https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/rss Tue, 06 Oct 2026 06:32:42 +0300 en hourly 1 https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218274-romanian-president-nicusor-dan-nominates-luca-niculescu-for-prime-minister https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218274-romanian-president-nicusor-dan-nominates-luca-niculescu-for-prime-minister Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:29:00 +0300 Romanian President Nicusor Dan Monday has nominated Luca Niculescu for prime minister. The head of State announced his decision following another round of political consultations with all parties at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest. Luca Niculescu is a prominent Romanian diplomat, former journalist and current State Secretary at Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since September 2022, he has held the key position of national coordinator for Romania's accession process to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).  Dan said that he had chosen a person who, in his words, had the best chances of securing a majority in Parliament. “It is important, it is necessary for Romania to have a government. And soon. There is a need for a budget for next year,” the head of State also commented. He noted that he had received assurances that a government headed by Luca Niculescu would preserve Romania’s pro-Western course and comply with the financial targets and all commitments undertaken by the country. The head of state specified that the prime minister-designate had absolute freedom to decide whether the government would be political or technocratic. “Thank you for your trust. I accept this responsibility with full awareness of the difficulty of the current moment. My first mission will be to build a majority that will vote in favour of the government,” Niculescu said. He promised a realistic programme for governing the country. “I cannot promise miracles, I can promise seriousness, responsibility, adherence to commitments, and accelerating reforms,” the Romanian prime minister-designate added. Luca Niculescu has 10 days to appear before Parliament with a proposal for the composition of the government and a governance programme. This is the fourth nomination for prime minister since the government of Ilie Bolojan was brought down by a vote of no confidence on May 5. So far, Parliament has rejected two of the nominees for prime minister, while one returned his mandate due to a lack of sufficient support. Balkans BTA correspondent Martina Gancheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218234-romania-s-smaller-parties-send-mixed-messages-after-consultations-with-president https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218234-romania-s-smaller-parties-send-mixed-messages-after-consultations-with-president Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:24:32 +0300 Smaller parties in Romania are sending mixed messages after Monday's political consultations with Romanian President Nicusor Dan. Diana Sosoaca's far-right party SOS Romania announced that it is capable of cooperating with absolutely all political forces to form a government and lead the country out of the crisis. "We would like early parliamentary elections, but the Romanian constitution does not allow a government whose mandate has been terminated - since the concept of "caretaker government" does not exist in the constitution - to organize elections," Sosoaca told journalists after the consultations. "We are in mourning. Condolences for Romania, condolences for the Romanian people, because democracy died and we have been mourning it for two years now. What an irony of fate: a usurper of the presidential office to summon, to invite the "banned" presidential candidate to Cotroceni [the Romanian presidential residence] exactly two years after Romanian state institutions and secret services - both domestic and foreign - decided to eliminate the only woman who could change everything. Just imagine having a president like me - a person who would put them all in prison and return our resources," the leader of SOS Romania said with a smile. The chair of the far-right Party of Young People (POT) Anamaria Gavrila expressed the opinion that openness is needed and all political parties and people in parliament must understand that a government is needed. "We, from POT, are here because we want to help, and we certainly will not be the ones who will block the formation of a government," she said. Representatives of the United for Romania parliamentary group have once again nominated Victor Ponta for the post of Prime Minister of Romania. "We came again with the desire to help resolve the difficult political and economic situation that Romania is facing. We expressed our support for the candidate for Prime Minister proposed by President Nicusor Dan. We confirmed the same proposal that we presented during the first round of consultations – Mr. Victor Ponta for the post of Prime Minister. I hope that the President will consider our proposal and we will be able to help resolve this crisis," said the leader of the parliamentary group, Razvan Chirita. Balkans BTA correspondent Martina Gancheva Atanas Malakchiev https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218225-energy-ministers-of-bulgaria-greece-north-macedonia-serbia-to-meet-in-belgrad https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218225-energy-ministers-of-bulgaria-greece-north-macedonia-serbia-to-meet-in-belgrad Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:10:44 +0300 Bulgarian Energy Minister Iva Petrova will be attending the second quadrilateral forum of the energy ministers of Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria in Belgrade