Withdrawal from the European Union

Before Greece risked falling out of the eurozone in 2015, Alexis Tsipras made his famous kolotoumba (somersault). At present, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson shows little sign of backing down on his ambitious Brexit agenda, though there are many opinions implying that his is also a reckless gamble.

The European Commission is forecasting a bigger growth for the Greek economy in 2019, a modest growth for 2020, and stable in 2021, based on its report released Thursday.

Real GDP in Greece is forecast to reach 2.4 percent in 2020 (compared with a previous forecast for 2.3 pct) and 2.0 percent in 2021.

MEP Vincze Lorant has been appointed as permanent rapporteur by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament for the negotiations on the new EU-UK collaboration framework.

The Ankara Agreement and Customs Union with Turkey will continue during the Brexit transition period of 2020, and the two countries will work to sign a bilateral free trade agreement to be put into effect as of Jan. 1, 2021, British Ambassador to Ankara Sir Dominick Chilcott said on Feb. 7.

The European Union's new economy commissioner says Greece's bailout lenders are willing to discuss a request by Athens to ease strict budget targets that would help speed up the country's recovery.

Already in December 2016, I noted, the Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump as US president signified the end of Euro-Atlantic project as it had existed in the Western Balkans. The subsequent three years have borne out the truth of this assessment.

Flags fly outside parliament event at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain. Photo: EPA-EFE/ANDY RAIN

There are Romanians who have come to the United Kingdom because they found the prospects for a decent life there. Others have chosen British citizenship for cultural reasons - the love of Shakespeare. Some admit that if things do not go according to plan, they can always return home to Romania, and others know very clearly that the United Kingdom is their home for now.

The United Kingdom finally cast off from the European Union on Jan. 31 for an uncertain Brexit future, turning its back after 47 years on the post-World War Two project that sought to build the ruined nations of Europe into a global power.   

Turkey welcomed "the existing common political will" to further develop the relations with the U.K. after Brexit, the Foreign Ministry said on Jan. 31.

"In the new period, relations between Turkey and the U.K. will provide significant opportunities to enhance regional and global stability as well as both parties' interests," the ministry said in a written statement.

The United Kingdom finally cast off from the European Union on Friday for an uncertain Brexit future, turning its back after 47 years on the post-World War Two project that sought to build the ruined nations of Europe into a global power.