with Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia Major General Sashko Lafchiski, met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski, the government press service in Skopje said. The meeting focused on the current security situation in the region, opportunities for conducting training activities in North Macedonia, as well as promoting interoperability and further strengthening cooperation within NATO. Wikoff underscored North Macedonia’s commitment “as an active participant in maintaining stability and security in the region”, highlighting the professionalism and contribution of the North Macedonian Army to NATO-led activities, the statement further said. Balkans Petya Dikova BTA correspondent Marinela Velichkova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201557-48-of-serbian-students-below-reading-literacy-level-pisa-2025-results-show https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201557-48-of-serbian-students-below-reading-literacy-level-pisa-2025-results-show Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:09:28 +0300 According to the latest results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), 43% of Serbian students perform below the level of functional literacy in science, 53% in mathematics, and 48% in reading literacy, the Serbian newspaper Danas reports. PISA is the largest international comparative study of 15-year-old students’ performance. It assesses the extent to which students can apply what they have learned to solve real-life problems. More than 760,000 students from 91 countries took part in the latest assessment cycle, which evaluates their knowledge and skills in science, mathematics, and reading. The test also provides insight into 15-year-olds’ attitudes in areas such as curiosity, perseverance, and independence in the learning process. Serbian students performed worse in the 2025 PISA assessments in mathematics, reading, and science compared with the previous testing cycle in 2022, and they remain below the average level in the rankings, according to local media reports. Balkans Yoana Vodenicharova BTA correspondent Teodora Encheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201437-ankara-mayor-denies-speculation-he-may-join-president-erdogan-s-party https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201437-ankara-mayor-denies-speculation-he-may-join-president-erdogan-s-party Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:07:54 +0300 Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, who was elected with the support of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), issued a statement on his official Facebook profile saying that his meeting on Wednesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was related to his duties as mayor of Ankara. He rejected speculation that the meeting could be linked to a possible move to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), headed by Erdogan. Yavas made clear in his statement that he had requested the meeting with the President in connection with projects requiring approval at government level. The two had discussed major investments expected in Ankara, underground railway projects, loans and the approval timeline, the large exhibition spaces planned to be built, as well as other problems facing Ankara that await solutions, the Mayor specified. Yavas attended rallies in support of Ozgur Ozel, who was removed as chairman of the CHP in May 2026 after a court annulled the party's 38th congress and reinstated former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu. However, the Mayor did not follow Ozel when he launched a new political project, the New Party, in July. In this context, and also to reject speculation that he might move from the opposition to the ruling party, Yavas said that both Kilicdaroglu and Ozel had known that he would meet Erdogan. The Ankara Mayor stressed that it was impossible for him to adopt an approach that would disappoint the people who had stood by him for years. Yavas also commented on the divisions within the CHP, the movement of supporters towards the newly established New Party, and the balance of forces on the Municipal Council, saying that he could still see anger and resentment that had not subsided. The Ankara Mayor said that it was not right to interpret the steps he would take as support for anyone, as his focus was to preserve the basis for consensus and the possibility for people to sit around the same table again. He urged citizens not to believe anything that does not come directly from him. Following the meeting between Yavas and Erdogan, the President's Directorate of Communications issued a statement confirming the meeting and released a photograph of the Turkish President and Ankara Mayor, but provided no details about the topics discussed. Yavas, meanwhile, posted on his official X account that they had discussed infrastructure projects, including underground railway investments, as well as ongoing and planned projects. Later, in an interview with Koza TV, New Party Leader Ozel confirmed that he had known about the meeting. Balkans Kristina Ivanova BTA correspondent Ayshe Sali https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201345-romania-s-presidential-administration-denies-claims-that-country-is-sending-mili