Athens is under pressure to sell fighter jets that would be delivered to Ukraine

Greece is reluctant to provide high-tech military equipment that could be used against Russia, reports BNR’s correspondent in Greece Katya Peeva.

National security and defense experts commenting in Greek media say Athens is under political pressure to sell some of its Mirage fighter jets to intermediaries so they could ultimately reach Ukraine. According to these experts, the likely recipient country is Estonia.

So far, Greece's assistance to Kyiv has consisted of old weapons systems, which have been part of the country's defensive arsenal since the 1960s. Experts believe the government also fears a negative reaction from opposition parties.

As part of its military modernization program, Greece has already purchased 24 modern Rafale fighter jets from France.

Travelling by train from Skopje to Burgas should be possible by 2032

The contract for the joint construction of the cross-border tunnel along Railway Corridor No. 8 is expected to be signed in November, announced North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski, as quoted by BTA.

"If everything goes according to plan on both sides, by 2031–2032 it should be possible to travel by train from Skopje to Burgas", said Aleksandar Nikoloski.

The Pan-European Transport Corridor No. 8 stretches from the port of Bari in Italy to the ports of Varna and Burgas in Bulgaria. Its central section passes through North Macedonia—via Kichevo, Skopje, Kumanovo, Beljakovce and Kriva Palanka. However, there are still missing links at the western end (from Kichevo to the Albanian border) and at the eastern end (from Kumanovo to the Bulgarian border), part of which (from Kumanovo to Beljakovce) was put into operation in January. Work is currently underway on the second section, from Beljakovce to Kriva Palanka. Work has not yet begun on the third section from Kriva Palanka to Deve Bair, where the border with Bulgaria is. 

Türkiye reports strong foreign interest in its scholarship program

In recent years, young people abroad have been showing growing interest in attending Turkish universities under the Türkiye Scholarships program. The number of applications reached 125,000 in 2025, compared to 8,000 in 2012. This was reported at an event held by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), based in Ankara, Anadolu Ajansi reports.

''Over 1.5 million applications received so far demonstrate the high interest in the Türkiye Scholarships program'', said YTB Vice President Abdulhadi Turus. The YTB data show that over the past 15 years, more than 150,000 alumni of Turkish educational institutions have been living and working in 184 countries. Alumni associations have been established in 31 countries, with the highest number in European countries.

''Türkiye has become a preferred destination for young people from abroad. Today, 4% of foreign students studying in our country benefit from Turkish scholarships'', said Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Ersoy. 

The Vjosa River has been included in the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme

The Vjosa River — one of Europe’s last free flowing wild rivers — has officially been included in the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme and added to the World Heritage List, reported ATA agency, cited by BTA. The decision was announced during the World Congress of Biosphere Reserves in China and shared by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on social media.

The inclusion of the Vjosa River in the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme aims to protect its rich ecosystems and promote biodiversity conservation in the region. The wild river was declared a "National Park" by the Albanian government in March 2023 after years of efforts by Albanian and international environmental organizations to protect it from the construction of 45 hydropower plants. Among its defenders was film star Leonardo DiCaprio.

Vjosa is one of the largest rivers in Albania. Its total length is 272 kilometers. It flows from the Pindus Mountains in Greece to the Adriatic Sea. It is home to 18 fish species. Around 200 bird species nest along the river, some of which are endangered.

Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov

Photos: BTA; turkiyeburslari.gov.tr; albania.al