Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov Seeks To Attend OSCE Meeting In Skopje

As the rotating chair of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), North Macedonia has a problem, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani. The pan-European security body will hold its annual ministerial meeting in Skopje from 30 November to 1 December.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has asked to attend, but he is under personal sanctions over Russia's aggression in Ukraine. Moreover, the airspace of North Macedonia, which has joined the sanctions against Moscow, is closed to Russian planes. Neighbouring countries, with the exception of Serbia, also do not allow Russian flights. "We have to make some logistical efforts," said Osmani, who reported that Lavrov had asked to be allowed to enter Skopje. Lavrov has been denied permission to attend the 2022 OSCE meeting in Warsaw, BGNESS recalls.

Romanian entrepreneur embarks on 14-hour run around government building in protest of fiscal measures

Romanian businessman Cosmin Răileanu protests by running around the government building in Bucharest for 14 hours. The protest is against the new tax and budget measures introduced on 1 November, which include new social security contributions for IT professionals, restrictions on cash payments and a cash limit for companies of up to 50,000 lei (10,000 euro). Cosmin Răileanu told B1 television that the measures would put entrepreneurs with small and medium-sized businesses out of business and scare away foreign investors. The marathon, which lasts 14 hours and 110 kilometres, consists of 168 laps of about 650 metres each, symbolising the average number of hours an entrepreneur spends on his business every day to meet his obligations to the state. Last year, Cosmin Railianu ran the distance from Bacău to Râmnicu Sărat in over 20 hours to raise awareness of the dangers posed by the E85 road, also known as the "road of death".

Greece in desperate need of seasonal workers

Olive plantation owners in Greece are facing a severe shortage of workers for the new harvest. Mega TV reported. The shortage of seasonal workers has led to a 25% increase in daily wages compared to last season, to between 50 and 60 euros, according to the Agronews website. Although it has been a bad year and the harvest is down by a third, Crete alone needs at least 10,000 pickers. There are estimates that Greece is currently in need of 60-80,000 agricultural workers. Apart from the olive and citrus harvest, there is a shortage of labour in all agricultural sectors. In 2022, Greece signed an agreement with Egypt to recruit 5,000 seasonal workers, but according to government sources, there has been a significant delay in receiving the lists of applicants from the Egyptian side.

Turkish opposition chooses new leader for upcoming local elections

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has a new chairman, Reuters reports. The CHP has elected 49-year-old Ozgur Ozel as its new leader, ending the 13-year rule of incumbent Kemal Kilicdaroglu, as the country prepares for local elections on 31 March 2024. Ozel, 49, has served as the CHP's deputy parliamentary group leader since 2015 and has been a lawmaker since 2011. He announced his candidacy in September after Kilicdaroglu and the CHP suffered a painful defeat against President Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling political alliance in May's presidential and parliamentary elections, Reuters recalls. "We are on the road to victory in the local elections. We believed in turning hopelessness into hope, we are full of hope," Ozel said after the election, standing next to Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Kilicdaroglu has been criticised for failing to surpass the party's historic 25 per cent national support in 13 years at the helm.

Albania's census has been extended, with news outlets claiming pressure from Bulgaria and Greece

Pressure to count more ethnic minorities in the national census in a number of Albanian regions has been reported by top-channel.tv. The population and housing census in Albania began on 18 September and will continue until 15 November. It was supposed to end on 28 October, but was extended due to boycotts, difficulties in reaching remote areas, lack of contact with some neighbourhoods and illegal settlements. The questionnaires contain 100 questions, of which only three are optional - on the ethnicity, language and religion of Albanian citizens. The media claim that both in the past and now there has been pressure from neighbouring countries to inflate minority statistics, mentioning Greece, Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Statements by Bulgarian Vice-President Iliana Iotova and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis are quoted.