https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201345-romania-s-presidential-administration-denies-claims-that-country-is-sending-mili Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:10:00 +0300 Romania’s presidential administration has denied recent online claims that the country is preparing to send military personnel to Ukraine to take part in the war. The institution’s official position describes the claims as a “false narrative.” The president’s administration said that these claims constitute manipulation that deliberately distorts an administrative decision in order to fuel the unfounded claim that Romania is being drawn into the conflict. It also added that Romania is not sending combat units to Ukraine, nor is it sending military personnel to the front line. On September 8, Romanian President Nicusor Dan asked Parliament to approve the participation of up to 20 Romanian soldiers in the operational command of the multinational force for Ukraine. The presidential administration explained that this is a command structure that operates on a rotational basis and carries out its activities in France and the United Kingdom, thousands of kilometres away from the front line. The participation of Romanian military personnel in this structure does not involve sending them to the conflict zone to take part in combat operations. The institution's statement also noted that Romania participates in international mechanisms aimed at strengthening regional security, given that Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine affects the countries of the Black Sea region. The Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine is one such mechanism. Romania’s participation in this structure should be clearly distinguished from any possible direct involvement in combat operations on Ukrainian territory. Balkans BTA intern Ivayla Kirilova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201206-forced-landing-at-thessaloniki-airport-after-britons-aggressive-behaviour https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201206-forced-landing-at-thessaloniki-airport-after-britons-aggressive-behaviour Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:08:29 +0300 The aggressive behaviour of two British passengers on a flight from Manchester to the Greek island of Rhodes forced the pilot to make an emergency landing at Macedonia Airport in Thessaloniki on Wednesday night, state broadcaster ERT reported on Thursday. The two men, aged 39 and 42, behaved aggressively towards crew members and other passengers and refused to comply with the captain’s orders, the report stated. According to the public broadcaster, the 39-year-old man was filming, as the cabin crew discovered that the 42-year-old had earlier been smoking in the plane’s lavatory, which is strictly prohibited. Thus, the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at the airport in Thessaloniki. The two British nationals were detained by police officers at the airport and will be brought before the competent judicial authorities, ERT reported. The aircraft subsequently resumed its flight to Rhodes. Balkans Risida Dimitrova BTA correspondent Ivan Lazarov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201121-eu-commissioner-for-equality-preparedness-and-crisis-management-hadja-lahbib-vi https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1201121-eu-commissioner-for-equality-preparedness-and-crisis-management-hadja-lahbib-vi Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:45:11 +0300 EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib will visit Romania on Thursday. In the morning she will meet with Romanian President Nicusor Dan, the administration of the head of State announced in a press release, sent to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).  Later on Thursday, Lahbib will confer with caretaker Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, members of the Parliamentary Committees on EU Affairs, and Secretary of State Raed Arafat. Discussions will focus on Romania's strong contribution to European preparedness and civil protection, alongside challenges on equality and non-discrimination. Romania has played an active role in this year's wildfire response, with firefighting teams deployed to France, Greece and Serbia. Its new rescEU helicopter, the first delivered for the permanent European fleet, was deployed to Serbia in August, the European Commission representation in Romania said in a press release. A day later, on Friday in Chisinau, Lahbib will meet Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov, and Interior Minister Daniella Misail-Nichitin. The purpose of Lahbib’s visits is to discuss and promote stronger European solidarity and preparedness, to reiterate the EU's commitment to advancing equality and fundamental rights, as essential building blocks of more resilient, democratic and inclusive societies across Europe, the EC said. Balkans Risida Dimitrova BTA correspondent Martina Gancheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1200995-tourist-boat-with-nine-bulgarians-aboard-collides-with-fishing-vessel-near-zakyn https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1200995-tourist-boat-with-nine-bulgarians-aboard-collides-with-fishing-vessel-near-zakyn