Tuesday, her Ministry told BTA. The four countries' officials will discuss the development of regional energy cooperation, Tanjug reported, citing the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy. In addition to Iva Petrova, the talks will be attended by Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic, Greek Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou, and North Macedonia's Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources Sanja Bozinovska. The main topics will include changes in the European energy market, diversification of supply routes and sources, and strengthening energy connectivity among the countries in the region. Particular attention is expected to be paid to infrastructure projects that could enhance the security and flexibility of natural gas and electricity supplies and reduce dependence on individual routes. The four countries also face the need to increase generation capacity and investment in renewable energy sources, Tanjug notes. The ministers are expected to discuss specific projects of regional importance and the next steps towards deepening cooperation in the areas of energy security, infrastructure and the interconnection of national energy markets. Balkans Tsvetozar Tsakov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218177-romain-gavras-sacrifice-partly-filmed-in-bulgaria-premieres-in-athens https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218177-romain-gavras-sacrifice-partly-filmed-in-bulgaria-premieres-in-athens Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:59:00 +0300 French director of Greek descent Romain Gavras presented his new film Sacrifice in Athens. Some of the scenes were filmed in Bulgaria. The Greek premiere of the film was held at the Onassis Foundation Stegi cultural centre, Greek media reported. The film is Gavras' first English-language feature. It was shot on locations in Greece, Bulgaria and Iceland. Filming lasted ten weeks and included scenes shot in caves in Greece and Bulgaria, as well as volcanic landscapes. Locations in Bulgaria include Prohodna Cave near Karlukovo, known as the "Eyes of God", which also appears in the trailer of the production. Key Greek locations include a marble quarry in the Drama region of northern Greece, the Lavrio area of southern Greece and the island of Santorini. Sacrifice is a satirical action-adventure film. The story centres on a charity event that is stormed by a radicalized group of eco-extremists. They take some of the guests hostage, convinced they can prevent an impending climate catastrophe through a sacrifice. The cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Evans, Vincent Cassel, Salma Hayek, John Malkovich and Charli XCX. The film was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, ahead of its Athens premiere. Balkans Kristina Ivanova BTA correspondent Ivan Lazarov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218136-turkish-president-erdogan-announces-turkiye-s-plans-to-build-spaceport-in-somali https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1218136-turkish-president-erdogan-announces-turkiye-s-plans-to-build-spaceport-in-somali Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:37:11 +0300 Turkiye and Somalia have signed an agreement under which Turkiye will build a spaceport in the African country, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced at the opening of an international space congress in Antalya, attended by scientists and representatives from 111 countries on Monday.  “Today, to be in space, it is not enough to produce satellites alone, but to reach it. For this reason, we have a special place in our National Space Program for the goal of reaching space and building facilities for launching, guiding and landing spacecraft. Considering Turkiye's geographical location, together with friendly and brotherly Somalia, we are laying the foundations for historic cooperation in the field of space. We have started the construction activities of a spaceport that we will build in Somalia," said Erdogan.  Turkiye's national space program, which was unveiled in 2021, has a 10-year plan, which includes reaching the Moon, developing a globally competitive satellite brand, establishing a regional positioning and timing system, improving astronomical observations and tracking capabilities of space objects, and developing a domestic space industry and a technological development zone. A manned space mission is also among its goals.  In his speech in Antalya, the Turkish president reviewed the achievements of Islamic scientists over the centuries in the development of astronomy. Regarding Turkiye's current achievements, Erdogan stressed that the country's progress in technology and engineering also finds application in space sciences. "In 2024, we launched our first national and local communication satellite, Türksat 6A, into space and put it into operation. This once again strengthened our self-confidence in terms of Turkish engineering talent, industrial capacity, human resources and our space technologies. But I would also like to emphasize the following: for us, Space is not just about satellites. Space research and human space activities are also among the important elements of our National Space Program. In 2024, with the sending of Alper Gezeravci to the International Space Station, our country carried out its first human space mission," Erdogan commented. Among the highlights of Turkiye's space program in the speech was the preparation for a mission to the Moon. Erdogan reported that work for the creation, assembly and system integration of a Turkish lunar rover have already been completed, adding that over 80% of the components were manufactured locally. Balkans BTA correspondent Ayshe Sali