Page 9 - bne_newspaper_July-07_2017

The Regions This Week
July 7, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 9
Southeast Europe
The US lifted its cabin electronics ban against Turkey's national carrier. Passengers on Turk- ish Airlines flights to the US can now carry lap- tops and electronic devices larger than a smart- phone as hand luggage.
Russian tourists are flocking to Montenegro
despite warnings from the foreign ministry in Moscow. The summer tourism season in Monte- negro started earlier than expected and revenues are expected to exceed €1bn this year.
Retailer Konzum will close 105 stores in Croa- tia by the end of 2017. The chain is part of strug- gling food and retail giant Agrokor, which is un- dergoing restructuring after being hit by a debt crisis earlier this year.
The gross non-performing loan (NPL) ratio
of Albanian commercial banks fell to 15.86%
at the end of May, from 19.53% a year earlier. The NPL ratio peaked in late 2016 and has fallen significantly in the last few months.
Bosnia’s Independence Day holiday is legiti- mate, the constitutional court ruled. Bosnian Serb politicians had challenged the March 1 holi- day after the court ruled that Republika Srpska’s Republic Day holiday was not constitutional.
Pristina denied rumours that Kosovan tap water is polluted with carcinogens. A public health scare erupted after an Italian military doctor who had served with the Kosovo peacekeeping mis- sion KFOR claimed water tested in 2015 con- tained bromate, a cancer-causing toxin.
Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group is reportedly close to buying Romania’s Mangalia Shipyard from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). DSME started talks to sell off the Romanian shipyard last year as part of an effort to restructure its worldwide business as- sets.
Talks between Turkey and Greece over Cyprus collapsed. The discussions at a Swiss moun- taintop resort were seen as the best chance in decades of ending the standoff over the divided Mediterranean island.
Chief prosecutor Ivica Stankovic refused to allow the arrest of Montenegrin opposition leader Nebojsa Medojevic. The pro-Russian Democratic Front leader is wanted on suspicion of illegal party financing and fellow MPs voted to lift his immunity in June.
Banca Transilvania is reportedly leading the race to take over Romania’s Bancpost from Greek Eurobank. The deal would put Transilvania — Romania’s second largest lender — in a position to compete with Erste’s BCR for the top spot in Romanian banking.
US President Donald Trump accepted an invita- tion to visit Slovenia. Trump's wife Melania was born in the east Slovenian town of Sevnica, and is the first naturalised US citizen to become US first lady.
Turkey’s Yildirim Holding is selling its stake in CMA CGM SA, the world’s third largest container shipper. Yildirim reportedly mandated China Citic Bank Corp to find investors from Asia or the Persian Gulf to buy its 24% stake in the France- based company.
Monika Kryemadhi became the first woman to lead a political party in Albania. She was elect- ed leader of the Socialist Movement for Integra- tion (LSI), which was third placed in Albania’s June 25 general election.
Thousands of Bulgarian police and firefighters protested in central Sofia demanding higher pay and better working conditions. Interior Minis-
ter Valentin Radev says a pay increase will take place in 2018.