Bulgaria
Albania
Varhelyi refocuses on enlargement for Southeast Europe
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi visited North Macedonia and Albania on October 6-7, meeting leaders in both countries as well as addressing parliaments....
Albania
North Macedonia’s coalition government forms up, as directed
Once again, to the delight of North Macedonia’s Western supporters, Skopje has a new coalition government that looks very much like last year’s pre-election...
Analysis
Croatia and Bulgaria eyeing Eurozone entry
Seemingly ready to ignore the lessons of the last decade’s Eurozone crisis which ravaged many of their neighbours, aspiring Eurozone members Croatia and Bulgaria...
Analysis
Europe's masked corona ball
Response from the Cabinet of Commissioner Lenarčič:
At the end of January, as the outbreak intensified in Wuhan coronavirus epicentre, President von der Leyen triggered...
Archive
Russia’s Rosatom wins contract for Bulgarian NPP modernisation
Rusatom Service, the electric power division of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, and Bulgaria’s Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant signed a contract on neutron-flux monitoring...
Archive
EU invests in efficient and sustainable waste management in Bulgaria
The European Commission has approved an investment of over €77 million from the European Regional Development Fund to upgrade the integrated waste management system...
Archive
Bulgarian investigative journalist assaulted in Sofia
Slavi Angelov, a Bulgarian investigative journalist was assaulted by masked men late Tuesday outside his home in the country’s capital, Sofia.
Angelov works for the...
Archive
Brussels' action plan to support Greece
EU Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and the Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson announced that Brussels has adopted an action plan for Greece that would...
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
European Council President meets with Bulgaria's PM Borissov
Boyko Borissov, Bulgaria's Prime Minister met with EU Council President Charles Michel, at the institution's headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.
EU funds from the Multiannual...
Archive
Bulgarian judge denied entry to US, Pompeo sharply criticises Bulgaria's rule of law
United States’ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo barred a Bulgarian judge from entering the US because of his alleged involvement in “significant corruption”.
The US...
Archive
Bulgaria to expel two Russian diplomats for spying
Bulgaria is set to expel two Russian diplomats over spying allegations, its foreign ministry announced. They are suspected of collecting "state secrets in order...
Archive
Sale of Piraeus Bank's Bulgarian subsidiary to Eurobank did not breach EU state aid rules, EU Commission says
After examining a complaint received in January 2019 that led to the opening of a formal investigation procedure, the European Commission confirmed on Wednesday...
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...
Archive
Bulgaria to acquire 20% of Alexandroupolis LNG project in Greece
The Council of Ministers of the Bulgarian Government has approved the participation of Bulgaria’s state gas transmission company, Bulgartransgaz, by a percentage of 20%...
Archive
Don’t slow the flow: EU wants no snag in Russian gas via Ukraine
As Nord Stream-2 builders are planning to finish the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany underneath the Baltic Sea by the end of the...
Archive
EU energy policy to boost security of supply in the Balkans
ATHENS – The European Union and member states need to work together to increase energy security, which is a goal that will be continued...
Archive
Greece, Cyprus, Israel to discuss gas exports to Europe
A trilateral Greece-Cyprus-Israel summit will take place in Beersheba on December 20 where host Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras,...
Archive
Greece launches expanded LNG terminal to deliver gas to the Balkans
REVITHOUSSA, Greece - Greece inaugurated on November 22 the upgraded liquefied natural gas terminal (LNG) in Revithoussa, operated by gas grid operator DESFA, in...
Archive
Greece, Egypt and the EU support Cyprus’ right to explore for hydrocarbons
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Egyptian President met on the island of Crete on October 10, for talks aimed at...
Africa
In Greece, EU sees transition to sustainability, energy security
ATHENS – Greece’s energy sector is a vital pillar of the transition to sustainable growth and has helped boost the EU’s energy security, European...
Archive
Hamburg highlights wind energy role in fighting climate change
HAMBURG – Cross-boarder electricity interconnections are vital for Europe to achieve its climate and energy goals and integrate more renewables into energy markets but...
Archive
Russia resumes construction of TurkStream Line 2 for Europe
THESSALONIKI, Greece – Russia has resumed the pipelaying operations for the second string of the Turkish Stream or TurkStream offshore gas pipeline, which aims...
Archive
Cyprus’ Minister highlights East Med role in EU energy security
LAGONISSI, Greece – Cyprus plans to forge ahead with the country’s energy plans to explore for hydrocarbons in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and...
