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Balkan developments
Athens: Tirana must respect the rights of its Greek minority to join the EUGreece has warned Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama that respect for the rights of the Greek minority in Albania remains an explicit condition for Tirana's EU accession. Rama r
Athens: Tirana must respect the rights of its Greek minority to join the EU
Greece has warned Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama that respect for the rights of the Greek minority in Albania remains an explicit condition for Tirana's EU accession. Rama recently told 2,500 of his compatriots in Thessaloniki that the issue of Northern Epirus (a former Greek region now in southern Albania) belonged to the past and that "those who use this term are deluding themselves". Diplomatic sources in Athens sent a strong message to Rama, stressing that "history cannot be written off". "The Greek state's position was reported by state television ERT: "Athens' demand for full respect for the rights of the Greek ethnic minority is an explicit condition for Albania's accession process, in line with the unanimous position of the 27 EU member states on 11 October 2024."
Turkish nationalists want fourth presidential term for Recep Erdogan
According to the Turkish constitution, President Recep Erdogan - already in his third term - cannot run in the 2028 elections. The law allows an exception for a president in his last term if parliament calls for early elections, BTA reports. Erdogan has ruled Turkey as prime minister and president for more than 21 years. Erdogan's main political ally, Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said on Tuesday that a constitutional amendment should be considered to allow the president to extend his tenure. "Wouldn't it be a natural and right choice to have our president re-elected if terror is eradicated, if inflation is dealt a heavy blow and if Turkey secures political and economic stability? A constitutional amendment should be considered to ensure that Erdogan can run again in the presidential elections," he told MHP lawmakers.
President Aleksandar Vučić proposes referendum on resignation
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has proposed a consultative referendum for citizens to decide whether he should remain in office following the collapse of a concrete roof at Novi Sad railway station on 1 November, which killed 14 people and sparked public outrage. In his words, the protesters were actually calling for his resignation, reports Tanjug. In an interview with Serbian television 'Happy', Vucic said that if more than 50 per cent of citizens voted for his resignation, he would step down immediately and presidential and parliamentary elections would be held in the country. The protests in Novi Sad and Belgrade have been going on for a week. The resignation of construction minister Goran Vesic has not quelled the discontent. The roof collapsed after the renovation of the railway station was completed in July.
UNESCO concerned about pollution in Lake Ohrid
In July 2025, UNESCO is due to review the World Heritage status of Lake Ohrid. The organisation is closely monitoring the condition of the lake, and Ohrid residents and environmentalists warn that excessive urbanisation, an overburdened sewage collection system and polluted rivers are destroying Lake Ohrid, Radio Free Europe's Macedonian website reports. According to the publication, "since at least 2017, the natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region has been of concern to the World Heritage Committee, in particular due to the impact of human activities and development projects. Since then, the lake, which borders Albania and northern Macedonia, has been closely monitored by UNESCO, including the submission of regular reports on the state of conservation of the site".
The lake is one of the oldest in Europe, dating back 3.5 million years, according to Reuters. It is home to some 200 unique species, including rare varieties of trout.
Romania reports 4% growth in domestic and international tourism
Citizens of Germany, Italy and Israel top the list of foreign tourists to Romania in 2024, reports news website Ziare.ro. The most popular Romanian destinations for foreign travellers are Constanta, Bucharest and Brasov. By September, Romania's tourist accommodation facilities received 11.14 million visitors, including 1.8 million from abroad. This is an increase of 4% compared to the same period last year. The largest number of guests came from Germany - 193,000, Italy - 156,900 and Israel - 120,900. The number of overnight stays up to September was more than 24 million, an increase of 3.3%. Overnight stays by foreign tourists accounted for almost 16% of all overnight stays and the average length of stay by foreigners was 2.1 days.
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