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Delphi Forum postponed but American VIPs arrive in Greece
On February 29 the Delphi Forum announced a postponement until late spring due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak that had just hit several major...
Archive
COVID-19 no hit for Russian oil exports to China
Russia’s oil exports to China were almost unaffected last month amid the coronavirus outbreak as the East Asian country has been benefiting from lower...
Archive
Nord Stream 2 looking for solutions to complete pipeline hit by US sanctions
Nord Stream 2 AG, which is constructing a controversial gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, is looking for solutions to complete the pipelaying of...
Albania
Amidst crises, Greece finds time for renewed Balkan diplomacy
Despite the multiple crises Greece is currently facing – a continuing refugee deluge and massive public reaction on some islands, the spreading coronavirus threat,...
Archive
US envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks to become Acting Director of National Intelligence
President Donald Trump has named Richard Grenell, the US Ambassador to Germany and concurrently Special Envoy to Serbia and Kosovo, to become the acting...
Archive
Expansion of renewables, storage, interconnectors key to deliver EU’s Green Deal
BRUSSELS – Europe is not building enough new wind farms to deliver the EU’s Green Deal goal, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told New Europe...
Analysis
Munich Bacchanalian surprises
At the Munich Security Conference 2020, two reality-altering messages were sent back to Southeastern Europe, which incidentally was not the core focus of this...
Archive
EU lawmakers block Green’s push to cancel gas projects funding
STRASBOURG - Members of the European Parliament rejected on 12 February calls to veto the fourth list on projects of common interest (PCI), on...
Archive
EU lawmakers block Green's push to cancel gas projects funding
STRASBOURG - Members of the European Parliament rejected on 12 February calls to veto the fourth list on projects of common interest (PCI), on...
Analysis
North Macedonia takes a small step forward and one backwards this week
Since being installed in early January in preparation for the country’s April 6 elections, Caretaker Government Labour Minister Rashela Mizrahi, from the ultranationalist VMRO-DPMNE...
Africa
High noon heat in Morocco catalyst for solar power
QUARZAZARTE, Morocco – At the foot of the snow-covered Atlas Mountains, the sun beats down on the vast plateau of the Moroccan high desert...
Albania
France scores victory on Enlargement rules
The EU Commission released new proposed rules on February 5 which substantially modify the current Enlargement process but also allow EU member states to...
Analysis
Greece ratifies new defence deal with Washington
Late on January 30, the Greek parliament voted to ratify Greece’s new defence agreement signed with the US last October during the visit of...
Archive
Morocco’s wind farms alternative energy idea for EU
TANGIER, Morocco – At the gateway to Tangier, the strong wind blowing on the corridor from Gibraltar between Europe and Africa powers the long...
Archive
Morocco's wind farms alternative energy idea for EU
TANGIER, Morocco – At the gateway to Tangier, the strong wind blowing on the corridor from Gibraltar between Europe and Africa powers the long...
Archive
EU eyes hydrogen for zero emissions energy
ATHENS – The Commitment of the new European Commission to a clean energy transition that includes an important role for hydrogen is very clear,...
Archive
US diplomatic engagement helps reopen Kosovo-Serbia flights
Representatives of Serbia, Kosovo, the US, and Lufthansa Group signed a milestone agreement on January 20 to establish an air link between Serbia and...
Archive
East Med Gas Forum makes Cairo HQ
Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and Palestinian Authority signed in Cairo on 16 January the East Med Gas Forum (EMGF) foundation charter, creating...
Archive
Putin, Erdogan launch TurkStream to Turkey, Southern Europe
Russia and Turkey launched the TurkStream gas pipeline on 8 January in a ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip...
Analysis
Greek Prime Minister meets President Trump amid Mid-East turmoil
The January 7 White House meeting between US President Donald J Trump and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis did not yield any new US...
Archive
Oil price reaches 3-month high as 2019 nears end
Hopes for a US-China trade deal and an American Petroleum Institute (API) report showing lower US crude inventories pushed oil prices about 1% to...
Archive
Turkey lurking, Greece-Cyprus-Israel EastMed political deal coming
ATHENS – Greece, Cyprus and Israel plan to sign an intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the EastMed natural gas pipeline in Athens on...
Archive
Irked Merkel rips US Nord-Stream-2 sanctions
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reportedly criticised US sanctions on companies constructing the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany but noted that...
Albania
Greece’s Balkan diplomacy currently a sideshow
While keeping up the appearances of an active diplomatic campaign in Southeast Europe, the net impact of Athens’ recent initiatives will yield next to...
