Bulgaria Loses Billions Annually Due to Delayed Schengen Membership, Warns Economy Minister
Bulgaria stands to lose approximately BGN 1 billion each year due to its continued exclusion from full membership in the Schengen area
Palestine joined Interpol as a member state on Wednesday, a move opposed by Israel, in a vote at the international police organization’s general assembly in Beijing, Interpol said.
“The State of Palestine and the Solomon Islands are now INTERPOL member countries,” an Interpol tweet read.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry, which said earlier that Israel’s efforts to delay a vote until next year had failed, had no immediate comment on the decision.
Israel had contended that Palestine is not a state and that it is ineligible for Interpol membership. Under interim Israeli-Palestinian peace deals, a Palestinian Authority was granted limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
“This victory was made possible because of the principled position of the majority of Interpol members,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki said in a statement.
The Palestine Liberation Organization said on Twitter that more than 75 percent of Interpol members voted to approve membership.
“On this joyous occasion, the State of Palestine reiterates its commitment to upholding its obligations and contributing to fighting crime and furthering the rule of law,” Maliki said.
In 2012, the U.N. General Assembly upgraded the Palestinian Authority’s observer status at the United Nations to “non-member state” from “entity”, like the Vatican.
The step fell short of full U.N. membership, but it had important legal implications in allowing the Palestinians access to international bodies, should they choose to join.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
OSINT researcher Christiaan Triebert has recently released highly detailed satellite images of Belbek airport following the Ukrainian attack on the night of May 15
According to an official from the Italian Ministry of Finance, finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations, scheduled to meet in Italy next week, are set to endorse a European Union proposal
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán shared concerning news about Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's condition
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the enduring bond between Russia and China during the final day of his two-day visit to China
In response to Downing Street's accusation of sponsoring espionage and hacking attacks on British officials, Russia has expelled Britain's military attaché in Moscow
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized the critical importance of the battle for Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip for Israel, which has been engaged in a war against Hamas for over seven months
Sofia Airport's Terminal 3 Construction Set to Begin in Early 2026
COVID-19 Impact: Bulgaria's Grim Milestone as Highest Death Rate in EU