Centro Studi Europa dell’Est - notiziario del 03.03.2008 - powered by www.seenews.com

NOTIZIARIO DEL 03.03.2008

* ALBANIA *

Albania, Slovenia Sign Agreement To Avoid Double Taxation Mar 03, 2008, 16:09 CET | Story | SeeNews TIRANA (Albania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Albania and Slovenia signed an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, aiming to give a boost to bilateral trade and economic relations, Albania’s Finance Ministry said. link

Albania’s Electricity Output Drops 45% in 2007 Mar 03, 2008, 16:21 CET | Story | SeeNews TIRANA (Albania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Albania’s electricity production dropped by 45% to 2,900 gigawatt hours (GWh) last year due to drought in 2006 and 2007, the state-run power utility KESH said on Monday. link

Albania Schedule of Events – March 3 - May 15 Mar 03, 2008, 12:15 CET | Story | SeeNews TIRANA (Albania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Following is a schedule of corporate, economic and political events taking place in or related to Albania through May 15. New or amended entries are marked (*). link

* BOSNIA *

Bosnia’s Balkan Investment Bank 2007 Net Profit Rises 21% Mar 03, 2008, 13:52 CET | Story | SeeNews BANJA LUKA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), March 3 (SeeNews) – The net profit of Bosnia’s Balkan Investment Bank (BIB), controlled by Lithuania’s Ukio Banko, rose 21% in 2007 to 1.02 million marka ($794,000/524,000 euro), the bank said. The bank’s client base rose 65% last year as compared to 2006, it said on its website. BIB’s loan portfolio increased 95% to 110.1 million marka, and its deposit portfolio grew 47% to 157.5 million marka. link

Bosnia’s Telekom Srpske 2007 Net Profit Rises 1.8% to 40.6 Mln Euro - Table Mar 03, 2008, 14:03 CET | Story | SeeNews BANJA LUKA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), March 3 (SeeNews) – The net profit of Bosnia’s second-largest telco Telekom Srpske, majority-owned by Serbia’s state-controlled Telekom Srbija, rose 1.8% last year to 79.09 million marka ($61.59 million/40.6 million euro), figures showed on Monday. link

Bosnia Federation Extends Bidding Deadline for Tobacco Factory Mostar by Month Mar 03, 2008, 14:21 CET | Story | SeeNews SARAJEVO (Bosnia and Herzegovina), March 3 (SeeNews) - Bosnia’s Muslim-Croat Federation has given potential investors one more month to place bids for its 67% stake in troubled tobacco factory Fabrika Duhana Mostar (FDM). link

Bosnian Food Processor Vitaminka 2007 Net Profit Slumps 85% - Table Mar 03, 2008, 15:23 CET | Story | SeeNews BANJA LUKA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), March 3 (SeeNews) – Swiss-controlled Bosnian food processing company Vitaminka on Monday reported a sharp fall in its 2007 net profit to some 82,000 marka ($64,000/42,000 euro) from 554,000 marka the previous year as costs grew faster than revenue, figures showed on Monday. link

Bosnia’s Biggest Brewery Banjalucka Pivara 2007 Loss Widens 18% - Table Mar 03, 2008, 15:36 CET | Story | SeeNews BANJA LUKA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), March 3 (SeeNews) - Bosnia’s largest brewery, Banjalucka Pivara, owned by London-based fund manager Altima Partners LLP, said on Monday its 2007 loss grew by 18% to 13.7 million marka ($10.7 million/7.0 million euro) due to higher costs of raw materials and foreign competition. link

Bosnia’s Metal Gradiska 2007 Net Profit Rises More Than Six Times - Table Mar 03, 2008, 15:42 CET | Story | SeeNews BANJA LUKA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), March 3 (SeeNews) – Bosnian metal profiles and tools manufacturer Metal Gradiska raised its net profit more than six times to some 258,000 marka ($201,000/132,000 euro) in 2007, figures showed on Monday. link

* CROAZIA *

Croatian Hypo Bank Says Govt 2008 GDP Growth Target Realistic but Questions Fiscal Targets Mar 03, 2008, 18:33 CET | Story | SeeNews ZAGREB (Croatia), March 3 (SeeNews) – Croatian commercial bank Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank on Monday said that the government’s 2008 economic growth target is realistic but questioned the budget deficit target and urged reforms in key sectors to ensure that the cabinet stays on track to a balanced budget by 2011. link

