Balkan developments

published on 4/7/23 10:43 AM | updated on 4/7/23 11:53 AM

Protests in Romania against duty-free import of grain from Ukraine

On Friday, the Romanian farmers are organizing protests in several counties and in Bucharest, dissatisfied with the solution found by the European Commission to the problems and serious imbalances facing the Romanian agri-food sector, against the background of market distortions caused by the armed conflict in Ukraine, Radio Romania International reports. According to the farmers, the total elimination, since the middle of last year, of customs duties on all goods from Ukraine has exported the effects of the war, commercially speaking, to the neighboring countries, creating an involuntary dumping effect, as it has stimulated Ukrainian farmers to sell cheaper. The representatives of the Romanian farmers point out that this measure has not helped and will not help the Ukrainians to resume their production cycle. Instead, it has strongly disrupted the market in Romania, Radio Romania International writes.

Romania is expected to receive another EUR 15 million from the EU in addition to the EUR 10 million already provided, but in an open letter to the government, the farmers say that their country has lost much more money than it has been compensated with.

Bosnian PM convicted over defective Covid ventilators deal

Fadil Novalić, Prime Minister of one of the two regions of Bosnia Herzegovina - the Bosniak-Croat Federation – has been sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment for the purchase of Chinese ventilators in the first day of the Covid-19 pandemic. The government purchased 100 ventilators via a fruit and vegetable processing company. Novalić was convicted of abuse of office by creating conditions for the deal to be carried through by a company that does not have a license for the import of medical equipment. According to the court, the suspiciously expensive ventilators did not have even the minimum required parameters for use by patients in serious condition. Fadil Novalić can appeal the sentence. He did not appear in court for the sentencing, saying he was the target of “political score-settling”.

Greece promises Ukraine more weapons, though not military assistance that could compromise its own defense

Oleksii Reznikov (L) and Nikos Panagiotopoulos

Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov visited Athens on Thursday as part of his regular meetings with officials from the countries members of NATO. In Greece he was promised more artillery and small arms ammunition shipments, access to Greek hospitals for wounded military personnel and additional Soviet-era BMP infantry fighting vehicles, AP reports. Greece has also provided trainers for Ukraine’s special forces and tank operators. Greece “will provide every support to Ukraine at this very important, crucial stage of the war,” Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said, as quoted by AP. However, Panagiotopoulos, speaking in Parliament on the eve of Reznikov’s visit, said Greece would not provide any military assistance that could compromise its own defense. German-made Leopard tanks, the minister said, could not be provided.

Russia, which had traditionally close ties with Greece before the war in Ukraine, for decades had been a supplier of arms to the NATO member, including the S-300 air defense missile system. Moscow has singled out Athens for criticism over its support for Ukraine, AP writes.

Over 7,000 foreign companies registered in Montenegro last year

80% of the companies registered in Montenegro in 2022 belong to foreigners, and their capital totals almost EUR 30 million, the Montenegro news agency MINA reports. 7,070 is the number of Montenegrin companies founded last year by foreign nationals, more than half of them - 3,830 - are Russian citizens, followed by companies owned by citizens of Turkey – 1,480 companies, and companies founded by citizens of Serbia, Germany, Ukraine, Belorussia etc.