Mr. Paul Kuhn of Avrupa Minerals reports

AVRUPA REPORTS ON PARTNER DEFAULTS AT ALVALADE JV, SOUTH PORTUGAL

Avrupa Minerals Ltd.'s partner on the Alvalade VMS (volcanogenic massive sulphide) copper/zinc joint venture project in the Iberian pyrite belt of southern Portugal is in default of the earn-in agreement. Avrupa expects the partner, Colt Resources Ltd., will also be unable to meet required government exploration expenditure requirements on the project, and Avrupa can now either repurchase the project or dilute Colt.

Avrupa has been working with Colt for the past 14 months to eliminate the issues, but has continued to experience numerous delays in managing the expenditures. Avrupa's largest shareholder invested funds into Colt to pay the Alvalade property licence fees in the spring of 2016, as Colt was unable to make that payment. A final extension for payment to Avrupa of all required expenditures was granted to Colt in September, 2016, with deadlines set at the end of 2016. These deadlines were not met.

More recently, Colt replaced its president due to internal issues outlined in its news release of Jan. 31, 2017. To date, Colt has still not provided funds for payment of Avrupa's fees, for suppliers' invoices, care/maintenance costs for the project and now for the 2017 property fees. Colt has not met the 2015 and 2016 annual work plans and expenditure requirements set by the DGEG, the Portuguese mining bureau. Colt has now missed two periods of required project exploration expenditures under the earn-in agreement. In addition, Colt has not made the payments required under its assignment agreement with the former partner, and is in default under that agreement also.

Avrupa is working to ensure that Colt's defaults in financing the work expenditure commitments will not cause Avrupa to lose its interest in the Alvalade licence.

Avrupa will provide its shareholders with further updates as the situation progresses.

About Avrupa Minerals Ltd.

The company currently holds nine exploration licences in three European countries, including six in Portugal covering 3,821 square kilometres, two in Kosovo covering 47 square kilometres and one in Germany covering 307 square kilometres. Avrupa has three joint ventures: two in Portugal and one in Kosovo, including:

• The Alvalade JV with Colt Resources covering one licence in the Iberian pyrite belt of southern Portugal for zinc/copper-rich massive sulphide deposits;
• The Covas JV with Blackheath Resources covering one licence in northern Portugal for intrusion-related tungsten deposits;
• Avrupa's partner at the Slivovo gold project in Kosovo is fully financing the program, allowing Avrupa to dilute its ownership in the JV operating company Peshter Mining JSC.

This news release was prepared by company management, which takes full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, president and chief executive officer of Avrupa, a licensed professional geologist and a registered member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn has not only reviewed, but prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release.