—🇪🇺/🇲🇪 NEW: The European Commission has adopted a strategic financial package outlining the budgetary rules that will apply to Montenegro once it joins the European Union.

➡️ The proposal, which addresses Chapter 33 of the ongoing accession talks, maps out Podgorica's path to fully participating in the EU budget as both a financial contributor and a beneficiary of internal investment funds.

➡️ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized the package as another concrete step toward integrating Podgorica into the Union.

➡️ The proposal has been submitted to the Council of the EU to serve as a draft common position for subsequent bilateral negotiations.

🔗 European Commission

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇲🇪/🇪🇺 euronews: "Montenegro's governing Europe Now! (Pokret Evropa sad!) party has taken a significant step towards closer integration with Europe by joining the European People's Party (EPP) as an observer member."

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇷🇸 Ethnic make of newborns in Serbia for 2025 by municipality

🔗 Malesori

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇦🇱/🇺🇸 NEW: Plans for Albania’s regional integration and its standing among Euro-Atlantic allies are facing fresh scrutiny due to the country's low defense expenditures.

➡️ Diplomatic sources indicate that despite regional defense plans and agreements, some European Union officials are pushing back against fast-tracking integration processes, arguing that underperforming defense budgets remain a major obstacle.

➡️ The move comes at a sensitive time for the Western Balkans, with Brussels explicitly using economic incentives and growth funding to pressure regional governments into accelerating strict structural, legal, and security upgrades before any deeper institutional compliance can be achieved.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—☦️❗️🇻🇦🇮🇹🇧🇬❌🇪🇺 NEW: Italy has aligned with Bulgaria in raising formal objections to proposed European Union sanctions targeting Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, according to three EU diplomats familiar with the ongoing discussions.

➡️ The measures, which are being considered as part of the bloc's latest penalties against Moscow, would enforce a travel ban and restrict entry to the EU for the religious leader.

➡️ While Bulgaria previously opposed the inclusion due to concerns over interference in religious affairs, diplomats report that Rome's parallel reservations are heavily linked to the Vatican’s diplomatic stance against blacklisting heads of Christian denominations.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇷🇸/🇪🇸 NEW: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held talks in Belgrade with Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles to discuss strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations.

➡️ During the meeting, Vucic expressed his gratitude to Robles for Spain’s consistent stance on respecting international law and its continued non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English