15 October 2021 (MIA) Brussels — The European Commission’s annual progress reports on the Western Balkans’ reforms will be released before the European Parliament on Oct. 19, MIA’s Brussels correspondent reports. Skopje – President Stevo Pendarovski on Friday as part of his visit to Sweden held a meeting with Foreign Minister Ann Linde in which he voiced hopes that the EU will resume its enlargement policy to admit the Western Balkans, stressing that North Macedonia’s case is a test of the credibility of the process. Skopje — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed media accusations that construction work on the Gradsko – Prilep highway had damaged a World War 1 memorial to 193 fallen Bulgarian soldiers. The memorial, which is close to the Farish – Drenovo highway section being built near Kavadarci, has not been degraded in any way, the MFA’s press release says. Sofia — The two memorials to Bulgarian soldiers killed in World War I, which are near Kavadarci and one and a half kilometers apart, are completely intact, the Bulgarian National Television reported after their team visited the area. Sofia – Bulgarian President Rumen Radev urged Friday for respect of rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia, saying this is the ‘entrance hall’ for the country’s EU integration, MIA reports from Sofia. Skopje – North Macedonia on Friday registered 413 new COVID-19 infections, including 205 in the capital Skopje, after a total of 3,025 tests were conducted in labs across the country in the past 24 hours. Nine fatalities and 309 recovered patients were also registered in the same time period, says the Health Ministry. Skopje – A total of 797,988 people have been vaccinated, 758,001 have been fully vaccinated with 1,039 receiving their third dose until October 14, the Health Ministry said Friday. Skopje – Of the 40,208 new Covid-19 cases registered from Aug. 6 through Oct. 14 in the country, 25 percent, i.e. 10,066 people were fully vaccinated, whereas 30,142 people, i.e. 74.9 percent, were unvaccinated. Of those admitted to hospital, 79 percent were unvaccinated, while 21 percent had received two vaccine doses, health authorities said. Skopje — Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski met with UNICEF Representative to the Republic of North Macedonia Patrizia Di Giovanni earlier on Friday to talk about the past and future cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the UNICEF Office in the country, according to an official press release. Skopje – The election process in general until the final day of campaigning ahead of Sunday’s local elections is taking place in a democratic and peaceful climate in line with the Constitution and the Electoral Code, the NGO Civil said Friday. Skopje – The Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion won second place at the International Trade Council’s international contest for best companies and organizations worldwide, Go Global Awards 2021, organized in Washington, D.C. Skopje – With relaxed monetary policy and all the decisions and measures taken since the outbreak of the corona crisis, the National Bank is making a substantial contribution to support financial stability and the Macedonian economy. For the time being, the monetary policy stance is appropriate. However, there is a need for close monitoring of inflation movements, in particular inflation expectations and potential side effects in a context of wage growth. Belgrade – Bloomberg Media and MTel Swiss, a broadcaster owned by Telekom Serbia, announced on Friday the opening of the first regional business news network in Southeast Europe, with hubs in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia, MIA’s Belgrade correspondent said. Sofia — The number of new covid-19 infections and deaths in the Balkan countries continues to vary in what is still a complicated situation. Athens – Heavy rains in Greece have been wreaking havoc across the country, with some desperate residents being forced onto their roofs to escape flash flooding. La Palma — The lava flow from the volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma became more violent and much faster on Friday. Berlin – Germany’s Social Democrats and two smaller parties – the Greens and the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) – came out in favour of formal talks to forge a coalition after last month’s election led to a reordering of the country’s political landscape. Oslo – The man who killed five people in the town of Kongsberg in southern Norway has been remanded in custody for four weeks by a court order issued on Friday. Islamabad – At least 20 people were killed in a blast at a Shiite Mosque in southern Afghanistan on Friday, a health official said.