Ansa news

(ANSA) - PRAGUE, 16 LUG - The Czech and Ukrainian governments will hold joint talks in Prague today on cooperation in the defense sector, migration, energy cooperation, support for Czech exports, and the involvement of Czech companies in Ukraine's reconstruction. The Prague Government Office released the meeting agenda. Czech President Petr Pavel will receive Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in the afternoon. The joint meeting of the governments follows the conference held in Kyiv at the end…

(ANSA-AFP) - STRASBOURG, 16 LUG - EU lawmakers overwhelmingly voted on Tuesday to give conservative Maltese politician Roberta Metsola another term as speaker of the European Parliament. Metsola won a massive majority with 562 votes as the 720-seat parliament met for its first session in Strasbourg, France, with new MEPs. Metsola, who belongs to the largest political group in the parliament, will be the parliament's president for the next two and a half years. (ANSA-AFP).

(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADE, 16 LUG - Western Balkans countries have enough prospective solar and wind capacity to skip gas-fired power plants in their clean energy transitions, a report said on Tuesday. The six Western Balkan nations -- Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia -- now produce electricity primarily from coal and hydropower. But using solar and wind capacities could generate "four times more electricity than the proposed gas fleet over their lifetimes",…

(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 16 LUG - "The Prime Minister has provided written updates to the European Council leaders regarding the ongoing negotiations, the progress of the peace mission's initial phase, and Hungary's recommendations: if Europe desires peace and seeks to play a pivotal role in resolving the conflict and stopping the violence, it must now devise and execute a change of direction." This statement was made by Balazs Orban, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's close advisor, in an interview…

(ANSA) - UDINE, 15 LUG - The 5G-Sitacor project, aimed at implementing an infrastructure dedicated to developing intelligent digital technology and services for territories and communities, promises a transformative future. The study, which evaluates the best ways to apply the potential of 5G network technology to various use cases for the development of linear infrastructures, is a significant step toward this future. The project's final event, held today at the University of Trieste in the presence…

(ANSA) - UDINE, 15 LUG - The 4th edition of Mittelyoung, the under-30 festival of Central Europe organized by Mittelfest, kicks off tomorrow in Cividale del Friuli (Udine). The festival spans three days of performances until July 18, showcasing the work of young generations and aiming to provide production support to emerging artists. Selected by young curators under 30 from 250 applications received from all over Europe, the nine Mittelyoung performances—two music, two theater, two dance, and…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 15 LUG - North Macedonia continues to face a wildfire emergency, with an exceptional heatwave and temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Yesterday, authorities declared a 30-day state of emergency, and local media reported that about fifteen fires had been extinguished recently. However, at least ten wildfires remain active in various parts of the Balkan country, with firefighting teams and rescuers deploying firefighting planes and helicopters to combat them. So far, the…

(ANSA) - UDINE, 15 LUG - ROME, July 15 — ITA Airways and Croatia Airlines announced expanding their codeshare agreement. According to a joint press release, this collaboration will further increase travel options for both airlines' customers and enhance connectivity between the two countries. Currently, ITA Airways applies its AZ code to flights operated by Croatia Airlines departing from Rome Fiumicino International Airport to Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik. Thanks to the expanded collaboration…

(ANSA) - ATHENS, 15 LUG - The National Meteorological Service announced in its daily bulletin that Greece is experiencing a heat wave through Friday, with maximum temperatures of 43 degrees in some regions between Wednesday and Thursday. Stepping up to the challenge, Civil Defense Minister Vasilis Kikilias has provided a clear explanation for the heat wave. He attributes it to southwesterly winds from Africa, pushing the mercury over 40 degrees. Today, temperatures of 41 to 42 degrees are expected…

(ANSA-AFP) - SKOPJE, 14 LUG - Seven wildfires swept across North Macedonia on Sunday, officials said, which had prompted the government to declare a crisis situation. During an overnight emergency government session, lawmakers late Saturday declared a crisis situation -- falling short of calling for a state of emergency -- "due to increased occurrence of wildfires". The fires spread mainly in the central and eastern parts of the country, according to the state's Crisis Management Center, amid a…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 13 - Serbia has signed a free trade agreement with Egypt to strengthen and facilitate economic and commercial relations between the two countries. The agreement was signed today in Cairo during a visit by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who met with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. (ANSA).

(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADE, JUL 12 - A Montenegro court on Friday acquitted the pro-Moscow speaker of parliament and 12 others who were re-tried over an alleged Russian-backed coup attempt. In 2019, a court sentenced two leaders of the pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF) group of parties, then in the opposition, to five-year prison terms each. They are now part of Montenegro's ruling coalition as part of the new For The Future of Montenegro coalition. The two -- current parliamentary speaker Andrija Mandic…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 12 - The Czech Republic has announced its participation in the international coalition to purchase and supply drones to Ukraine, which is led by Latvia and the UK. (ANSA).

(ANSA-AFP) - MIAMI, JUL 12 - Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban jetted off to Florida on Thursday to meet with former US president Donald Trump after the end of the NATO summit in Washington. The sit-down at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is likely to further upset Budapest's allies after Orban drew widespread ire from European counterparts for meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin last week. Right-wing Orban, whose country took over the rotating presidency of the European Union this…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 12 - "The agreements must be respected; this is something I emphasised at the NATO plenary. I believe all of our allies understand this. We want North Macedonia to take steps towards European integration, but this requires adherence to international law and the agreements that the country has signed." Thus stated Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at a press conference on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, Kathimerini reported. (ANSA).

