European Union mobilizes over EUR 3.3 billion in support for the Western Balkans

The European Union will mobilize a package of over EUR 3.3 billion in support of the health systems of the Western Balkans, Bulgaria’s Premier Boyko Borissov said at a briefing after the EU-Western Balkans Summit which took place via a video conference. The package provides macro-financial assistance to the tune of EUR 730 million for the needs of the socio-economic recovery. Apart from that, the European Investment Bank provides EUR 1.7 billion in project assistance. This is a huge financial injection for the countries from the Western Balkans, Premier Borissov noted and specified that he had asked Serbia’s President Vucic and other leaders “to make sure that the people from the Western Balkans learn about this European assistance”.

EU calls on Skopje to implement agreements with Greece and Bulgaria conscientiously

In the closing document of the video-conference summit of the leaders of the EU and the Western Balkans, the Union called on the Republic of North Macedonia to implement the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Good Neighbor Agreement with Bulgaria conscientiously. Bulgaria had already set its conditions for North Macedonia’s EU accession bid, Premier Borissov commented after the video conference summit. “Bulgaria categorically wants to find a solution to the historical issues”, the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Union Zoran Zaev said. “We reached an agreement on Tsar Samuil, Cyril and Methodius, St. Clement of Ohrid and St. Naum. We will find a solution to the Gotse Delchev issue as well. The citizens need to understand that this is a victory for both countries”, Zoran Zaev added.

Special trains to transport Romanian caretakers to Austria

The Romanian social workers who take care of the Austrian elderly will start arriving by special trains after May 10, the Austrian media announced. Bucharest and Vienna are negotiating a transport corridor for nearly 10,000 caretakers. The Austrian Railways are ready to accept the first emergency train on May 11 with nearly 350 Romania women. It had to arrive in the beginning of May, but Romania’s Minister for Transport Lucian Bode blocked the departure due to the state of emergency declared in Romania.

Distance learning in Albania will continue through the end of the school year

Albania has banned proms due to the Covid-19 crisis, this country’s Minister of Education Besa Shahini announced. The ban is due to the circumstance that physical distancing cannot be guaranteed at the proms. Minister Shahini also announced that distance learning will continue through the end of the school year and students and pupils will not be able to return to the classrooms. The schools in Albania were closed on March 9 and will open again in September.

Tension in Serbia ahead of the Parliamentary elections

Serbia’s National Assembly abolished the state of emergency in this country declared in conjunction with the Covid-19 pandemic. The Parliamentary elections will be held on June 21, President Alexander Vucic announced. The European Union is concerned about the political polarization in the country before the Parliamentary elections, Commission Vice President in charge of coordinating the external action of the European Union Josep Borrell commented. Actions of supporters of the government and the opposition are held in the capital Belgrade amidst the quarantine. The opposition called on the citizens to protest on their balconies and “make noise by banging pots against the tyranny”. The second group lights fires and fireworks “against the oligarchs who want to return in the government”. 

Greece to reopen schools for older students first

Restaurants in Greece may re-open on June 1, if the situation with the coronavirus continues to improve, this country’s Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced. The Greek teachers returned to schools to prepare for the resumption of the learning process. School leavers will go to school first on May 11. High school students should return to the classrooms on May 18. However, teachers’ unions in Greece are protesting that teachers are not provided with safe working conditions.

Turkey prepares for extraordinary tourist season

On June 12 Turkey will be expecting the first tourists from Germany and Russia. The hotels will provide quarantine areas where guests with high temperature, cough or other alarming symptoms will be accommodated. The hotel staff will complete special training to learn how to protect themselves, how to wear protective equipment, etc. The whole equipments will be disinfected on a regular basis. Disinfectants will be placed in the restaurants and the distance between the tables will be 1.5 meters. All spices will be served in single packs. The gyms and Spa zones in the hotels remain closed. Tourists must follow certain rules if they want to use the swimming pools.

Compiled by: Ivo Ivanov

English version: Kostadin Atanasov