There have been repeated raids on churches by the Luhansk People's Republic. Authorities announced the ban of the “destructive activity of the extremist Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Churches”.

With the new legislation, the state is implementing strong restrictions over international donations for religious purposes, and is placing itself in a position to control the training and the activities of ecclesiastic ministers.

Just 20.96% of registered voters cast ballots, less than the 30% needed for the result to be valid.

University lecturer Emanuel Tundrea explains why he will vote ‘yes’ this weekend in the referendum to protect marriage as “a union between a man and a woman”.

Christian alienation is not, by definition, a negative consequence of being Christian or an unintentional aspect of Christian life.

“There is an inexhaustible marketplace until the church throughout Europe courageously takes up its responsibility to take missional risks for the kingdom”, says Andy Stevens.

Romania’s senators voted to change the country’s constitution so that it defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The national referendum will be held in October.

Škripek is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and a convinced Christian. To him, praying for a seemingly hopeless situation as there is in Syria is a logical thing to do.

All ministers of faith minorities representing less than 1% of the population “would be required to be Bulgarian citizens, having graduated theology in this country”, explains Vlady Raichinov, Vice President of the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance.

The Belgian city of Ostend will convert an abandoned hangar into a brothel. “Many prostitutes think they are protected, but they are not”, says a Christian social worker in the region.

Volunteers working with the Christian association Valoare Plus set up support groups in secondary schools to mentor teenagers in risk of being trafficked for pornography and prostitution.

The Eurosceptic party Fidesz gets two thirds of the parliament’s seats. The Prime Minister will now be able to make deep constitutional changes.

The REA wants to be a lay movement of church people concerned about inter-denominational cooperation.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church agreed “to intercede and advocate” for the Macedonian Church in its hopes for canonical independence.

World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Efraim Tendero and national evangelical leaders meet the Kosovan Head of State. Thaçi underlines his commitment to religious freedom and inter-faith dialogue.

Belarusian print newspaper “Kolokol” works to bring the gospel to regions with no access to internet, including prisons and nursing homes.

The 2017 European Leadership Forum gathered hundreds in Poland to celebrate the Reformation and connect to better share the gospel in diverse national contexts. See picture gallery.

Around 130 delegates from different parts of the country reflected on the role of Christians. A manual for counselling the victims of violence has been published.

Churches from many regions met in Tirana to pray for the country and to speak of God as the “only hope” for Albania.

A coalition government will be needed in a country where citizens tend to trust EU politicians more than their own.

“The basic nature of the Macedonian crisis is moral”, says Nikola Galevski, a pastor in Skopje. “Pray that the church will clearly see its specific calling for a time like this”.

“Taking the streets is a step forward, that goes beyond just praying on Sundays in churches for those in authority”, says political expert Adrian Petrice.

Representatives of 11 countries met in the Czech Republic to discuss the present and future of theological education in Central and Eastern Europe.

Prime Minister Borisov resigned on Monday after the victory of pro-Russian Roumen Radev. Many have left the country in the last years due to the financial crisis.