Member states of the Council of Europe

Turkish and Greek military representatives have come together as part of a de-confliction mechanism launched by NATO, a week before the much-anticipated exploratory talks for the resolution of the problems stemming from the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

Greece ranks fourth among the most popular destinations for Europeans planning their holidays, according to a report commissioned by the European Union that has not yet been published in its entirety.

The survey shows Greece has climbed one place in the top 10, leapfrogging over Germany among the preferred destinations for Europeans for 2021.

As of today, 14 January 2021, Serbia has waived the requirement for Bulgarian citizens and all arrivals from Bulgaria to Serbia to present a negative PCR test result on entry into the country.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias met with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio in Rome Wednesday.

Despite the positive atmosphere of the meeting, Dendias expressed Athens' disappointment over Rome's stance at the recent European Council on the issue of sanctions against Turkey.

Exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece will restart in Istanbul two weeks from Jan. 11, Turkey has announced.

"The 61st round of the Exploratory Talks will take place in Istanbul on 25 January 2021," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday thanked the Portuguese government and coast guard for their contribution in guarding Greece and Europe's eastern sea border in the Aegean.

Greece's conservative government has submitted a bill to parliament to extend the western limit of its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea to 12 nautical miles, following negotiations with its regional neighbors Italy and Albania.

Greek-Turkish relations were precarious in 2020 and the fact that an "accident" or military engagement was avoided is important. The new year may bring big developments in Greek-Turkish relations but also on the Cyprus issue.

The Armed Forces effectively defended the land border Greece shares with Turkey along the Evros river in 2020 and safeguarded the country's sovereign rights in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said in a year-end assessment.

BIRN presents its selection of photos of some of the events and processes that marked a difficult year.

Battle Goes on With Deadly Virus

A medical worker wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) attends a patient at the Covid-19 hospital in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 December 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/MARKO DJOKOVIC.