Europe-East articles from June 2009

Europe-East archives from June 2009

INTERVIEW WITH TIM OSBORNE, CEO OF GML (EX-YUKOS SHAREHOLDER) : RUSSIA BOUND BY ENERGY CHARTER TREATY.
June 25, 2009... Tim Osborne, CEO of GML, the main shareholder of the expropriated Yukos company, expects a decision soon on a case brought under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). GML is claiming some US$50 billion in damages from Russia for "illegal"...

"TBILISI IS DOING MUCH LESS THAN IT COULD".
June 25, 2009... The opposition has been holding demonstrations in the streets of Tbilisi for the last two months against Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili, who is being held responsible for the country's lack of democracy, its stagnating economy and its...

THE OTHER SUMMIT.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The heads of state of 14 Central European countries called for unity in combating the far-reaching effects of the global economic crisis in the region and speeding up rapprochement between the European Union and the countries of the former...

INTERVIEW WITH VACLAV BARTUSKA, EU SPECIAL ENVOY ON ENERGY SECURITY : "WE'RE STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE BLACKMAIL OF SUPPLIERS".
June 25, 2009... A former student leader in the Velvet Revolution that toppled the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia in 1989, Vaclav Bartuska's current mandate from the Czech EU Presidency is similarly ambitious: to ensure a secure energy supply for Europe. In...

AID PACKAGE TO BELARUS ANNOUNCED.
June 25, 2009... On the eve of External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner's visit to Belarus, the European Commission announced, on 19 June, the allocation of an assistance package of 10 million for the improvement of food safety and quality in...

AIR AGREEMENT WITH GEORGIA.(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... The Council of Transport Ministers authorised the European Commission to open negotiations for a global air agreement with Georgia. The decision was made at their meeting in Luxembourg on 11 June. The objective is to create a common airspace...

EU/SERBIA : ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT MAY BE UNBLOCKED BY AUTUMN.(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The Netherlands could show itself to be more relaxed over the coming months with regard to Serbia and the interim implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). At least, this is the hope of several diplomats following the...

JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS : COMMISSION OUTLINES MECHANISM FOR SHARING REFUGEES.
June 25, 2009... After a decade of justice, security and freedom policy, the European Commission proposed, on 10 June, to update the EU's priorities, which would include the creation of a Schengen visa, strengthening of the Frontex border control agency, a...

EU/BALKANS : CROATIA-SLOVENIA ROW: BILDT WILL NOT MEDIATE.(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... Although the Swedish EU Presidency strongly supports the Union's further enlargement, it does not intend to waste energy trying to settle bilateral conflicts that are slowing membership of the Western Balkan states. Foreign Minister Carl Bildt...

REGIONAL POLICY : DANUBE REGION STRATEGY DUE BEFORE END 2010.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The participants in last week's European Council meeting invited the European Commission to present an EU strategy for the Danube river region before the end of 2010. The strategy should aim "to introduce the Danube as a priority objective for...

EBRD FUNDS CROATIAN GAS STORAGE PROJECT.
June 25, 2009... The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing 70 million to the Croatian state-owned Plinacro gas transmission operator, allowing it to acquire a gas storage facility in Okoli, near the capital Zagreb. The EBRD...

EIB LOANS IN TURKEY.(European Union. European Investment Bank)(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... The European Investment Bank signed, on 8 June, three loan agreements worth 885 million with Turkey. First, a 335 million facility has been signed with the treasury, in support of public sector research activities. The facility will...

EIB LOAN TO BALTIC WATER COMPANY.
June 25, 2009... In line with the priorities set down in the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending 17.5 million to Vodokanal, St Petersburg's water company, to finance a reduction of the pollution discharged...

EU/RUSSIA : ENERGY QUESTIONS DOMINATE SUMMIT.(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The EU-Russia summit, held on 21-22 May in the Far-Eastern town of Khabarovsk, Siberia, was dominated by energy questions, with little evident progress made on other issues, whether replacing the EU-Russia partnership and cooperation agreement...

ENERGY/EUROPEAN COUNCIL : ENERGY SUPPLY DECLARED A PRIORITY.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... Having a secure energy supply remains a priority for the European Union. In the conclusions adopted at the EU summit, on 18-19 June in Brussels, the heads of state and government reiterate this key principle while expressing serious concerns...

IMMIGRATION/EUROPEAN COUNCIL : EU PLEDGES TO TACKLE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN MEDITERRANEAN.
June 25, 2009... Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus won stronger commitments from Europe's leaders, meeting for the European Council, on 18-19 June in Brussels, to combat illegal immigration in the Mediterranean and to share the burden of refugees in the Union...

MOLDOVA : EU PREPARED TO NEGOTIATE AN ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WITH MOLDOVA.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The new agreement between the EU and the Republic of Moldova will go beyond the existing partnership agreement, in force since 1998, states the negotiating brief endorsed on 15 June by the 27 EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg. The...

EU-RUSSIA DIALOGUE ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
June 25, 2009... On 28 May in Moscow, Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou and Russia's Minister of Health and Social Development Tatiana Golikova signed terms of reference for establishing a dialogue in public health. This dialogue goes beyond the current...