Atanas Malakchiev https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217992-foreign-ministers-of-bulgaria-north-macedonia-may-hold-meeting-on-thursday-fo https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217992-foreign-ministers-of-bulgaria-north-macedonia-may-hold-meeting-on-thursday-fo Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:17:00 +0300 The Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Velislava Petrova and Timco Mucunski, will have an opportunity to meet on the sidelines of a forum on Thursday, Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry the Bulgarian News Agency in response to an inquiry. An international ministerial conference on Pan-European Corridor VIII will be held in Sofia on October 8, hosted by Petrova and attended by Mucunski. The two ministers may hold a meeting on the sidelines as part of the regular dialogue between the two countries, the Ministry said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen advised North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski that Mucunski should seek talks with the Bulgarian foreign minister during the upcoming meeting in Sofia in an effort to “restore the country’s path towards EU accession negotiations.” According to Mickoski, a note requesting a bilateral meeting was immediately sent to Sofia. Bulgaria Yoana Vodenicharova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217639-one-moderate-two-nationalist-candidates-win-seats-on-bosnia-and-herzegovina-pre https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217639-one-moderate-two-nationalist-candidates-win-seats-on-bosnia-and-herzegovina-pre Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:21:00 +0300 A moderate and two nationalist candidates will take seats on the three-member Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina following the October 4 elections. The candidates leading after 94.65% of ballots had been counted declared victory in statements. Invalid ballots accounted for 3.36% of all votes counted. Following the 1992-1995 inter-ethnic war, the Dayton Peace Agreement divided Bosnia and Herzegovina into two semi-autonomous entities: Republika Srpska, populated mainly by Bosnian Serbs, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, home to Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats. Each entity has its own government, parliament and police, while the two are linked through state-level institutions, including the judiciary, armed forces, security services and tax administration. Under Article V of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Presidency comprises three members representing the country's three main ethnic groups -  one Bosniak, one Serb, and one Croat. Denis Becirovic, the candidate of the moderate Social Democratic Party (SDP), thanked voters who supported him. Free, anti-fascist and civic Bosnia and Herzegovina is alive, he said in a statement to the media, quoted by Bosnia and Herzegovina's national broadcaster BHRT. According to the preliminary results, Becirovic leads the race for the Bosniak seat with 26.78% of the vote, followed by Bakir Izetbegovic, leader of the nationalist Party of Democratic Action (SDA), with 23.88%. Darijana Filipovic, the candidate of the nationalist Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) for the Croat seat on the Presidency, declared victory, saying she hoped that cooperation among the three Presidency members would demonstrate that Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions can work differently. "The main issue should not be whether the result is 2:1 or 1:2, but whether our decisions are such that we respect one another," Filipovic said. She won the seat with 13.86% of the vote, while the moderate Democratic Front candidate, Slaven Kovacevic, came second with 9.11%. Milorad Dodik, former president of Republika Srpska and chairman of the ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), declared victory for his party at all levels. SNSD candidate Zeljka Cvijanovic, who was leading in the Central Election Commission's preliminary results, said the party's policy was aimed at a stable and strong Republika Srpska. This is a great victory for SNSD led by Chairman Milorad Dodik, she wrote on Instagram. "We will continue to strengthen Republika Srpska's position internationally; this will be my responsibility." Based on the votes counted so far, Cvijanovic won the Presidency seat with a large lead of 55.33%, while Marinko Bozovic of the Serb Democratic Party came second with 26.55%. If confirmed, the results will give Becirovic and Cvijanovic their second terms on the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Filipovic will serve her first term. Voter turnout at the end of election day was 42.02%. Balkans Diana Dukovska Teodora Lyubenova BTA special correspondent Simona-Alex Mihaleva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217633-ecumenical-patriarchate-welcomes-bulgaria-greece-exchange-of-historical-relics- https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217633-ecumenical-patriarchate-welcomes-bulgaria-greece-exchange-of-historical-relics- Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:17:00 +0300 The Ecumenical Patriarchate has welcomed the exchange of historical relics between Greece and Bulgaria, according to a statement published on its website. It has also expressed satisfaction with “the beginning of the return from Bulgaria of valuable and holy objects, taken more than a hundred years ago from holy metropolises and monasteries” under the Patriarchate’s jurisdiction.  