Skopje

Several hundred nationalists and extreme right-wingers tried to disrupt the opening of the Miredita, Dobar Dan! festival in the Serbian capital of Belgrade on October 22, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/Marko Djokovic.

A view of the smog hanging over the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on October 21, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/Fehim Demir.

Police in North Macedonia say they have discovered 148 migrants crammed into trucks in two separate operations in central and northern parts of the country, and have arrested two men on suspicion of trafficking migrants.

Zaev acted swiftly on his promise to sort out the decades-long dispute with Greece over the country's name, which had resulted in Athens blocking Skopje's bids to join the European Union and NATO.

Finland will introduce mandatory coronavirus tests and quarantines for travellers from certain high-risk countries, the minister in charge said today, after 24 of 157 passengers arriving from Skopje in North Macedonia tested positive for Covid-19.

The opening of the border came an hour after it was officially announced that it would be opened, and EU citizens who want to enter Bulgaria must first fill in a questionnaire stating their full name and place where they are traveling, BTA reports.

In Gevgelija, North Macedonia, Alexander Alexov is preparing to make the road trip to Greece. The border between the two countries reopens on June 15, which means he will be able to travel to the Halkidiki peninsula. Over the past 30 years, Alexov has spent most summers at the Armenistis campsite in Sithonia.

Some Balkan and Central European countries are facing the risk of a second big wave of COVID-19 cases after lifting restrictive measures imposed to curb the pandemic - some say prematurely.

North Macedonia has registered a new record number of daily coronavirus infections for the third consecutive day, with more than half the country's 2.1 million people under an 80-hour near-total lockdown.

He added that NATO also helps through the Alliance's support for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, under the auspices of the EU.

After another worrying peak in infections over the past few days, North Macedonia has ordered a full 80-hour lockdown of the capital, Skopje, and the towns of Tetovo, Kumanovo and Stip. Curfews there will start at 9 pm on Thursday and last until 5 am on Monday.