Balkan developments

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For the entire period of operation, about 100 billion cubic meters of gas will be withdrawn.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

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"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