On Saturday, following an agreement between the Ministries of Culture of Bulgaria and Greece, the remains of Tsar Samuel - discovered in the 1960s on the island of Saint Achilles in present-day Greece - arrived in Sofia during a solemn ceremony. For its part, Bulgaria sent 53 items to Greece - church artifacts previously housed at the National History Museum - which had been taken from Northern Greece primarily during World War I. The dioceses in Northern Greece belong to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, although they have been entrusted by it to the administration of the Greek Orthodox Church (the Archdiocese of Athens). The statement from the Ecumenical Patriarchate refers to this as “the beginning of the return,” because “it hopes that this restitution (of the relics) will be completed swiftly, in accordance with the dictates of moral order and international law, and even more so within the framework of the cordial relations between the two neighboring and allied countries, both of which are members of the European Union.” Balkans Dimitrina Solakova Petar Kadrev https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217537-preliminary-results-show-no-surprises-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina-s-general-electi https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217537-preliminary-results-show-no-surprises-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina-s-general-electi Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:57:00 +0300 Preliminary results from Bosnia and Herzegovina's general elections on Sunday show no surprises, figures from the country's Central Election Commission (CEC) indicate. CEC Chair Jovan Kalaba said the results were based on 1,291,004 ballots counted. Incumbent Bosniak member of the three-member Presidency Denis Becirovic, representing the moderate Social Democratic Party (SDP), leads with 26.66%, or 198,587 votes. Bakir Izetbegovic of the nationalist Bosniak Party of Democratic Action (SDA) is second with 23.72%, or 176,729 votes. Semir Efendic of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina is third with 18.07%, while Fahrudin Radoncic of the Union for a Better Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina is fourth with 1.50%. In the race for the Croat seat in the Presidency, Darijana Filipovic of the nationalist Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) leads with 14%, or 104,293 votes. Slaven Kovacevic of the moderate Democratic Front is second with 9.13%, or 51,284 votes. Independent candidate Zdenko Lucic follows with 6.88%. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where voters elect the Bosniak and Croat members of the Presidency, 790,383 ballots have been processed, including 759,776 valid ballots. Serb Presidency member Zeljka Cvijanovic is on course for a second term with 55.35%, or 276,225 votes. She represents the nationalist Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), which governs Republika Srpska. Marinko Bozovic of the moderate Serb Democratic Party (SDS) is second with 26.57%, or 132,609 votes. Nebojsa Vukanovic of For Justice and Order is third with 18.06%, or 90,145 votes. Of the 525,201 ballots processed in the election for the Serb seat in the Presidency, 498,979 have been declared valid. With 525,629 ballots processed in the election for president of Republika Srpska, SNSD candidate Savo Minic leads with 52.13%, or 261,080 votes. SDS candidate Branko Blanusa follows with 41.91%, or 209,862 votes. In the state parliamentary election, the SDA leads in the Federation with 31.50%, followed by the SDP with 15.54% and the HDZ BiH-led coalition with 13.11%. Six other parties are above the 3% electoral threshold. In Republika Srpska, the SNSD leads with 40.96%, followed by the Drasko Stanivukovic - Sigurna Srpska list with 15.08% and the SDS with 13.20%. Five other parties have crossed the threshold. In the election for the Federation's parliament, 790,216 ballots have been processed. The SDA leads with 30.57%, followed by the SDP with 15.35% and HDZ BiH with 13.63%. Six other parties are currently above the electoral threshold. With 525,725 ballots counted in the election for Republika Srpska's parliament, the ruling SNSD leads with 38.93%. The Drasko Stanivukovic - Sigurna Srpska list is second with 14.12%, followed by the SDS with 12.27%. Five other parties have crossed the threshold. Voters also elected the parliaments of the Federation's ten cantons, where the leading Bosniak and Croat parties were again ahead. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time, or 8 a.m. Bulgarian time. Most closed at 7 p.m., or 8 p.m. Bulgarian time, but some were still open to compensate for delayed starts caused by difficulties with the newly introduced biometric identification and ballot-scanning technologies. Updated preliminary results were expected once those ballots had also been counted. These were the first elections to use biometric voter identification and optical ballot scanners, introduced to improve electoral security. CEC and non-governmental organizations said the new procedures had generally not caused difficulties for voters. The commission and individual political parties had run public information campaigns to explain the procedures. Turnout stood at 42.02% at 7 p.m., CEC said. About 3.4 million citizens were eligible to vote. Separately, around 48,000 of the approximately 1.6 million Bosnians living abroad had registered. The elections covered the three Presidency seats representing the country's constituent peoples, Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks, and a total of 518 parliamentary seats at state, entity and cantonal level. A total of 5,569 polling stations were set up across the country, including 5,121 regular stations and 385 mobile units. Citizens abroad could vote at 20 diplomatic missions in 13 countries. About 30,000 Bosnian and foreign observers, including 756 from