Member states of the Union for the Mediterranean

The establishment by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) of a research center on Crete monopolized Secretary-General Mathias Cormann's visit to Athens last week. The center will analyze demographic and migration policies, issues related to the diaspora, as well as individual challenges related to the labor market and the population.

"Protecting the external borders of the European Union is a common commitment of all member states and is key to tackling illegal migration." This was the general position of President Rumen Radev and the Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria Karl Nehammer, who talked today in Vienna, reports the press service of the Bulgarian presidency.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has welcomed the maritime demarcation deal between Israel and Lebanon and underlined it can constitute a good example for the Mediterranean region, particularly for the Turkish and Greek Cypriots.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has admitted that he invited his Greek counterpart, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, and his wife to Türkiye to create a positive atmosphere amid the increasing tension between the two countries.

"I invited Panagiotopoulos to Türkiye with his wife when we were in Brussels," Akar said during an exclusive interview on Oct. 20.

A business mission of Dutch companies and branch organizations is visiting Bulgaria between 10 and 13 October of this year. The main goal of the mission is to increase Bulgarian production of fresh fruits and vegetables in the next few years by bringing in knowledge and technologies from the Netherlands.

Near Turkey's borders with Bulgaria and Greece, a new museum takes on centuries of Ottoman rule in the Balkans.

Elsewhere in the region, Slovakia prepares for its 9th referendum, a former Czech PM goes on trial, and Hungarian teachers turn to civil disobedience.

The Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry has returned Egypt's stolen artifacts to the country.

The artifacts, such as the Kaaba key and an embroidered bag, which were found in a cargo package sent from Egypt last year, were returned by Gökhan Yazgı, the head of the Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of the ministry.

The officials from Türkiye, Sweden and Finland have agreed to intensify technical works for the two Nordic states' accession to the alliance, said the Turkish presidency in a statement on Aug. 26.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias deconstructed Ankara's revisionist, expansionist policies and threats against Greek sovereignty and outlined the priorities and challenges of Greek foreign policy at a meeting at the foreign ministry today with students and graduates of the Kennedy School of Government.