Wed, 09 Sep 2026 19:52:59 +0300 A tourist boat carrying nine Bulgarian citizens collided with a fishing boat on Wednesday morning near the port of the Greek island of Zakynthos, the Greek Coast Guard reported. There was one Greek citizen on board the fishing boat, while the tourist boat was sailing under the Greek flag. The collision caused material damage to the bow sections of both vessels. They were able to reach the port of Zakynthos safely unaided. No people were injured in the incident, and no marine pollution was detected, according to the Greek authorities. Balkans BTA correspondent Ivan Lazarov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1200816-poll-finds-strong-support-among-romanians-for-mandatory-uniforms-drug-testing- https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1200816-poll-finds-strong-support-among-romanians-for-mandatory-uniforms-drug-testing- Wed, 09 Sep 2026 16:44:28 +0300 A majority of Romanians support the introduction of mandatory school uniforms, according to a new INSCOP survey, conducted between September 1 and 7 and published online. According to 77% of respondents, such a measure would reduce discrimination among students, while 20.6% hold the opposite view and 2.4% do not know or did not answer. The strongest supporters of the idea are voters of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, women, people aged 60 and over, those with primary education, and public-sector employees. There is also strong support for introducing drug testing in schools and audio-visual monitoring of classrooms. Regarding drug testing, 83.4% of respondents approve of the idea, 15.2% oppose it, and 1.4% do not know or did not answer. The groups most supportive of the idea are voters of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, people over the age of 45, those with secondary education, TikTok users, and public-sector employees. As for audio and video surveillance, 74.5% of respondents support the measure, 22.8% reject the idea, and 2.7% did not answer. The strongest supporters are again voters of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, women, people aged 60 and over, those with primary or secondary education, residents of rural areas, and TikTok users. The data show that, in the eyes of the public, children’s safety takes precedence over concerns related to personal autonomy or privacy, INSCOP Director Remus Ștefureac said. This is a sign of significant public anxiety about the school environment and an expectation that institutions should intervene more decisively to prevent risks. School uniforms appear to be perceived less as a disciplinary tool and more as a mechanism for reducing visible social differences among children. The consistent support for them reflects a high degree of public sensitivity to inequalities in the school environment, the polling agency's director added. Balkans BTA correspondent Martina Gancheva Yoana Vodenicharova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1200740-greek-state-minister-skertsos-rejects-comparison-between-salaries-in-greece-and- https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1200740-greek-state-minister-skertsos-rejects-comparison-between-salaries-in-greece-and- Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:38:00 +0300 Greek Minister of State Responsible for the Coordination of Government Policies Akis Skertsos rejected comparisons between Greece and Bulgaria in terms of salaries, arguing that they are based on a misinterpretation of Eurostat statistics. In a Facebook post, republished by Greek media, Skertsos responded to criticism from the Greek opposition based on data for gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, expressed in purchasing power parity. According to the 2025 figures, the indicator stood at 68% of the European Union average in both Greece and Bulgaria. The comparison between the two countries entered the Greek political debate after the data were published in March. At the time, the opposition PASOK party issued a statement under the headline "Greece – Bulgaria: A Tie", using the figures to criticize the government’s economic policies and the standard of living in the country. Skertsos pointed out that GDP per capita does not measure wage levels and should not be used as a direct comparison of the purchasing power of workers. He said that, when assessing the material wellbeing of households, Eurostat uses the indicator "actual individual consumption". In 2025, Greece reached 80% of the EU average on this measure, the Minister said. Skertsos also noted that in July 2026, the purchasing power of the minimum wage was around 24% higher in Greece than in Bulgaria. In nominal terms, the minimum wage stood at approximately EUR 1,073 per month in Greece, when converted to a 12-month basis, compared with around EUR 620 in Bulgaria, he added. According to Skertsos, the claim that "Greece is equal to Bulgaria" simply because the two countries have the same level of GDP per capita in purchasing power standards amounts to a "statistical oversimplification". "GDP per capita is not the salary. The salary is not consumption. And no single indicator can, on its own, describe the standard of living of a society," Skertsos said. Balkans Risida Dimitrova BTA correspondent Ivan Lazarov