abroad, were accredited for the elections. The Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the 1992-1995 interethnic war, divided Bosnia and Herzegovina into two semi-autonomous entities: Republika Srpska, populated predominantly by Bosnian Serbs, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Bosnian Croats live. Each entity has its own government, parliament and police force. They share state-level institutions, including the judiciary, armed forces, security services and tax administration. Balkans BTA special correspondent Simona-Alex Mihaleva Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217485-turkiye-s-president-erdogan-hails-revolution-in-turkiye-s-defence-and-aviation-i https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217485-turkiye-s-president-erdogan-hails-revolution-in-turkiye-s-defence-and-aviation-i Sun, 04 Oct 2026 18:23:46 +0300 Turkiye is revolutionizing its defence and aviation industries, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday in an address at the Teknofest technology festival. Speaking to a large crowd in Sanliurfa, southeastern Turkiye, Erdogan described the country's progress as "a true revolution". His speech was broadcast live on CNN Turk. "Defence products, software, platforms and equipment developed using domestic resources and capabilities are already in service with the Turkish armed forces and security forces. Turkiye, whose defence industry used to be 80% dependent on foreign suppliers, is now the world's 11th-largest defence exporter. In August alone this year, Turkiye exported defence and aviation products worth USD 511.4 million. From January to August this year, exports in the sector increased by 16.2% compared with the same period last year, reaching USD 6.3 billion. More than 4,500 companies and over 100,000 employees in the sector are carrying out projects in the air, on land, at sea and in space under the coordination of the Presidency of Defence Industries," Erdogan said. Turkiye also meets the defence needs of friendly and allied countries upon request, he added. "Turkiye sees strengthening its friends as increasing its own strength and aims to further consolidate its position in the defence industry by setting new records and developing competitive platforms with high added value," Erdogan said. Teknofest, which has been running at GAP Airport in Sanliurfa since September 30, ends on Sunday. The festival showcases domestically produced naval, land and air vehicles. It also brings together thousands of technology enthusiasts, young investors and visitors for shows, exhibitions and technology competitions in 14 categories. Balkans BTA exclusive by Nahide Deniz Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217458-bulgarian-air-force-navy-locate-drifting-cargo-ship-in-black-sea https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217458-bulgarian-air-force-navy-locate-drifting-cargo-ship-in-black-sea Sun, 04 Oct 2026 17:18:00 +0300 Bulgarian Air Force and Navy personnel located a drifting cargo ship in the Black Sea during a reconnaissance mission on Sunday, the Defence Ministry said. Air Force crews in two Cougar helicopters, with Navy specialists on board, searched for the motor vessel EMIL and assessed its condition between 11:30 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. The ship is 40 nautical miles east of Cape Shabla. The ministry said a drone strike near Odesa on August 5 had caused a fire and technical systems failures, leaving the vessel unable to manoeuvre. Its crew abandoned it, and the ship has since been drifting in Romania's exclusive economic zone, with sea currents carrying it south towards Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. The Bulgarian Navy has issued a notice to mariners warning of an uncrewed vessel not under command in the area. The relevant authorities continue to monitor the ship and remain ready to take any necessary action if the situation changes. Bulgaria Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217425-bulgarian-wanted-under-european-arrest-warrant-detained-in-greece https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217425-bulgarian-wanted-under-european-arrest-warrant-detained-in-greece Sun, 04 Oct 2026 16:40:00 +0300 A 45-year-old man wanted under a European Arrest Warrant issued by the Stara Zagora District Court in July this year in connection with the misappropriation of vehicles was detained during a police check on Sunday in the Greek city of Polygyros, the press service of the Plovdiv Appellate Prosecution Office said. Charges have been brought against the defendant, identified by the initials Y.Y., by the Stara Zagora District Prosecution Office, and he has been held criminally liable for unlawfully appropriating various types and makes of vehicles - five passenger cars, six trucks and one trailer - in Stara Zagora between October 3 and November 28 last year and refusing to return them. During the investigation, the defendant was repeatedly summoned by the Stara Zagora District Prosecution Office to appear for investigative and procedural actions and to be formally charged, but he failed to appear and went into hiding. He was therefore placed on a nationwide wanted list, the prosecution service said. Following Y.Y.’s transfer from the Greek to the Bulgarian authorities, the prosecution service will ask the court to remand him in custody. The investigation established that Y.Y. contacted a company based in Stara Zagora that was engaged in the purchase, sale and rental of vehicles. He signed rental and purchase-and-sale agreements for passenger cars, trucks and a trailer, including vehicles of the Mercedes, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche makes. At various times in 2025, he stopped