News archive of January 2017

Opposition parties gave different reactions to the Jan. 29 visit of Turkey's top brass to the Aegean islets of Kardak, which is claimed by Turkey and Greece, with the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) criticizing the move but the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) praising it.

The Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office has described the results of a recent referendum on the country's election system as "binding".

The development comes after an intitial ruling by election authorities that the referendum results fall short of the turnout that would make the result mandatory.

Deniz Baykal, a veteran politician and former head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has called on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan not to approve the constitutional amendments package for the sake of Turkey's future, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 31

At least 30 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants have been neutralized in northern Syria in the last 24 hours as part of the ongoing Euphrates Shield operation, according to a Turkish General Staff statement released on Jan. 31.      

The cost of insuring Greek government debt against default rose on Tuesday as uncertainty lingered over the International Monetary Fund's role in a third bailout for Greece.

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras dubbed talks with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic “very constructive” during a meeting in Belgrade, Tuesday. Mr. Tsipras made reference to the special cultural, historical and spiritual ties between the two nations, adding that Greece supported the European prospect of the Balkan country.

A Turkish firm is offering flags representing 'The Bulgarian Turks', its website shows.

A flag is worth TRY 21.60 (Turkish lira), or the equivalent of USD 5.71.

Focus News Agency, which first reported the news, compares the flag colours to those of the Turkish Republic of Nothern Cyprus.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic on Monday received a delegation of the Atlantic Council from Washington.

It was led by Executive Vice President Damon Wilson, who is in Belgrade as part of a study visit to the region.

Europe's economic recovery is gathering speed, with growth up, inflation spiking sharply higher and unemployment at its lowest in nearly eight years, official figures showed Tuesday.

A new award-winning film about Arab women battling their conservative society has touched off a real-life battle: The municipality of a major Arab city in Israel has called for a boycott of the film, and the film's director says she has received death threats for her unflinching portrayal of sex, drugs, parties, homosexuality and rape in her community.