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...The Europe Express weekend newsletter will take a pause over Easter. Normal service will resume on Saturday April 6....
...Accor is also launching luxury hotels and trains under the Orient Express brand....
...First, in terms of geographical size and population, it’s the largest country in the area known, since the break-up of communist Yugoslavia after the cold war, as the “western Balkans”....
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...It ranks fourth as a network behind the titans Visa, Mastercard and American Express. However, Amex is the only other of these that is both a lender as well as network....
...Ukraine is a double-edged sword for Balkan aspirants....
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...Today, I explain the plea from five EU leaders for the bloc to finally get serious on joint efforts to arm Ukraine, and our man in the Balkans reports on Serbia’s potential move to reinstate military conscription...
...Today, our agriculture correspondent warns that outraged farmers are back demanding more concessions from Brussels, and our man in the Balkans reports on the trouble in Bulgaria’s shaky coalition....
Also in this newsletter: Why the European debate on migration is shifting from border control to work permits
...bureau chiefs explore Donald Tusk’s efforts to reclaim Poland’s spot at the EU foreign policy top table — and help mend the badly damaged Franco-German relationship at the same time — while our man in the Balkans...
...Today, Kosovo’s premier tells our Balkan correspondent EU peace talks with Serbia are doomed unless Brussels gets tougher on Belgrade....
...Now read these Enlargement impatience: Montenegro’s premier tells the FT that the country deserves EU membership by 2028, ahead of other western Balkan candidates....
...Agyemang in Copenhagen and Paola Tamma in Brussels report The EU’s planned eastern enlargement has recently seen two big steps forward for Ukraine, but a more dubious one for the countries of the western Balkans...
...Enlargement envy: Across the Balkans, governments are wary of Ukraine jumping the EU membership queue....
...I have more on that below, while our man in the Balkans reports on the latest flashpoint between Serbia and Kosovo: currency....
...The western Balkans have also been promised EU membership, conditional on reforms. “If you like or if you don’t like it. It is on the table,” Röpke said about the bloc’s enlargement....
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...Today, our Nordic correspondent hears from the leading candidates battling to be Finland’s president, while our Netherlands and Balkan correspondents explain why an EU delegation is visiting Bosnia....
...And our man in the Balkans reports on the outcome of Serbia’s snap election yesterday. 12th package for Christmas The long-delayed 12th package of EU sanctions on Russia should be adopted this week after...
Also in this newsletter: Moldova’s ruling party scores mixed result in local elections clouded by Russian meddling
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