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European Investment Grows in Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s leading sunflower and oil producer and grain trader has secured a loan agreement with the European Investment Bank. The financing will be used for the construction of a new sunflower oilseed production plant and storage and logistic facilities in the Beloslav municipality near Varna.

France and Italy are Not Eager to See German Successor to Mario Draghi

As Mario Draghi’s term as President of the European Central Bank expires in 2019, speculation on his succession is rising. German media have long speculated that neither Italy nor France would be willing to consider a German candidate. On Friday, Der Spiegel reported that France and Italy may agree to a German President for the ECB, provided that is not the Bundesbank’s Jens Weidmann.

Schäuble Critical of Juncker’s Call for Eurozone Enlargement

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble reacted skeptically on European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s call for the Eurozone’s consolidation. Speaking to German broadcaster ARD, the German finance minister hailed in principle the objective of extending the single currency across all member states. However, he urged reflection over the Greek experience, warning that member states must not join the Eurozone before meeting the financial prerequisites.

EU Parties on State of the Union

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s ambitious vision for a strong and united Europe 2025 in the annual “State of the Union” debate on September 13 received plenty of feedback from political groups. Plans on defence, security, legal migration, international trade, social equality and on how to strengthen the EU’s budgetary capacity and democratic decision-making process were discussed by political group leaders in a three-hour debate.

Ankara Concludes Deal with Moscow over S-400 Missile Defense System

Turkey concluded a deal with Russia to buy its S-400 missile defense systems, Turkish and Russia media confirmed on Tuesday. Citing Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, TASS and Hurriyet report that a deposit in the $2,5 bn deal has already been paid. The S-400 system boasts the ability to lock on 80 targets in a 400 km radius.

EU Assistance Mobilised for Hurricane Hit Islands

It is our moral duty to help those in need whose lives and homes are being destroyed or severely threatened by Hurricane Irma, according to Christos Stylianides, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.

Germany: Iran Talks Model for North Korean Crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pointing to the negotiations that led to Iran curtailing its nuclear programme as a possible model for tackling the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests. Merkel stressed in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper published on August 10 that a diplomatic solution is the only viable way to resolve the crisis.

Poland Threatens to Derail EU-Canada Trade Deal

Poland is threatening to block a part of the EU’s trade deal with Canada because of its concerns over a planned mechanism for resolving disputes between governments and multinational companies. Known as CETA, the EU’s pact with Canada contains a different court system in which a panel of judges would be appointed to hear cases.

NATO Chief Says All States Must Apply Sanctions to North Korea

NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday all countries must comply with sanctions on North Korea as the international community ratchets up pressure on the reclusive regime following its largest nuclear test to date.

EU Paves the Way to Greek Economic Growth

The European Commission welcomed the August 5 inauguration of Greece’s Ionian Highway, the construction of which was fully funded by the European Union Cohesion Policy funds. The funding was part of measures the Commission put forward in the 2015 under the “A New Start for Growth and Jobs in Greece” plan.

Trump Tweets about Countries that Trade with North Korea

The United States could stop all trade with countries that do business with North Korea, according to US President Donald Trump. He tweeted on August 3: “The United States is considering stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.” What Trump means by “doing business,” however, is not entirely clear.

Aachen Issues Iodine Pills Scaling up Preparations for Belgian Nuclear Leak

The city of Aachen issued iodine tablets to its 150,000 residents and the surrounding population due to fears of nuclear leaks from Belgium’s Tihange nuclear power plant, the BBC reports. The city issues coupons exchangeable for pills that reduce the threat of thyroid cancer after a release of radiation. The pills are issued for individuals aged 3 to 46 in a different dosage.

Gazprom Develops Power Generation Strategy for 2018–2027