making the payments due under the agreements and refused to return the vehicles he had taken from the company after due notifications had been sent through a private enforcement agent. Following his detention, Y.Y. will be handed over to the prosecution service attached to the Thessaloniki Court of Appeal with a view to initiating proceedings for the execution of the European Arrest Warrant, the prosecution said. Bulgaria Momchil Rusev BTA correspondent Pavlina Dudeva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217380-bosnia-and-herzegovina-holds-general-elections https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217380-bosnia-and-herzegovina-holds-general-elections Sun, 04 Oct 2026 14:17:00 +0300 General elections are being held in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday, with citizens voting for three members of the Presidency, members of the state parliament, as well as members of the parliaments of Bosnia’s two constituent entities - Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Muslim-Croat Federation), for the president of Republika Srpska and for members of cantonal parliaments within the Muslim-Croat Federation. These are the first elections in which Bosnian citizens will also vote using new technologies for biometric voter identification, as well as optical ballot scanners. The aim of the innovations is to increase the security of the electoral process. Bosnia’s Central Election Commission (CEC), as well as individual political parties, have conducted campaigns to familiarise voters with the new technologies and explain how voting will take place on Sunday. The CEC said earlier that it expected the process to take about three minutes, but Bosnia’s Personal Data Protection Agency, quoted by Republika Srpska’s public broadcaster RTRS, said a more realistic estimate was three to five minutes or even longer. A total of 30,000 observers, including 756 foreign observers, have been accredited for the general elections. Following the 1992-1995 inter-ethnic war in Bosnia, the Dayton Peace Agreement divided Bosnia and Herzegovina into two semi-autonomous entities - Republika Srpska, populated predominantly by Bosnian Serbs, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Bosnian Croats live. Each entity has its own government, parliament and police force, while the two are linked through common state-level institutions, including the judiciary, armed forces, security services and tax administration. The Dayton Agreement also regulates the role of the international community’s High Representative, who has broad powers, including the authority to impose laws and dismiss public officials. Balkans Momchil Rusev BTA special correspondent Simona-Alex Mihaleva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217295-vucic-if-elected-pm-i-will-reduce-number-of-ministers-and-not-impose-sanctions https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217295-vucic-if-elected-pm-i-will-reduce-number-of-ministers-and-not-impose-sanctions Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:09:00 +0300 Former Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic who heads the list of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) said during a meeting in Belgrade Saturday night that if he wins the upcoming parliamentary election, the new government will consist of just 12 ministers, instead of the current 31. He stated that if he is elected prime minister, his government would "maintain continuity in foreign policy" and would not impose sanctions on Russia. Vucic stated that any result below 50% on October 25, when early parliamentary elections are due to be held in Serbia, would be a failure for his party. The decision to call new election came following months of mass anti-government protests led by students, after a tragic incident in Novi Sad, where on November 1, 2024, 16 people were killed and one was severely injured when the canopy at the railway station collapsed. The student movement, which emerged spontaneously during the protests, will stand in an election for the first time after registering its electoral list of independent candidates. If elected, Vucic intends for his government to allocate EUR 1.3 to 1.4 billion a year to build 60 hospitals in 60 local jurisdictions over the next four years. The former president said that he was dissatisfied with the state of the energy sector. He stated: "Serbia will need much more electricity. We will have to consider small and large nuclear power stations, as well as renewable energy sources." Balkans Nikolay Zabov BTA Correspondent Teodora Encheva https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217227-bulgaria-open-to-talks-with-north-macedonia-without-ultimatums-president-iotova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217227-bulgaria-open-to-talks-with-north-macedonia-without-ultimatums-president-iotova Sat, 03 Oct 2026 20:21:44 +0300 Bulgaria remains open to talks with North Macedonia without ultimatums or departures from European Union policy, President Iliana Iotova told journalists on Saturday. "Bulgaria is a full member of the European Union, and we cannot allow a country on the path to EU membership to reject the EU's values and virtues," Iotova said. She was attending commemorations marking the 114th anniversary of the liberation of Gorna Dzhumaya, now Blagoevgrad. She was responding to a question about a diplomatic note in which North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski proposed a bilateral meeting of the two countries' foreign ministers, following advice from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "This is not the first time the government of North Macedonia has received advice from such a senior figure in the EU. I still do not