Macedonia

Twelve Turkish mountain climbers have been reported missing in the Pierian Mountains of Greece.

According to the regional sources, the mountain climbers called Europe Emergency Call Center for help Jan. 24. The cellphone signal had come from a point near the village of Elatochori, around Katerini, a Greek town in Central Macedonia where the Pierian Mountains are located.

Romania will hold its first fiscal receipts lottery on April 13, the second day of Easter, in a move to encourage people to demand fiscal receipts when buying goods or services, which will suppress sales tax evasion.

Beyo?lu ?FSAK Local Exhibition Hall is set to open an exhibition by travel photography artist Mevlüt Ma?alac?, ?World Notes II,? with the artist presenting his second show after his maiden one two years ago.

DAVOS - Serbia is in talks with Romania about importing gas from the Black Sea and is open to discussions about getting gas from Russia through alternative routes, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday, speaking for the Reuters' Global Markets Forum in Davos.

PIROT - A traditional flat sausage fair will be held in Pirot on January 31, the expectations being that this year's event will break a record in terms of the number of visitors.

With the absence of opposition MPs, Macedonia's parliament voted late Tuesday to adopt the two most controversial of seven planned changes to the constitution.

Albania sees its relations with neighbouring Macedonia as strategic and is ready to support its sovereignty, according to Ilir Meta, Speaker of the Parliament of Albania.

Authorities in Western Macedonia issued a warning on Tuesday about high smog levels in the region caused by the large number of households using fireplaces to keep warm.

According to regional authorities, atmospheric pollution in the municipalities of Kozani, Eordaia, Amyntaio and Florina have risen above the warning level.

BELGRADE - Positive economic growth is expected this year throughout the region, with the exception of Serbia, whose gross domestic product is projected to drop by 0.5%, according to the World Bank's latest South East Europe Regular Economic Report.

Macedonia: Bishop kept in jail despite deal to release him

SKOPJE -- The Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Skopje has filed a complaint against a decision to release Bishop of Ohrid Jovan, thus keeping him in jail.

Previously, a court decided that Bishop Jovan should be granted conditional release, and set free on January 19.