European Union

The European Commission anticipates that Bulgaria will narrowly approach meeting the inflation criterion required for entry into the Eurozone, although it may not fully satisfy it.

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic received EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi on Wednesday to discuss topics including reforms and alignment of national regulations with European laws.

Brnabic said that, in her new post, she would continue to advocate strengthening institutions and democratic principles in Serbia, an official statement said.

The Turkish airstrikes have "neutralized" 12 terrorists identified as operating on behalf of the PKK terrorist organization in two regions of northern Iraq, the Defense Ministry has announced.

An air operation targeted the terrorists in Gara and Hakurk regions, the ministry said

Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has reiterated that the country is aiming for better ties with the European Union, stressing the process will benefit both sides.

Ireland is certain to recognise Palestinian statehood by the end of May, the country's foreign minister said Wednesday, without specifying a date.

"We will be recognising the state of Palestine before the end of the month," Micheal Martin, who is also Ireland's deputy prime minister, told the Newstalk radio station.

The European Commission on Wednesday slammed Georgia for passing a "foreign influence" law targeting overseas-funded NGOs and for repressing mass protests against it, urging Tbilisi to reverse course.

The EU on Wednesday predicted lower inflation in the eurozone in 2024 than previously forecast but warned the single-currency area's economy still faced risks from geopolitical tensions including wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

The European Union on Wednesday urged Israel to end its military operation in Gaza's Rafah "immediately", warning that failure to do so would undermine ties with the bloc.

BRUSSELS - A trilateral meeting of Belgrade's delegation headed by Petar Petkovic, director of the government Office for Kosovo-Metohija, a Pristina delegation and EU facilitators is underway in Brussels as part of a new round of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

The meeting began shortly before 10 am.

Barzan Majeed, a recently-arrested Iraqi migrant trafficking kingpin known as "Scorpion," had been operating within Greek territory, Kathimerini understands.

Information gleaned from migrant smuggling networks suggests that Majeed resided and conducted operations in Greece from 1999 until late 2005, before relocating to the UK.