know the details of the private meeting between Mickoski and von der Leyen. I very much hope that she was extremely firm this time," Iotova said. She added that a report on North Macedonia's progress towards EU accession would be published within two weeks for consideration by the European Commission. For the talks to be meaningful, Mickoski needed to read the EU's enlargement policy towards North Macedonia carefully and stop treating the issue as bilateral, Iotova added. "I would also like Iva Mihaylova's case to be resolved first, as we have raised it with the highest possible European and international institutions," she said. Iotova questioned the initiative's sincerity. She said she was now in the third month of waiting for a reply to the letter she had personally sent to North Macedonia's President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova about Mihaylova's case. "Let us remain cautiously optimistic. I will speak to our Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova. I want to see the exact text of the note and how it is worded," Iotova said. Bulgaria Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217162-vazrazhdane-leader-kostadinov-says-tsar-samuel-never-left-his-homeland https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217162-vazrazhdane-leader-kostadinov-says-tsar-samuel-never-left-his-homeland Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:38:32 +0300 The heartland of the First Bulgarian Empire is divided into three parts, but Bulgarian is still spoken in each, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said on Saturday. He was commenting on the return of Tsar Samuel's remains to present-day Bulgaria in a statement circulated by the party's press office. "St Achillios Island is a little piece of paradise tucked away in the heart of Prespa, in the middle of Small Prespa Lake. Prespa is now divided among three countries (Macedonia, Greece and Albania), but 1,000 years ago this was the heart of Bulgaria," Kostadinov added. He said reburying Samuel's remains in Sofia was the best option given the uncertainties of the present day, but added that "strictly speaking, he has never left his home". He said there was no difference between Sofia and the village of St Achillios, describing both as settlements inhabited by Bulgarians on ancestral Bulgarian land. Kostadinov denied that the religious artefacts returned to Greece had been stolen by Bulgarian troops from Greek monasteries in 1917. He said the monasteries had been founded and inhabited by Bulgarians and liberated by Bulgarian troops in 1912 following the end of Ottoman rule. In his account, Greece occupied them in 1913, but Bulgaria liberated them in 1916, with the process repeated in 1918, 1941 and 1944. He added that the Bulgarian authorities had evacuated the artefacts to protect them from the fighting and had succeeded in preserving them. Kostadinov also called on the state to erect a fitting memorial at the site. He said there was currently only a modest inscription in Greek and English noting that the Basilica of St Achillios had been built by Bulgarian Tsar Samuel, with no mention that the legendary Bulgarian ruler had been buried there alongside his son Gavrail Radomir, his nephew Ivan Vladislav and his son-in-law Ivan Vladimir. Tsar Samuel had never left his homeland, Vazrazhdane's Angel Georgiev told journalists after the Bulgaria Welcomes Tsar Samuel ceremony. He said the party rejected descriptions of Samuel as returning, arguing that he had never left, even though historical upheavals had placed ancestral Bulgarian lands outside Bulgaria's present-day borders. Georgiev said Vazrazhdane would launch an initiative to install a memorial plaque in the village of St Achillios. He added that Bulgarians still inhabited those lands and spoke Bulgarian, and that the Bulgarian minority in the Aegean region should not be forgotten and should receive support. Asked about the foreign policy implications of transferring and burying Samuel's remains in Bulgaria, Kostadinov said it made sense for them to be in Bulgaria, which was the safest place for them under current circumstances. He added that the whole world knew Samuel was a Bulgarian tsar and one of Bulgaria's great rulers. Whatever various pseudohistorians claimed, there was only one truth, which could not be rewritten for political or other purposes, he said. Bulgaria Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217158-north-macedonia-s-pm-cites-bled-agreement-in-comments-on-tsar-samuel-s-remains https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217158-north-macedonia-s-pm-cites-bled-agreement-in-comments-on-tsar-samuel-s-remains Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:01:00 +0300 North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski cited the Bled Agreement on Saturday in his first comments on the transfer of Tsar Samuel's remains to Bulgaria. He said the agreement had been "reached immediately after the capitulation of fascist Bulgaria, which occupied the territory of present-day Macedonia during the Second World War". The transfer has drawn media coverage and discussion on social networks in North Macedonia for several days. Responding to a journalist's question after visiting a bridge construction site in Skopje, Mickoski expressed regret that the Bled Agreement was rarely discussed in the country. "As for the transfer of the remains, I would go back several decades, to when the remains of the great Macedonian [Georgi] Delchev were brought to Skopje as a result of the Bled Agreement. This is something that should make us proud as Macedonians, because the remains of this great man, who was ahead of his time, have great symbolic importance for Macedonian identity," Mickoski said. He