Thursday is a big day for many countries. An otherwise tepid holiday for the United States could be a boon for American Wall Street, Russian - Ukranian relations and many European countries.

Everyone is hyping up this event - but the underlying theme is that some sort of resolution must occur; if not tomorrow in the near future.

Tens of millions of lives have been upended in a war that has been going for over 12 years now.

The migrant centers being built in Albania, Montenegro and possibly Kosovo are a legal loophole to this.

Tuesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Belgrade would give the Russian owners of NIS - Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM), and Gazprom (GAZP.MM) - 50 days to sell their stake in NIS or the government would take over operations and make an offer to buy them out. The government is preparing an amendment to the countrys budget law to allow nationalization.

Vucic and his energy minister said Serbia would have to secure an operational licence from OFAC by the end of Wednesday to keep the NIS refinery operational.

The U.S. has waived sanctions against NIS several times since the Trump administration included the company in its long list of sanctioned companies. However, the situation has now become tenuous after banks stopped processing NIS payments after the last U.S. waiver expired on October 8, while Croatia's JANAF pipeline stopped delivering crude to the refinery.

Hungary has pledged increased 2.5x supplies for December but stated that it cannot cover all of Serbia's crude oil needs by itself.

Croatia Airlines has called an extraordinary general meeting for 29 December to approve a €43 million share-capital increase. The move would convert existing government loan claims from 2020—totalling about €43 million—into new airline shares, raising overall share capital to €135.38 million. The Croatian government, already the dominant shareholder, will participate as the sole investor, with other shareholders excluded. The recapitalisation supports the carrier’s ongoing fleet-modernisation programme.

The government enriches itself on paper by creating arbitrary profits out of loans.

Bulgaria’s government will give 120 leva ($71) Christmas bonuses to all pensioners whose incomes fall below the 638-leva ($378) poverty line, Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov announced on November 26. The measure will cost about 64 million ($37m) leva and benefit roughly 536,000 people.

The decision reverses earlier statements that no bonuses would be paid this year, following a proposal by GERB-UDF leader Boiko Borissov. Parliament has also tasked the Labour Ministry with drafting legislation to ensure future Christmas and Easter bonuses for vulnerable groups, including pensioners and low-income families.

32% of Bulgarian's income goes to Social Security and Healthcare insurance. Despite that all they could find for the poorest elderly was $71.

Thanksgiving passed in the U.S., the Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions continue, Serbia is scrambling to recalibrate its nationalization tools, and Orbán is in Moscow meeting with Putin today.

Croatia’s government has moved to dismiss the CEOs of ACI and four other major state-owned companies—Hrvatska Posta, HZ Infrastruktura, Hrvatska Lutrija, and Odasiljaci i Veze—while also removing the heads of the state inspectorate and the health insurance fund; no reason was given for the dismissals.

Over 20,000 protestors in Bulgaria due to new steep tax increases yesterday in Sofia where 46% of one's paycheck will be taxed.

Hungary's booming $1 billion movie industry, dubbed "Hollywood on the Danube," may soon face a major setback if US President Donald Trump enforces a proposed 100% tariff on foreign-produced films. Hungary's labor cost, stunning locations, and generous rebates have attracted numerous foreign productions, from blockbuster sci-fi like Dune to award-winning period dramas.

In 2023, foreign film spending in Hungary hit a record $910 million, mainly from US productions. However, Trump's tariffs, aimed at revitalizing the struggling US film industry, could harm Hungary’s lucrative film services. Experts suggest that Hollywood may find workarounds, but the tariffs could still disrupt the flow of productions.
In addition, Hungary’s film rebate program, which reimburses 30% of local spending, faces uncertainty after the government suspended new registrations in June.

Scrapping the bottom of the barrel here in regards to news. Nothing is happening in regards to the Balkans region; which is a good thing! Enjoy the weekend, go outside - touch grass.

May the Lord have mercy on the innocent.

The Israelis have weaponized the Pajeets.

https://www.dw.com/en/israel-to-admit-thousands-from-indias-jewish-lost-tribe/a-74855366

January 1st and 2nd, 2026 are the slated days where the Euro becomes the primary currency nationwide for Bulgaria.

Turkish President Erdogan:

It is becoming evident that the war between Russia and Ukraine has reached a point where it clearly threatens navigational safety in the Black Sea.

The targeting of commercial vessels in our exclusive economic zone on Friday signals a worrying escalation.

🇬🇷 Greek farmers have blocked multiple roads across the country, demanding reparations for destroyed crops and protesting the high costs for their work efforts.

The epicentre is in Nikaia, Larissa, while other movements can be spotted in the E-65 highway in Karditsa and the Evzones customs station.


📝 Kathimerini
🗺 @PoliticsGR