Balkan developments

published on 6/23/23 12:58 PM

Belgrade will host EXPO 2027‎

Between 5 candidates from 4 continents, the General Assembly of the International Bureau of ‎Exhibitions (BIE) in Paris chose Belgrade to host a specialized international exhibition - ‎EXPO 2027. ‎

Between the two European applications of Malaga in Spain and the Serbian capital, Bulgaria ‎supported Belgrade. ‎

The exhibition will last 3 months and is dedicated to world sports and music. A stadium, a ‎shopping complex and a fair hall will be built for the forum in the central part of Belgrade. ‎The idea is that united in a green avenue, they will become an "urban oasis" and an attractive ‎centre for tourists and citizens. ‎

The chairman of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Marko Čadež, emphasized that the ‎project would create thousands of jobs and attract hundreds of thousands of tourists, reports ‎RTS. ‎

Romania is preparing to become the largest producer of natural gas in the EU

OMV Petrom and Romgaz made the final decision to invest 4 billion euros in gas production ‎from the Neptune Deep project in the Black Sea. The start of production is planned for 2027. ‎

For the entire period of operation, about 100 billion cubic meters of gas will be withdrawn. ‎

‎"Romania will become the largest producer of natural gas in the EU and a net exporter of ‎natural gas, strengthening the security of gas supplies," said a press release from one mining ‎company. ‎

The perimeter of "Neptune Deep" in the Black Sea has an area of 7,500 sq. km. and is located ‎at a distance of approximately 160 km from the coast, in waters with depths between 100 and ‎‎1,000 m. The first deposits there were discovered in 2012. ‎

Total exploration and evaluation costs so far amount to over 1.5 billion euros, notes Digi24 ‎television. ‎

The European Parliament postpones the vote on the report on Skopje's progress towards ‎the EU

Bulgarian MEP from Renew Europe, Ilhan Kyucyuk, who is the rapporteur for Northern ‎Macedonia, has requested a postponement of the vote in the European Parliament on the ‎report on Skopje's progress towards the EU. The vote was scheduled for June 27. ‎

MEPs have made over 290 amendments to the draft report. ‎

‎"I am convinced that the upcoming period before the vote on the report will be a serious test ‎for the political elite in North Macedonia and will measure the readiness of the country to ‎continue on the path of European integration by implementing the necessary constitutional ‎changes. Otherwise, critics who do not believe in North Macedonia's European aspirations ‎may be proven right. In both scenarios, the European Parliament will have a clear line on ‎which to vote the report with a large majority in the fall," said Kyuchyuk, quoted by BGNES.‎

In June, Eastern Thrace shines in lavender purple

A rich lavender harvest is to take place in Edirne Thrace where the harvest has begun. In 8 ‎years, it has become the leading oil crop in the region of Thrace, said the Director of the ‎Institute of Agricultural Crops, Dr. Adnan Tyulek. ‎

‎"Bulgaria is the country where the most lavender is produced. The cooperation with Bulgaria ‎turned out to be an important attempt to attract the interest of local farmers and to make ‎lavender a leading one for the Thracian region," says Tyulek. ‎

Areas have grown 260 times to 360 ha. To promote the crops in Edirne, the Lavender Fields ‎Days festival is held every year in June, which attracts about 100,000 tourists. ‎

A litre of lavender oil costs 120 euros. 100 kg of lavender yields 2 litres of oil. From a hectare, ‎the yield is up to 8 kg of oil. Concomitant farmers produce more than 15 kg of honey per ‎hectare, reports BTA.‎

Without a joint meeting, Vucic-Kurti in Brussels negotiate a truce for Northern Kosovo

EU Foreign Policy Commissioner Josep Borrell announced that an agreement was reached in ‎Brussels to hold new local elections as soon as possible in the 4 Serb-dominated municipalities ‎of Northern Kosovo. The announcement comes after separate meetings with the President of ‎Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti. ‎

‎

"We presented our clear expectations to both sides: for Kosovo - to immediately freeze police ‎operations in the municipalities in Northern Kosovo, and for the four mayors to temporarily ‎perform their duties outside the municipal buildings. For Serbia - to guarantee that the ‎protesters will withdraw from the municipal buildings together with the Kosovo policemen. ‎That the 4 detained Kosovo policemen will be released and that the Kosovo Serbs will ‎unconditionally participate in the new elections". ‎

Borrell admitted that there is no convergence of positions between the two sides.‎

Compiled by Ivo Ivanov

Published by Rositsa Petkova

Share

Balkan developments

Share

More from category

Do Bulgarians celebrate Europe Day or Victory Day on May 9?

The final of the 2025 FameLab Bulgaria competition- part of the Sofia Science Festival

The personal success stories of Bulgarians in New York shape perceptions of Bulgaria in the U.S.

Retro train will travel between Sofia and Pernik on the occasion of Children's Day

Balkan developments

School teacher Natalia Staykova – the battle abroad is to preserve the Bulgarian language