(ANSA-AFP) - ROME, JUL 11 - Defence Minister Guido Crosetto signed a letter of intent with his counterparts from France, Germany and Poland on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, ANSA sources said Thursday. The letter regards the so-called Elsa (European Long-Range Strike Approach) plan aimed at "improving our capability, as Europeans, to develop, produce and deliver capabilities in the field of long-range strikes, which are sorely needed to deter and defend our continent" ANSA has learned.…

(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 11 LUG - A new route from Trieste to Bucharest by Wizz Air. The connection to and from the Romanian capital will be operational from October 29, 2024, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with arrival from Bucharest at 14:55 and departure from Trieste at 15:30. Flights will be operated with Airbus A321 aircraft with 230 seats on board. Tickets for the new route are already available for purchase on the company's website and app starting at 39.99 euros one way for the Regular fare. Wizz Air,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 11 - According to preliminary data collected by Frontex, the number of irregular border crossings into the European Union fell by nearly a third (30%) in the first six months of 2024, to approximately 94,000. Among the main migratory routes, the Western Balkans and the Central Mediterranean had the greatest decreases in irregular border crossing detections (-72% and -61%, respectively), while the West African and Eastern Land Border had the greatest increases (+174% and 148%,…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 11 LUG - Italian Ambassador to Serbia, Luca Gori, hosted the launch event for the new intermodal corridor between Italy and Serbia, "Ausava," last night at his residence in Belgrade. The conference, titled "Intermodal Corridors Italy - Serbia: Networks and Services to Support Businesses," was organized in collaboration with the Italian logistics company Alpe Adria Spa. "Ausava" connects Cervignano del Friuli and Belgrade and will enhance trade exchanges between Italy and Serbia,…

(ANSA) - UDINE, 11 LUG - Saturday morning and afternoon are expected to be very busy (red sticker) on the A4 highway towards Trieste, and in the morning only on the A23 (towards Palmanova) and the A57 Mestre Bypass (towards Trieste), as reported by Autostrade Alto Adriatico (Upper Adriatic Highways). Heavy traffic (yellow sticker) is expected on the A4 towards Venice until the afternoon and on the A28 towards Portogruaro throughout the day. Approximately 188,000 vehicles are expected to pass through…

(ANSA-AFP) - SREBRENICA, JUL 11 - Thousands of people were expected to gather Thursday in Srebrenica to commemorate the 1995 massacre of Bosnian Muslims during the country's civil war, two months after the UN created an annual day of remembrance of the genocide. On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb forces captured the eastern Bosnian town -- which was then a UN-protected enclave -- and killed 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the following days. The worst massacre in Europe since World War II has been ruled…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 11 - "Turkey continues to promote the spirit of solidarity with Greece, based on good neighbourly relations, and these efforts will grow further," said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 10 - "Those who deny genocide, try to rewrite history and glorify war criminals have no place among us". On the eve of the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, EU High Representative Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi issued a joint statement. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 10 - On the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reiterated that the country "will keep faith with its commitments" to spend 2% of GDP on defence "obviously with the times and the possibilities we have," while also taking into account "the country's overall commitment to NATO," where we are "among the major contributors of personnel in almost all missions and peace operations because our know-how is in high demand." (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 10 - Turkey "expects support" from Hungary "to revitalise the process of accession to the European Union and the improvement of relations during Hungary's presidency," said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Washington on the sidelines of the NATO summit. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 9 - Edi Simcic, 91, a pioneer and one of Slovenia's most influential wine producers, known for bringing the Brda region to a high level of quality, died yesterday. Simcic, who comes from a family of winemakers in Vipolze, was inspired by a strong passion for the world of wine from a young age. He and his wife Marica were able to innovate and improve production to the point where they became known internationally and exported to numerous countries. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 9 - NATO allies will declare at the Washington summit that Ukraine's path to joining the alliance is "irreversible," according to a Ukrainian official, and the deadline for Kiev's entry into NATO will be clearly stated in the final declaration. (ANSA).

(ANSA) - GORIZIA, 09 LUG - Titled specchi di confine/Zrcala Meje, the new festival, running from July 25 to August 3, explores the concept of boundaries in an area where two cities observe, reflect, and recognize each other. This project is part of Go!2025 - Gorizia Nova Gorica European Capital of Culture. Without boundaries, even in its organization, the festival results from a joint effort by Circolo Controtempo from Cormòns and Slovenian partner Kud Morgan, in collaboration with Goriški Muzej.…

(ANSA) - BELGRADE, JUL 9 - Following Viktor Orban's solo peace missions, approximately twenty EU member states intend to face Hungary at Coreper tomorrow. According to what ANSA leadern, the accusation is one of disloyalty. Orban, in fact, made statements in Moscow that "went directly against the conclusions of the European Council." "How is this consistent with the principle of sincere cooperation?" a diplomat inquires. "Poland is furious," says another source. (ANSA).

(ANSA-AFP) - NEZUK, JUL 9 - Thousands of people began marching on Monday towards Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia to mark the anniversary of the 1995 genocide, the worst massacre in Europe since World War II. The annual march covers a 100-kilometre (62-mile) route to Srebrenica from the village of Nezuk, where the first survivors arrived. Bosnian Serb forces captured Srebrenica -- a UN protected enclave at the time -- on July 11, 1995, and killed 8,000 Muslim men and boys. The atrocity was deemed genocide…