Italy has warned that Russia is competing with the EU for influence in the Western Balkans, as the bloc underlined its old enlargement pledge. “There are other regional or global powers that are very interested in having an influence in this region,” Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni told press. He said there were geopolitical “tensions … difficulties … [and] misunderstandings” over the future of the six former Yugoslav nations. Source: EUObserver
Bulgarian Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov wants to protect the European Union’s external borders with arms, he said in an interview published Thursday. Karakachanov told German newspaper Die Welt that he wants NATO or EU forces in Greece and Italy to stop people from entering the continent in large numbers. Source: Greek Reporter
China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday once again asked India to withdraw all its troops and equipment from Chinese territory, as the border standoff in the Dong Lang (Doklam) area approaches its second month. Source: People’s Daily
Spanish police early on Friday said they killed the alleged perpetrators of a suspected “terrorist attack” in the town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona. Six civilians and one police officer were hurt when a car drove into people in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils early on Friday. Source: Al Jazeera
