International organizations

Talks between the foreign affairs ministries of Greece and Turkey were held over approximately twenty days and in absolute secrecy, before the two respective ministers' announcements came from Brussels on Monday, noted Greek diplomatic sources.

Tourism's contribution to the Greek economy will be even greater in 2023 than it was in 2022, Tourism Minister Vasilis Kikilias predicted in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency released on Sunday.

"Bulgaria is able to meet the requirements of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for our country's membership in Schengen as early as this summer, when the European Commission's mission on the specific criteria is expected to meet." This was stated by Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov, who participates in the Sandanski Young Diplomats Seminar.

Following a meeting between Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Brussels, the two men announced that Ankara will vote for Greece's candidacy in the elections for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, while Athens will support Turkey for general-secretary of the International Maritime Organization.

Bulgaria is among the member states of the European Union that support the delivery of 1 million 155 caliber projectiles to Ukraine for a total value of 1 billion euros, diplomatic sources told the National Radio.

The text of the agreement is almost ready after yesterday's meeting of the ambassadors of the member countries.

SYRIZA MP and former Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis will be a candidate for the left-wing main opposition party in the national election later in the Spring, the party's Political Secretariat has decided.

Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias on Thursday predicted that 2023 will be a very strong year for Greek tourism.

Ads costing $3.6 million have sought aid for Ukraine from seven countries of the Western Balkans since Russia's invasion a year ago, a BIRN analysis shows.

Albania's Tourism and Environment Minister Mirela Kumbaro announced on Monday that the River Vjosa, its banks and the land around it are now a national park with a size of 12,727 hectares.

"We have today the final decision to declare the River Vjosa, the last wild river in Europe, a national park," Kumbaro said.

"They deceived us and made fun of us," Putin said.