Albania is the country with highest asylum applications per capita ratio

Albania tops the 2020 list of countries in terms of the number of asylum applications per capita, reports BGNES. According to a report of the United Nations, in 2020, the number of Albanian asylum seekers were 550 per 100,000 people. For comparison, in 2015, there were 350 asylum applications per 100,000 people. Turkey places second after Albania with 350 emigrants per 100,000 people. The report is prepared by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and is based on official data about the number of asylum seekers.

Greece and Turkey continue talks on maritime boundaries

Greece and Turkey held more exploratory talks in Athens in an effort to seek common ground on a long-standing maritime boundaries dispute. The issue will be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the European Council on March 25 and 26, reported BTA. The two NATO members are arguing over the demarcation of the continental shelf between the Greek islands and the Turkish coast, maritime rights and air space in the Mediterranean, energy resources, the status of some islands in the Aegean Sea, etc. The exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece resumed on January 25 in Istanbul. Little progress has been registered during the 60 rounds of talks held since 2002.

Serbia marks 17^th anniversary since the 2004 unrest in Kosovo

On March 17, Serbia marked the 17^th anniversary since the 2004 unrest in Kosovo. Back then, Albanian extremists expelled more than 4,000 Serbs from the enclaves in Southern Kosovo. Many people were killed or disappeared, reminded BTA. According to data of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, nearly 60,000 Albanians participated at the so-called March Pogrom, which began on March 17, 2004. 800 Serb houses were destroyed and 35 churches and monasteries were desecrated, set on fire or destroyed.

Big automotive company invests more than 2 USD billion in Turkey

“Turkey will become the biggest manufacturer of electric cars thanks to the latest investment of a large automotive company”, announced this country’s President Recep Erdogan in Ankara, reported BGNES. “Ford Otosan” is to invest USD 2 billion to open the first integrated vehicle factory in the industrial Kocaeli province in 2022 to manufacture new-generation commercial vehicles and batteries. “The government provided various incentives for businesses to make the private sector the engine of economic growth”, said President Erdogan in his speech. The exports of the automotive industry in 2020 exceeded USD 25 billion amid the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, this country exported more than 900,000 vehicles to 180 countries across five continents.

Restaurants in Cyprus reopen after a three-month closure

Restaurants, cafes and food zones in dining areas in shopping malls opened in Cyprus following a three-month closure. However, these catering establishments can welcome clients only in their outdoor seating areas, reported the Bulgarian National Radio’s correspondent Branislava Bobanac. They are allowed to admit 1 customer per 2 square meters of space. However, restaurants and bars are not allowed to play music that would encourage customers to dance. Everyone who returns to work must undergo rapid coronavirus testing. Later, they will be required to undergo Covid-19 testing once a week.

Pfizer to move some of its production facilities to Romania

The Romanian army controls the vaccination process. Inoculation against Covid-19 takes place in special centers. People register on the Internet or via a call center. The emphasis has been placed on vaccination with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Vaccines have been administered to more than 1.5 million people and half of them have already received their second vaccine dose, Vladimir Mitev, founder at the Bridge of Friendship Blog, said for the BNR. Pfizer had announced that they would move some of its production facilities from Belgium to Romania because of the lower wages in Romania, said Vladimir Mitev.

Compiled by: Miglena Ivanova

English version: Kostadin Atanasov