Balkan Developments

Romania removes toll fees for three key Danube bridges

Starting October 1, drivers will no longer pay toll fees to cross key bridges over the Danube River in Romania, minister Radu Miruță announced. The removal of toll fees applies to three of the busiest bridge crossings: the Giurgiu-Ruse bridge connecting Romania and Bulgaria, the bridge near Fetești on the motorway to the Black Sea, and the Giurgeni–Vadu Oii Bridge connecting the Muntenia and Dobruja regions.

The aim is to ease traffic congestion, to stimulate economic activity in cross-border regions, and reduce the administrative and financial burden on both citizens and businesses, Miruță noted. The measure will put an end to the long queues of cars and trucks that typically form at toll stations, BTA reports.

Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy to keep joint border patrols

Illegal migration along the Western Balkans route is declining, yet the route itself remains active. That is why Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia will continue their trilateral border patrols, the interior ministers of the three countries announced, as reported by hrt.hr.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi noted that cases of illegal border crossings dropped by 28 percent during the first eight months of the year. Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović pointed out that 842 traffickers have been detained this year, representing a significant increase compared to the previous year. Božinović said that Croatia had advocated for the deployment of European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) personnel to Bosnia and Herzegovina, given that over 95% of illegal migrants on the Western Balkans route arrive from that direction.

Police drones to monitor for traffic violations in Serbia

Fifteen officers from the Serbian Traffic Police have completed training on drone operation, with more to be trained, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said. The drones will enable police to monitor longer stretches of road from a single position and detect violations or dangerous behaviour that are difficult to spot from the ground, N1 television reported. According to Dačić, upon detecting a violation or dangerous behaviour, the drones will be able to direct police patrols to the specific location.

Dačić pointed out that the unmanned aerial vehicles would complement, rather than replace existing methods, such as police patrols, radar units, unmarked police interceptor vehicles, and cameras.

Heavy traffic costs Türkiye billions of dollars annually

Residents of the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul lose about 120 hours a year in traffic jams and heavy traffic in Turkish cities costs the country up to $60 billion annually, according to a new report examining the nation's transport issues, dailysabah.com reports. Experts cited in the report note that Türkiye currently has an average of 200 cars per 1,000 citizens - a figure significantly lower than the averages of 400 cars per 1,000 people in the EU and 700 cars per 1,000 people in the US. If Turkish citizens reach these levels, traffic problems and financial losses could worsen significantly, the analysis states. About 55% of road users in Türkiye identify deliberate rule violations and lack of awareness as the primary factors contributing to heavy traffic.

Greek Prime Minister calls for return of Parthenon Sculptures

In an article for The Guardian, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has once again called for the permanent reunification of the Parthenon sculptures, amna.gr reports. Noting the recent arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in UK on a temporary loan, Mitsotakis pointed out that, unlike the sculptures from the Parthenon, the tapestry remains intact. He stated that the Parthenon sculptures have been "dismembered" and split between Athens and London.

"No one would seriously consider cutting the surviving part of the tapestry in two, displaying one half in London and the other in Bayeux, and claiming that this is an adequate way to appreciate it. Yet, that is precisely what happened to the Parthenon sculptures. A unified masterpiece was split apart and its surviving sections are now divided primarily between London and Athens," Mitsotakis writes.

Compiled by: Ivo Ivanov