Mark Rutte

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is leaving politics.

Rutte has announced that he will not be the leader of the list of his People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the next early elections and is leaving politics. He made the announcement in parliament after his fourth government in a row fell last week over disagreements over migration policy.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's coalition government collapsed Friday over "insurmountable" differences on how to tackle migration, with elections expected in November.

Rutte, 56, the Netherlands' longest-serving leader and one of Europe's most experienced politicians, said days of crisis talks between the four parties failed to produce a deal.

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic met with the PMs of The Netherlands and Luxembourg, Mark Rutte and Xavier Bettel, in Belgrade on Monday evening, and said their visit to Serbia represented a unique and a very important political event.

BELGRADE - Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the PMs of The Netherlands and Luxembourg, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the discussion had been quite sincere and had addressed topics that were not easy and that he had told them he was slightly scared over the situation in Kosovo-Metohija and the extent of Pristina's lack of responsibility.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vui, welcomed the Prime Ministers of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Xavier Bethel, in the "Serbia" Palace this evening.
The reception will be followed by a joint meeting, after which statements to the media are planned.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic welcomed the PMs of The Netherlands and Luxembourg, Mark Rutte and Xavier Bettel, at Belgrade's Palace of Serbia on Monday evening.

The welcoming ceremony was followed by a joint meeting, after which the three officials will hold a press conference.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will on Monday receive the PMs of The Netherlands and Luxembourg, Mark Rutte and Xavier Bettel.

Rutte and Bettel will speak with Vucic at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade this afternoon, the presidential press office has announced in a statement.

Bulgaria invited specialists from the Dutch and Austrian customs services to monitor operations at the Turkish border to try to dispel concerns that hinder its bid to join the Schengen area for free travel, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov told Politico last night.

"The Netherlands is carefully monitoring the actions for judicial reform in Bulgaria and appreciates the efforts in this direction", it became known from a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and his Dutch colleague Mark Rutte, reports the government press service.

Bulgaria will in all probability enter Schengen by the end of the year and the admission will be in two stages. In October, border control at the airports will be abolished, and in January 2024 - the ground control as well.

This was reported by the Brussels-based publication Euractiv, citing sources from diplomatic circles in Brussels, the Bulgarian parliament and the government.