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Balkan Developments

Vicar of Serbian Orthodox Church infected with the novel coronavirus

Patriarch of Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej  /  Photo: EPA/BGNESFather Stefan who is the vicar of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been infected with the novel coronavirus, Tanjug news agency announced. The Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej tested negative for Covid-19. On Sunday, this country’s Minister of Health Zlatibor Lončar announced that the Covid-19 deaths in Serbia reached 134. The number of Covid-19 cases stand at 7,114. A total of 1.025 people recovered from the virus.


Turkey’s Grand National Assembly celebrates 100th anniversary of its foundation

Photo: ShutterstockOn April 23 Turkey celebrates the 100th anniversary of the foundation of its Grand National Assembly and the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day. This country’s National Assembly has postponed a number of events related to its anniversary. The celebrations are focused on children, because the first President of the Grand National Assembly Ataturk dedicated this National Sovereignty Day to the children. The Grand National Assembly held its first sitting in 1920 in Ankara during the war for independence to lay the foundations of an independent, secular and modern republic.

The longest movement ban in North Macedonia ended

Oliver Spasovski  /  Photo: BGNESThe longest movement ban on the territory of North Macedonia, which lasted for 85 hours, ended on Sunday morning (April 19). The curfew is still in place between 4.00 pm until 5.00 am on the next day. Only citizens with job responsibilities possessing the necessary documents are allowed to go out during the curfew. North Macedonia’s Premier Oliver Spasovski announced that the authorities are working on a plan aimed to gradually alleviate the restrictive measures on May 1.

Greece evacuates migrants living on Lesbos Island to the mainland

Photo: BGNESNearly 1,500 people living in the Moria migrant accommodation camp in Lesbos will be evacuated on a specially chartered ship to the mainland by the end of the week. The move is part of the plans of the Greek authorities to ease tension in the overcrowded migrant accommodation centers on the islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. The number of evacuated people will reach 2,400 within 2 weeks. The Greek office of the International Organization for Migration commented that the reduction of the population on the islands is now more urgent than ever against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.

European Union donates 20,000 Covid-19 tests to Albania

Luigi Soreca  /  Photo: Facebook/Luigi SorecaThe European Union has donated 20,000 Covid-19 tests to Albania, the EU Ambassador to Tirana Luigi Soreca announced. According to data of Albania’s Institute for public health, the number of Covid-19 cases reached 609 by the end of last week. 345 Albanians recovered from the virus and 26 people became victims of the novel coronavirus.

Written by: Stoimen Pavlov

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

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