Zoran Milanović less than 1% short of being re-elected as president
Croatia's incumbent President Zoran Milanović, the candidate of the opposition Social Democratic Party, won the first round of the country's presidential election on 29 December with 49.09% of the vote. The incumbent president, Zoran Milanovic, won by less than one percentage point. He faces a second round on 12 January against independent candidate Dragan Primorac, who is backed by the ruling centre-right Croatian Democratic Union. Primorac won 19.35% of the vote in a 46.03% turnout. There were 8 candidates in the first round. Croatian media described Zoran Milanović's result as a triumph, comparing it to former president Stipe Mesic's victory in 2005, reports BTA. Analysts say there is little chance of the second round result being overturned.
Ankara to invest billions in Kurdish areas in search for peace with PKK
$14 billion regional development plan that aims to reduce the economic gap between its mainly Kurdish southeast region and the rest of the country. The announcement comes amid increased hopes for an end to a decades-long insurgency waged by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in southeast Turkiye as well as the advent of a new leadership in neighbouring Syria with cordial ties to Ankara, Reuters reports. The eastern and southeastern provinces of Turkiye have long lagged behind other regions of the country in most economic indicators including gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, partly as a result of the insurgency. Turkish Industry Minister Fatih Kacir told reporters in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa that the government would spend a total 496.2 billion lira ($14.15 billion) on 198 projects across the region in the period to 2028.
"From the beginning of 2025 until now, expenditures on personnel, social and health insurance payments, including pensions, have increased by 18.2% compared to 2024", announced Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova during today’s regular government..
On October 8, the two-month grace period given to merchants to comply with the requirements of the Law on the Introduction of the Euro expires. During this period, they were expected to label the prices of goods and services both in leva and euros...
Torrential rain flooded underpasses in Varna and caused landslides in various regions of the country. In Veliko Tarnovo (Central Bulgaria), the Yantra River has reached 2 meters and 20 centimeters, which is close to the critical level, but there is no..
During the night in the Danubian Plain it will be rainy and in places the amounts will be significant. In the southeastern regions of..
Solar power capacity in Bulgaria for electricity production will exceed 4 GW in 2025. This is equal to 4 large nuclear reactors, Dr. Maria Trifonova, a..
The repeated floods on the Black Sea coast are the result of uncontrolled development, destroyed natural environment and institutional..
Occasional showers
Rain
Scattered showers