also referred indirectly to former prime minister Zoran Zaev, who said in a 2020 interview with a Bulgarian media outlet that Bulgaria had administered the territory of present-day North Macedonia during the Second World War. "Some call it 'administration'. Fortunately, they are no longer in power, but they are still active in the opposition," Mickoski said. The transfer of Tsar Samuel's remains to Bulgaria was among the leading news stories in North Macedonia on Saturday. Balkans Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217146-tsar-samuel-s-soul-found-its-way-to-the-motherland-president-iotova https://www.bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/1217146-tsar-samuel-s-soul-found-its-way-to-the-motherland-president-iotova Sat, 03 Oct 2026 16:48:26 +0300 Commenting on the return of Tsar Samuel's remains to Bulgaria on Saturday, President Iliana Iotova said that Samuel's soul found its way to its motherland. Iotova said: "I am sure that he is at peace now, because he is in Bulgaria. It is as though his blinded soldiers had regained their sight to show him the way to Bulgaria and to his people." Earlier Saturday, Bulgaria welcomed the remains of Samuel with a solemn state ceremony in downtown Sofia. As the Bulgarian national anthem was played, 21 artillery salutes were fired. Samuel's remains were then escorted to St Sophia Basilica where the coffin containing the remains was placed in a marble sarcophagus. Bulgaria Nikolay Zabov Marin Kolev https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217152-turkiye-seizes-nearly-a-tonne-of-drugs-in-nationwide-raids https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217152-turkiye-seizes-nearly-a-tonne-of-drugs-in-nationwide-raids Sat, 03 Oct 2026 16:46:00 +0300 Turkish security forces carried out large-scale anti-drug operations in 75 of Turkiye's 81 provinces, state broadcaster TRT Haber said on Saturday, citing an Interior Ministry statement. Officers seized 958.77 kg of drugs and 1.5 million drug tablets. Detention orders were issued for 1,297 suspects, of whom 714 were remanded in custody and another 179 placed under judicial supervision. Local public prosecutors' offices coordinated the operations, which were carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Department of the General Directorate of Security in Ankara and provincial police departments. A total of 4,863 police officers, 18 helicopters and 45 trained dogs were deployed. Balkans BTA exclusive by Nahide Deniz Kaloyan Kirilov https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217126-greek-media-report-on-tsar-samuel-s-remains-handover-and-return-of-48-ecclesiast https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/1217126-greek-media-report-on-tsar-samuel-s-remains-handover-and-return-of-48-ecclesiast Sat, 03 Oct 2026 16:29:16 +0300 Greek media gave extensive coverage to Saturday's ceremony in Thessaloniki marking the handover of the remains of Tsar Samuel to Bulgaria and the return of 48 ecclesiastical relics to Greece, with the main focus being on the historical significance of the agreement, the origin of the relics and the scientific evidence used to identify the remains. The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) described the arrangement as a historic agreement and covered the signing of the handover protocols at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki in the presence of Rumen Radev and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the prime ministers of Bulgaria and Greece. ERT noted that 48 relics are being returned to Greece more than a century after they were taken to Bulgaria, and that the Greek side is handing over the remains identified as belonging to Samuel. Kathimerini devoted considerable attention to the question of how the remains were identified. The newspaper reported that a great deal of scientific research was carried out, including an anthropological analysis at the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. A proteomic analysis was also carried out at the Bonn Center for ArchaeoSciences. Kathimerini further cited the burial site, the type of sarcophagus, the dating of the burial cloth and the signs of trauma to the left arm as evidence supporting the initial identification by Prof. Nikolaos Moutsopoulos, who discovered the remains in 1969. Kathimerini's article reads: "The [48] artifacts being returned to Greece were removed in 1917, during World War I, and were subsequently held or displayed at Bulgaria's National Museum of History in Sofia. They come from the Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa, the Monastery of Timios Prodromos in Serres and the Metropolitan Diocese of Serres and Nigrita in northern Greece. [...] The returned Greek artifacts are on display at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki through November 5. They will then be formally handed over to the monasteries and the diocese from which they were removed more than a century ago." Bulgaria also received the remains of two more sarcophagi that were discovered in the same church on the island of Agios Achillios. Moutsopoulos believed that the remains in them belong to Tsar Gavril Radomir and to other members of the royal family. Proto Thema focused primarily on the return of the 48 relics to Greece and published photographs of some of them. The publication noted that the items were taken to Bulgaria in 1917 during the First World War. The Thessaloniki-based publication Voria highlighted their origin and noted that they consist mainly of church vestments and gospel covers. Voria reported that the relics will be presented to the public by the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, on October 10. Balkans Nikolay Zabov BTA correspondent Ivan Lazarov