Archive
OPEC+ becomes OPEC- with oil production cuts
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other major producers led by Russia, a group known as OPEC+, have reportedly agreed to...
Archive
Russia commences Power of Siberia pipeline gas supplies to China
Russia started on 2 December Russian gas pipeline supplies to China via the ambitious Power of Siberia gas pipeline or so-called eastern route.Taking part...
Archive
White House finally schedules Washington meeting with Greek prime minister
The White House announced on December 2 that President Donald J. Trump would be meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on January 7...
Archive
Blades of Glory: Denmark to repower Middelgrunden offshore windfarm
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – The blades of the 20 turbines of the Middelgrunden offshore windfarm, off the coast of Copenhagen, rotated slowly as the boat...
Albania
Greece champions EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans
As a consequence of French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision in October to call for a temporary hold on EU accession discussions for Albania and...
Archive
Gazprom sets rules for Ukraine passage of EU gas
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom said on 18 November that the company submitted to Naftogaz of Ukraine an official proposal signed by Gazprom CEO Alexey...
Archive
Oil mess in Texas, OPEC caution gush crude prices
A surprise drop in US crude inventories and comments from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo about lower-than-expected US...
Albania
Zaev-Mitsotakis Thessaloniki meeting explores EU Enlargement delays
The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia met on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki 2019 Summit on November 14. This was their second...
Albania
Brussels casts Zaev a thin lifeline
Brussels cast a thin Italian-flavoured political lifeline to North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev over the last ten days, something sorely needed after Zaev...
Archive
Zaev fumbles after EU Enlargement let-down
North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev fumbled badly this week when discussing the relationship between his country’s now-frozen EU accession bid and the standing...
Archive
Resumption of peace talks may pause Turkish drilling in Cyprus EEZ
Incoming new EU Commission may be keener on negotiations to resolve regional East Med problemsLIMASSOL, Cyprus – The possible resumption of the dormant peace...
Albania
Enlargement is not Eurovision, Zoran
Enlargement boosters across Europe were stunned by the third failure of the European Council to announce a decision on 18 October on a date...
Albania
France unyielding on EU Enlargement, elections triggered in North Macedonia
The scenario that emerged late last week with multiple reports that France would oppose immediate decisions on EU Enlargement has come to pass.
EU European...
Archive
EU countries stall EIB plans to phase out funding for fossil fuels
The European Investment Bank (EIB) on 15 October postponed taking a decision to next month on whether to phase out lending to fossil fuels,...
Archive
US Democrats conclave in Athens
Arriving in Athens a week after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited, the US Democratic Party’s overseas arm (Democrats Abroad) is holding its 2019...
Archive
At Cairo summit, Turkey slammed for drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ
At a trilateral summit between Egypt, Cyprus and Greece in Cairo on 8 October, the leaders of the three countries slammed Turkey's drilling in...
Analysis
Greece and US ink new defence deal and extend strategic dialogue
Taking a welcome break from his involvement in the Trump-Ukraine issue, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo completed his short Balkan swing on 6...
Archive
Secretary of State Pompeo begins short Balkan swing
Despite the turmoil in Washington which has practically everything except his current European trip in focus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo departed Italy on 4...
Archive
Washington and Athens agree on new defence agreement
The US and Greece have agreed on the text of a new document which will modify the existing bilateral Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA)...
Archive
Meeting Erdogan at UN, Mitsotakis eyes calmer waters
The meeting between Greece's newly elected Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the United Nations General...
Archive
Zaev-Mitsotakis New York meeting – breaking the ice
The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia held their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)...
Archive
Drone strikes on Saudi oil fields spike prices
Geopolitical tensions and fears of longer-than-expected supply shortfalls led to Brent crude oil prices rising more than 1% on 19 September following the drone...
Albania
Tusk makes final push in support of Western Balkans enlargement
Outgoing European Council President Donald Tusk devoted his time on 16 September to make a final push in support of the EU accession aspirations...
Archive
EU wants progress in Russia-Ukraine gas talks
The European Union will host a fresh round of Trilateral Gas Talks between Russia and Ukraine on 19 September in Brussels with European Commission...
Analysis
The mother of all hearings
As soon as the new European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, revealed on 10 September that Hungary’s former Minister of Justice Laszlo Trocsanyi...
Archive
Russia fuels global gas race with Arctic LNG-2 project
Competing in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) race, Russia’s largest independent gas producer, Novatek, France’s Total and the other project shareholders have approved...
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