Schengen Area

"We are convinced that Croatia meets all the conditions to enter Schengen and we will do everything possible during our presidency ... to help it join from next year," Fiala told reporters after a meeting with his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenkovic in Prague.

Türkiye presented a report on the visa difficulties experienced by Turkish citizens when entering European Union member countries to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Schengen visa refusals to Turkish citizens rose from 4 percent in 2014 to 12.7 percent in 2020, according to the report.

"We Continue the Change" and "Democratic Bulgaria" gave a briefing after the meeting between the two formations about the priorities of a possible next administration with the mandate of WCC.

Ljubljana – In an interview with the public broadcaster, President Borut Pahor has talked about the international circumstances, noting that the government is in for deliberation about how to remain an ally in helping Ukraine, while wisely “regulating sanctions so that we can help ourselves”. He also spoke about the long-term prospects of the new cabinet.

According to him, he has not yet decided whether he will go to the summit, and before making a decision, he will talk with the leaders of the Open Balkans, as well as with members of the Serbian Government.

It's always a good idea to come to the fresh air and crystalline waters of Lake Ohrid, one of the most beautiful places in Europe.  Unfortunately, the reason for last week's gathering of leaders from the region - 'Open Balkan' - is not a good idea. In fact, it's not even a good name.

With Montenegro on board and Bosnia mulling its position, pressure is mounting on Kosovo PM Albin Kurti to reconsider his resistance to joining the Western Balkan 'mini-Schengen'.

Luxembourg – Slovenia did not inform the European Commission of the re-introduction of border checks on EU borders due to the Covid pandemic in the summer of 2020 and the spring of 2021 and the Commission did not check compliance with Schengen rules, the European Court of Auditors has found.

Luxembourg – The EU interior ministers have reached agreement on a negotiating basis to reform the Schengen Borders Code as part of which the rules when a Schengen member state wants to reintroduce internal border controls would be tightened. Slovenian Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar stressed at Friday’s ministerial that these checks must be temporary.

The summit is attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, prime ministers of North Macedonia and Albania, Dimitar Kovacevski and Edi Rama, as well as officials from Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
President Vucic said that he had meetings with representatives of countries that are not yet official members of the Open Balkans.