Archive
Closing a new chapter in the Name Dispute
After nearly 27 years of haggling, the race to the finish line for a formal end to the Greece-Macedonia/FYROM Name Dispute kicked into full...
Archive
Name Dispute talks progress as foreign ministers produce a draft agreement
After meeting in Brussels on May 28, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and Macedonia/FYROM Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov announced they had completed work on...
Archive
Name Dispute negotiations: Doing a new tango ahead of the summer summits
Negotiations over the Greece/Macedonia/FYROM Name Dispute resumed in New York on May 24-25 following consultations in Washington by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias earlier...
Archive
Name Dispute negotiations: Zaev’s “Ilinden Gambit” melts down in Athens and Skopje
Within 24 hours of the end of bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia late last week, a new...
Archive
Name Dispute negotiations: Late nights, roadmaps, and summer summits
The outcome of the bilateral meeting in Sofia May 17 between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Macedonia/FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev disappointed the...
Archive
Name Dispute negotiations: Getting closer, but is this just a matter of sequencing or is it deeper?
While the negotiations over the Greece-Macedonia/FYROM Name Dispute returned to a faster track after the visit of UN Mediator Matthew Nimetz to Athens May...
Archive
Name Dispute talks focus on opportunities at upcoming EU-Western Balkans Summit
With the window for a potential agreement before the upcoming EU and NATO Summits in June and July nearly closed, efforts to reach agreement...
Archive
Turmoil in and around Greece may be switching the Greece-Macedonia/FYROM Name Talks into low gear
The barrage of Greek domestic politics and this week’s almost-clashes with Turkey in the Aegean have combined to get the Greece-Macedonia/FYROM Name Dispute talks...
Archive
Šefčovič, Pyatt say Greece can help boost EU energy security
PIRAEUS, Greece – Greece’s position as an energy hub that can help the European Union increase its energy security and diversification of supplies, reducing...
Archive
Merkel’s new coalition likely won’t sideline Nord Stream-2
Despite the outcome of the hard political negotiations to form a coalition government following the re-election of Germany’s Angela Merkel to a fourth-term in...
Archive
Turkish Stream eyes Balkan gas market, East Med hinges on prices
VOULIAGMENI, Athens – Gazprom is looking to supply the Balkans with Russian gas via Turkish Stream after 2019 when the contract with Ukraine expires,...
Archive
US calls for relaxing Gazprom’s stranglehold on EU market
ATHENS – Several key energy projects currently underway in Greece will bring significant quantities of non-Russian gas to Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, and other regional...
Archive
Gazprom and the European Commission: What’s next?
After lengthy negotiations, the European Commission and Russian gas monopoly Gazprom have agreed on a list of commitments, which the Commission expects will most...
Archive
Russia to construct first gas pipe to Turkey, mulls second line to EU
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom moved ahead with plans to build the Turkish Stream gas pipeline with the first line to Turkey to be constructed...
Archive
Russia dreams no EU gas war, pipelines to Germany, Italy
LAGONISSI, Greece – Moscow hopes to overcome European Commission’s objections to Gazprom’s plans to construct Nord Stream 2 from Russia to Germany and to...
Archive
Putin brings his energy game to Athens
ATHENS - Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Greece on May 28 to boost Moscow’s energy relations with Athens and secure the...
Archive
Greece, Bulgaria Gas Link To Lessen EU Dependence on Russia
Greece and Bulgaria signed on December 10 a long-delayed final investment agreement (FID) to build a 180-kilometre natural gas pipeline to help Sofia reduce...
Archive
With Washington’s Blessing: Greece Wants To Be Hub For East Med, Caspian Gas
ATHENS – The major gas discoveries in Israel, Cyprus and Egypt have completely changed regional geopolitics and energy supply in the Eastern Mediterranean, Energean...
Archive
EU Fast-Tracks Tesla, Eastring Gas Lines
The European Commission on November 18 included the Tesla and Eastring gas pipelines in its updated Project of Common Interests (PCIs) list, which will...
Archive
Fearing Russian Gas Cuts, Bulgaria Goes Underground
Bulgaria is expanding an underground gas storage site to guard against any gas supply cuts from Russian gas monopoly Gazprom. The expansion is expected...
Archive
Greece-Bulgaria pipe to break Gazprom monopoly
BRATISLAVA – Implementing an agreement to construct a gas interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece, which is likely to be signed in early July, is important for the energy...
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