Editorial Office, Author at First Balkan Media

Janez Janša Seeks Fourth Term as Slovenia’s Prime Minister

Slovenian Democratic Party leader Janez Janša presented his government program in parliament, focusing on democratization, development, anti corruption efforts and decentralization. Janez Janša, leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), appeared before

May 22, 2026

Slovenia

Five EU States Propose ‘Step by Step’ Single Market Access for Western Balkans, but Macedonia’s Path Remains Blocked by Bulgarian Veto

Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia have circulated a confidential proposal calling for “merit based, step by step” integration of Western Balkan countries into the European Union’s single market before

May 22, 2026

Macedonia

Croatia Bans Energy Drink Sales to Minors and Tightens Alcohol Curfews in Sweeping Public Health Overhaul

Croatia has banned the sale of energy drinks to anyone under 18 and empowered municipalities to prohibit late night alcohol sales, as parliament adopted amendments to the Trade Act that the opposition

May 22, 2026

Croatia

Tear Gas Briefly Halts Ricky Martin’s Independence Day Spectacle in Podgorica as Montenegro Celebrates Two Decades of Statehood

Podgorica became the regional music epicenter on the night of 21 May as tens of thousands of Montenegrins packed Independence Square for a grand concert by global pop superstar Ricky Martin, the

May 22, 2026

Montenegro

UKIM Marks 77 Years with Campus Ceremony Honoring Cyril and Methodius and Celebrating Academic Excellence

The University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje is holding its annual patron saint day ceremony on 23 May, commemorating the 77th anniversary of its founding and the legacy of the

May 22, 2026

Macedonia

Serbian Students in Blockade Stage Mass Slavija Rally as Vučić Sets Autumn Election Date

Serbian students in blockade have announced a major protest for Friday, 23 May, at Belgrade’s Slavija Square, the same site that hosted one of the largest gatherings in the country’s modern history

May 22, 2026

Serbia

Belgrade Underworld War Escalates: Restaurant Shooting and Molotov Attacks Rattle Serbian Capital

Belgrade has been rocked by a fresh wave of mafia violence over the past ten days, including a shooting at the Jerry restaurant in New Belgrade that wounded one patron, a string

May 22, 2026

Serbia

USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group on High Alert in Arabian Sea as Trump Issues Fresh Ultimatum to Iran

U.S. Central Command has declared the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group operating in the Arabian Sea to be at “high readiness,” posting images of F 35 stealth fighters launching from the

May 22, 2026

Politics

House Republicans Cancel Iran War Vote at Last Minute as Democrats Claim They Had the Votes

Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives abruptly cancelled a scheduled vote on a resolution to end the war with Iran just two days after a similar measure passed the Senate,

May 22, 2026

Politics

Kevin Warsh Sworn In as Fed Chair Amid Deepening Hawkish Divide Over Iran Driven Inflation

Kevin Warsh was sworn in as the 17th Chair of the Federal Reserve on Friday at a White House ceremony, taking the helm of the world’s most powerful central bank at a

May 22, 2026

Politics

Dollar Soars, Yen Teeters Near 160 as Oil Shock Forces Central Banks to Rethink 2026

Asian equities advanced on Friday and the U.S. dollar hovered near six week highs as investors bet that peace talks between Washington and Tehran might finally ease the nearly three month war

May 22, 2026

Business

EC Sees Serbia GDP Hitting 3.9% in 2027 on EXPO 2027 Boost, But Cuts 2026 Forecast

The European Commission expects Serbia’s economy to accelerate from 2% growth in 2025 to 2.8% this year and 3.9% in 2027, riding a wave of public investment tied to the Belgrade EXPO

May 22, 2026

Serbia