European Union

The Albanian government is in favour of Sweden and Finland joining NATO, according to the latest decision of the Council of Ministers on Thursday. Albania has been a member of NATO since 2009. It has aligned itself with the position...

The US supports Kosovo’s plan to join NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme, US Ambassador Julianne Smith said on Thursday after Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti expressed his country’s desire to join. In an interview with RFL, Smith spoke about the...

During the past few weeks? Europe has been experiencing a moment of transformation of its external environment and of itself. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is undoubtedly a milestone in modern Western history - a strong turning point - maybe stronger than the financial crisis of 2009 or the migration crisis of 2016

Montenegro could be poised to join the Open Balkan initiative as Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, whose country, together with Albania and North Macedonia are members, has invited Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazović to the ‘Open Balkan Summit’ in Ohrid on...

The US embassy, and the EU delegation in Sarajevo have criticised the biggest Croat party in Bosnia-Herzegovina, HDZ BiH, for blocking the approval of financing for the national parliamentary elections due on 2 October. “HDZ BiH blocking election funding disregards...

Same-sex couples are entitled to apply for child adoption as any other treatment would be discriminatory and not in line with European practice, Croatia’s high administrative court has said in a historic ruling that ended a same-sex couple’s six-year-long legal...

Slovak customs are currently overwhelmed by the increase in trains carrying goods crossing the Ukrainian border as Russia’s blockade on ports has forced Ukraine to deliver goods via train instead. Trains with goods were stuck at the borders due to...

Voluntary basic military service is such a tempting option that Poland will be able to double the size of its army, said Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, the Polish government began talking about its plans...

Over 54,000 foreigners applied for Portuguese nationality in 2021, and the Foreigners Service issued 46,855 positive opinions, mostly to citizens from Israel and Brazil, the annual Internal Security Report (RASI) has found. The 2021 report was approved this week by the...

The government on Thursday announced plans for a new official secrets bill and reforms to the National Intelligence Centre (CNI) after the agency acknowledged using Pegasus spyware to infiltrate mobile phones belonging to pro-Catalan independence politicians and activists. The new...

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday (26 May) discussed ways to help ease the international food crisis, with the Kremlin saying this could be done only if the West lifts sanctions.

The Public Health Agency confirmed another monkeypox case on Wednesday after a person living in Västra Götaland, in Southern Sweden, tested positive for the virus. This comes after the country’s first case was reported on 19 May. “The current outbreak shows what...

The Baltic Sea has faced grave environmental consequences following the war in Ukraine. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – also known as the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) – currently chaired by Germany, suspended its meetings a week after the Russian...

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the request from Kyiv to join the European Union has reverberated through the blocs’ capitals. The question of whether to grant the country ‘candidate status’, the first major step on the long, winding road to EU...

Every household will get an energy bill discount of £400 in the autumn as part of a series of government handouts to be financed in part by a new 25% levy on oil and gas firms, the government announced on...

A “quick solution” must be found to lift Turkey’s veto on the NATO membership of Finland and Sweden, President Emmanuel Macron told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has repeatedly voiced his opposition to Finland and Sweden joining the Atlantic...

Belarusian opposition members Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Veronika Tsepkalo, and Maria Kalesnikava are “the bravest women in Europe,” said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock as the three women were awarded the Charlemagne Prize on Thursday. The three women were awarded the prize “in...

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is scheduled to discuss further cooperation and a new gas contract with Russian President Vladimir Putin at 11 am Sunday, said Vučić who hopes “the conversation will be good and fair.” When touring a bypass being...

The gas connection between Bulgaria and Greece will start operating on 1 July, with Bulgaria poised to receive one billion cubic metres of gas from Azerbaijan – enough to meet the country’s needs during summer, with prices expected to be...

Czechs who need to travel frequently due to the upcoming EU Council presidency in June will likely face flight problems as only one company currently operates two direct flights from Prague to Brussels Zaventem airport. Brussels Airlines currently flies twice...