News archive of February 2016

Turkish conglomerate Sabanc? Holding has plans to make its largest amount of investments on energy in 2016, said Chief Executive Officer Zafer Kurtul on Feb. 29.

The names of actors and actresses starring in Turkish TV shows are being given to newborns across the Middle East and Eastern Europe, where Turkish series continue to be hugely popular.  

Bulgarian interior ministry officials are preparing to stage protests against the proposed amendments to the Interior Ministry Act.

Trade unions are not agreeing with around 30 % of the amendments offered by the team of Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova.

The Euroworking Group will meet on Monday with the participation of the heads of the institutions to discuss the date of their return to Athens and the review of the economic program.

Turmoil and incidents occurred at Greece-FYROM buffer zone in Idomeni when hundreds of refugees and immigrants, who were at the camp, were informed that FYROM would open the border for a while.

It is still uncertain whether pro-European opposition parties in Serbia will form an alliance for the upcoming early parliamentary elections.

The first statement of the week on this subject was made by LDP leader Cedomir Jovanovic, who tweeted, "We're working, and plead for understanding and a little more patience."

An intercity ferry carrying passengers from Istanbul to the northwestern province of Bursa was searched late Feb. 28 due to a bomb hoax, Do?an News Agency has reported. Two suspects were detained over the incident.

The authorities in Bucharest are waiting for more details before they respond to Budapest's announcement that it is to begin installing fences along the border with Romania to prevent refugees and migrants from entering the country.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized eastern European countries for acting independently and unilaterally in their response to the refugee crisis.

In particular, Merkel criticised the border controls imposed by Austria and several Balkan countries, which have left migrants stranded in Greece as they continue to arrive from Turkey.

Asylum seekers who have fled conflicts in Iraq and Syria are still not formally recognized as refugees in Turkey, while Yazidis are not afforded equal rights, a new report by the Diyarbak?r Bar Association Children's Rights Center has found.