Spain

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece returns the ball to Rafael Nadal of Spain during a semifinal match at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome, Saturday. [Andrew Medichini/AP]

Approximately 30 Embassies and the European Commission Representation in Romania conveyed a joint message of solidarity with all the marginalised groups and against discrimination on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, and, on this occasion, they underscore the governments' obligation to protect all citizens from violence and discrimination." "On the occasion of

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended austerity policy in Greece and other debt-hit countries in the eurozone, however acknowledging that the people had to shoulder a "considerable" burden.

"What counts is that the currency union and the euro were maintained," Merkel said in an interview with Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung.

60 percent of the European fraud cases which were scrutinized in Bulgaria, were rejected or terminated by the prosecutor's office. This was found in a special report by the European Court of Auditors on the fight against fraud with funds from the European Cohesion Funds over the last five years.

Migrants paid 3,500-6,500 euros per person, reported NOVA TV. 

The Spanish police have arrested 11 people suspected of migrant traffickin through the Mediterranean Sea into small boats unsuitable for open waters. This was announced by Fox News.

Brnabic expressed her gratitude to the diplomat for his personal engagement in improving relations between the two countries.

A boy slips into the sea in Nafplio in the Peloponnese. Greece's beaches have received the second largest number of Blue Flags in the world this year, behind Spain, it was announced on Tuesday. Greek beaches bagged 515 flags, 12 percent of the total. Most of them went to beaches on the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece. [ANA-MPA] 

Pro-Romania national leader Victor Ponta, a candidate in the elections to the European Parliament, tells AGERPRES in an interview that replacing Liviu Dragnea as speaker of the Chamber of Deputies is a priority for the party he leads. "A priority is replacing Mr Dragnea from the Chamber of Deputies (...) Actually, Achilles' heel is there if you want to be successful.

In January - February 2019, Bulgaria's exports to the EU increased by 9.3% compared to the same period in 2018 and amounted to BGN 6 334.3 million, according to the National Statistical Institute.
The main trade partners were Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece, France and Belgium, which account for 66.4% of the exports to the EU member states.

The expected average life expectancy for the country's total population, calculated for the period 2016 - 2018, is 74.8 years, compared to the previous period (2015-2017), remains unchanged, the National Statistical Institute reported, quoted by BTA.