EU/BIH : EU SENDS FRESH WARNING TO SARAJEVO.(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... New developments in Bosnia last week have triggered fresh tension that may jeopardise not only the country's European integration but also the stability of the whole region of the Western Balkans. The parliament of Republika Srpska -...

ENERGY : GAS COORDINATION GROUP MULLS OVER RISKS.
June 25, 2009... The Gas Coordination Group, set up in 2006 by Directive 2004/67 on security of natural gas supply(1), appeared little wiser following a meeting with representatives from Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz. The Commission called the meeting...

NABUCCO PIPELINE : GAS PROJECT CLOSER THAN EVER TO REALISATION, SAYS AMBASSADOR.
June 25, 2009... The plan to build a pipeline bringing non-Russian natural gas from Azerbaijan to Austria, now a cornerstone of the EU's energy strategy, is finally on a good course, a top diplomat whose mission is to catalyse the project has said. 'It has not...

HENRIK HOLOLEI/EUROPEAN COMMISSION.(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... The European Commission appointed, on 17 June, Henrik Hololei as deputy director-general of the Directorate-General for Enlargement (DG ELARG). Hololei, a 39-year-old Estonian, is currently head of cabinet for vice-president Siim Kallas,...

HISTORY OF GEORGIA.(Brief article)(Book review)
June 25, 2009... This book helps readers to understand the past, present and future of the turbulent Caucasus Republic of Georgia, a territory long disputed by its neighboring empires, including the Turkish or the Iranian. Georgia is returning to the West...

REGIONS : INNOVATIVE STRATEGY FOR BALTIC SEA MACRO-REGION.
June 25, 2009... With its adoption, on 10 June, of a strategy and action plan for the Baltic Sea region, the European Commission is breaking new ground in terms of both substance - the action plan includes some 80 detailed projects - and style, since its action...

EU/FYROM : MACEDONIAN MINISTER KEEN TO GIVE "NO EXCUSE" TO BLOCK MEMBERSHIP.(Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia )
June 25, 2009... In its bid to join the EU, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) "will do everything to give no excuse to anyone to block Macedonian accession," the country's European affairs minister told Europolitics New Neighbours in an...

EU/BALKANS : MACEDONIA WELL-PLACED TO ENTER VISA-FREE REGIME.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is the only Western Balkan country to meet all the criteria for its citizens to enjoy visa-free travel in the EU in 2010, according to the results of European Commission assessments published by the...

EU/RUSSIA/WTO : MOSCOW CATCHES EU OFF-GUARD.
June 25, 2009... In a new development in the saga of Russia's membership of the World Trade Organisation, Moscow is now saying it no longer wishes to join the free trade club on its own, but only after forming a customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan. ...

NEW DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF DG RELEX APPOINTED.(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... The European Commission appointed, on 3 June, 53-year-old Joao Vale de Almeida of Portugal as director-general of the Directorate-General for External Relations (DG RELEX), replacing Eneko Landaburu of Spain. The exact date at which he will...

EU/US : NORWAY AND ICELAND TO JOIN OPEN SKY.(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... Iceland and Norway could soon be members of the Open Sky agreement, concluded in April 2007 between the EU and the US. The European Commission presented a proposal for a decision in this direction, on 15 May. Iceland and Norway are part of what...

EU/ICELAND : PARLIAMENT IN REYKJAVIK OPENS DEBATE ON EU ACCESSION.(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... "It's a historic day," exclaimed Iceland's Foreign Affairs Minister OssuraSkarphedinsson as he presented his motion to the Icelandic parliament, which opened debate on the country's candidacy for EU accession. Theavote could take place at the...

EU/CROATIA : SANADER: SLOVENIAN "BLACKMAIL" COULD DELAY MEMBERSHIP.
June 25, 2009... Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader called, on 18 June, for an end to Slovenian "blackmail," recognising for the first time that his country's negotiations for EU membership may not be brought to conclusion this year due to Ljubljana's veto...

EU/SERBIA : SERBIA: COMMISSION EXPECTED TO RECOMMEND VISA WAIVER.(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The European Commission is expected to recommend, by the end of July, a waiver on visa requirement for Serbs wishing to enter the EU. 'Serbia has been a reliable partner so far' in terms of meeting security conditions 'and if it continues, its...

THAW ON MED UNION?(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... The Arab countries plan to take up the banner of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), which has been a non-priority since the war in Gaza. "The entire Arab group wants to participate in the upcoming meetings. We will not be the ones to hold...

NABUCCO : TURKS CLING TO 15% LIFT-OFF CLAUSE.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 25, 2009... Ahead of a self-imposed deadline of the end of June, negotiations on one of the major outstanding issues for the Nabucco pipeline are showing few signs of progress. Following a meeting, on 4 June, with US Special Envoy for Eurasian energy...

ENERGY : UKRAINE STILL WELCOME IN ENERGY COMMUNITY.(Brief article)
June 25, 2009... Despite the low level of confidence in Ukraine's ability to maintain security of supply, leading figures in the South-East European Energy Community believe the adoption by Kiev of the EU's energy acquis will improve the country's record....