Balkan countries

Increased security measures have been introduced along Bulgaria's borders and at military sites, announced the chief of defence General Konstantin Popov at Novo Selo. The final stage of the multi-national military training exercise Platinum Lion took place there on Tuesday. The exercise was observed by the ambassadors of the USA, Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine.

"The chocolate wars" in the former Yugoslav countries have progressed to another level - this time the involved sides are Slovenia and Croatia.

ITF has raised US $400m in donations, cleared more than 135 million square metres of land, and expanded its operations to Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and Latin America since its inception. Ambassador Damjan Bergant, ITF's Chief Executive, speaks to The Slovenia Times about how a small operation has carved out an oversized role for good in the world.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias on Tuesday condemned three separate suspected terror attacks in Turkey, Germany and Switzerland, and called for measures to boost stability in the Middle East and North Africa.

Serbia wants to expand its power and influence in the energy sector, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday.

Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina are the most significant regional countries for Serbia in this regard, Vucic said.

Greece believes Serbia deserves to join the European family, and see the wrongs inflicted to it by the EU for years redressed.

Speaker of the Greek Parliament Nikos Voutsis said this on Monday in Belgrade.

Thousands of companies in Bulgaria that exist only on paper appear to have been launched by Greeks in recent years for tax-evasion purposes, as a survey by the University of Bristol has shown that of the 14,000 Greek-owned enterprises in the neighboring country only 3,000 are actually active.

Despite widespread opposition in the ranks of SYRIZA to such a prospect, Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas has called for the creation of "closed" reception centers for migrants on Aegean islands, saying they will help minimize tensions amid local communities.

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Vladan Vukosavljevic said Wednesday he was not aware of any Croatian reservations about culture in terms of Chapter 26 (education, culture and sport) in Serbia's EU accession talks.

"As far as we know, Croatia has no reservations about culture," Vukosavljevic told a press conference at the Ministry of Culture and Information.

An improvement in the way the country's migration crisis is being managed and the smooth completion of the bailout review would enable Greek tourism to maintain its northbound course in 2017, according to the head of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), Andreas Andreadis.