—🇧🇬💸 From February first, Bulgaria officially stopped using the Lev

➡️ The Euro is now fully adopted in the country.

ℹ️ Information reported by our source in Bulgaria.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇧🇬 NEW: Bulgaria's ex-president Radev stated on BNT Panorama that he plans to set up a new party once legal deadlines allow, after the spring 2026 vote.

➡️ He resigned last month to enter politics, citing failed elites and public calls for change.

➡️ Polls show his bloc leading at over 25% ahead of GERB.

ℹ️ Information reported by our source in Bulgaria.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇹🇷/🇽🇰 NEW: Turkish defense company Baykar has congratulated Kosovo on its Independence Day, calling it a “friendly and brotherly nation”.

➡️ The company, a key producer of Bayraktar armed drones and a symbol of Turkey’s growing defense footprint in the Balkans, has supplied TB2 drones to Kosovo’s security forces in recent years.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇺🇸/🇽🇰 NEW: US President Donald Trump has told Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani that Washington remains “steadfast” in its support for Kosovo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, extending congratulations to the country and its citizens on the occasion of Independence Day on 17 February.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇺🇸/🇽🇰 NEW: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked Kosovo’s Independence Day by stating that Washington remains unwavering in its support for Kosovo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing expectations of even stronger bilateral cooperation in the years ahead.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇺🇸/🇽🇰 NEW: A large digital billboard marking Kosovo’s Independence Day was displayed in New York City’s Times Square.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🛢🇭🇺/🇷🇺/🇭🇷 NEW: Hungarian energy company MOL has signed its first contracts to ship Russian crude by sea to Croatia for onward transit to Hungary, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced, as Budapest seeks to replace halted Druzhba pipeline flows blocked via Ukraine and redirect supplies through the Adriatic route.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🪖🇲🇰 NEW: Dozens of North Macedonia soldiers have been placed in quarantine following a scabies outbreak in the army, with poor conditions in the military blamed for the spread of the disease.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇷🇸/🇨🇿 WATCH: Serbian Chief of the General Staff Gen. Milan Mojsilović said the Serbian Armed Forces expect delivery of Czech-made RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket launchers this year, in a move that will significantly bolster artillery and rocket units and enhance long-range firepower as part of the ongoing modernization of the Land Forces.

➡️ The RM-70 Vampire system has also been observed in use by Ukrainian forces in the war in Ukraine.
​
🔗 Dunav Intel

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🪖🇷🇸/🇸🇴 NEW: Serbia is set to deliver 17 M-84 AC3 main battle tanks and unmanned aerial vehicles to Somalia as part of a wider military training and financing package, with Belgrade reportedly also supplying maintenance equipment, spare parts, weapons and ammunition.

➡️ According to Somalian sources, Serbian instructors have been training Somalia’s elite presidential guard special forces in the operation of this advanced hardware for over three and a half years under a mixed direct-purchase and credit arrangement.
​
🔗 Dunav Intel

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

🇭🇺🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦❗️ — Hungary has signaled it is prepared to back a proposed €90 billion EU loan package for Ukraine, but only if oil transit through the “Friendship” (Druzhba) pipeline is fully restored.

▶️Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that energy security remains a core national interest, linking Budapest’s support directly to stable crude supplies.

▶️The resumption of pipeline flows would help stabilize Hungary’s domestic fuel market, reduce price volatility, and ease pressure on its energy sector.

▶️In turn, approval of the EU loan would provide Kyiv with substantial financial support for reconstruction, defense, and budget stability amid ongoing conflict.

—🇭🇷/🇷🇸 NEW: Croatian PM Andrej Plenković told Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić that the emerging defense cooperation between Croatia, Kosovo and Albania is not directed against Serbia, describing the partnership as technical and institutional, focused on regional stability.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English