* MOLDOVA *

Moldova’s 2007 Gas Consumption Falls 8.6% by Volume, Imports Down 8.0% Mar 03, 2008, 15:50 CET | Story | SeeNews CHISINAU (Moldova), March 3 (SeeNews) - Moldova’s consumption of natural gas fell by 8.6% last year to 1.2 billion cubic metres, the country’s energy regulator, ANRE, said on Monday. link

Spanish Firm, Local Company To Invest 1.16 Mln Euro in Moldovan Free Economic Zone Mar 03, 2008, 16:55 CET | Story | SeeNews CHISINAU (Moldova), March 3 (SeeNews) – A Spanish firm and a Moldovan company will invest a combined 1.16 million euro ($1.8 million) to launch operations in Moldova’s Parcul de Productie Taraclia free economic zone this year, the Economy Ministry said on Monday. link

Moldova Schedule of Events – March 3 - May 15 Mar 03, 2008, 12:14 CET | Story | SeeNews CHISINAU (Moldova), March 3 (SeeNews) - Following is a schedule of corporate, economic and political events taking place in, or related to Moldova through May 15. New or amended entries are marked (*) link

* MONTENEGRO *

Montenegro Stock Exchange Takeover Plan for NEX Aims To Drown Market Unification – NEX CEO Mar 03, 2008, 18:17 CET | Story | SeeNews PODGORICA (Montenegro), March 3 (SeeNews) – The intention of the Montenegro Stock Exchange to propose a takeover bid for the country’s other bourse, NEX Montenegro, aims to drown the initiative for unification of the Montenegrin capital market, NEX’s CEO, Dragan Djukic said on Monday. link

Djukanovic Heads New Montenegrin Government Mar 03, 2008, 15:06 CET | Story | SeeNews PODGORICA (Montenegro), March 3 (SeeNews) - The Montenegrin parliament has agreed that ex-prime minister Milo Djukanovic head the Montenegrin government after Zeljko Sturanovic resigned as prime minister in January. link

Montenegrin Government List - Updated February 29, 2008 Mar 03, 2008, 15:29 CET | Story | SeeNews PODGORICA (Montenegro), March 3 (SeeNews) - Updates with the appointment of Milo Djukanovic as prime minister, Sreten Skuletic as minister of education and Branislav Micunovic as minister of culture, on February 29. link

* ROMANIA *

STOCKWATCH - RCB Keeps ’Buy’ Recommendation on Romania’s Transelectrica Mar 03, 2008, 13:05 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Austria’s Raiffeisen Centrobank (RCB) said on Monday it maintained its ’Buy’ recommendation on Romanian power grid operator Transelectrica after the company released its financial forecasts for this year. link

S&P Raises Romania’s Transgaz L/T Rating to ’BBB-’, Outlook Negative Mar 03, 2008, 13:26 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Global ratings agency Standard & Poor’s has raised its long-term corporate credit rating on Romanian gas transmission company Transgaz to ’BBB-’ from ’BB+’, with a negative outlook, Transgaz said on Saturday. link

Romania Expects to Complete Sale of Automobile Craiova to Ford Motor by end-March Mar 03, 2008, 15:33 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) – Romania expects to complete the sale of Automobile Craiova, the sole owner of Daewoo Automobile Romania, to Ford Motor by the end of this month, the government’s asset-selling agency, AVAS, said on Monday. link

Romania’s Anchor Grup To Build 50 Mln Euro Office Building in Bucharest Mar 03, 2008, 15:59 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Romanian real estate developer Anchor Grup said on Monday it will build a 50 million euro ($76 million) office building in the capital, Bucharest. link

Romania, Portuguese Consortium Sign 20.8 Mln Euro Bypass Construction Contract Mar 03, 2008, 16:32 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Romania on Monday said it awarded a 20.815 million euro ($31.76 million) contract for the construction of a bypass for the city of Lugoj in western Romania to a Portuguese consortium of MonteAdriano Engenharia e Construcao S.A. and Sociedade de Construcoes Soares da Costa, S.A. link

INTERVIEW - Africa Israel Investments Plans To Invest more than Two Billion Euro in Romania in Next 14 Years Mar 03, 2008, 16:57 CET | Interview | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - AFI Europe, part of Israeli conglomerate Africa Israel Investments, plans to invest more than two billion euro ($3.0 billion) in the next 14 years in real estate projects in Romania, AFI Europe’s country manager for Romania, Reuven Havar, said. link

Romanian Meat Processor Principal Company Sees ’08 Turnover Doubling to 40 Mln Euro Mar 03, 2008, 17:48 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Romanian meat processing firm Principal Company expects its turnover to double this year to 40 million euro ($61 million) on new products and higher demand, it said on Monday. link

Romania C-bank FX Reserves Fall to 25.241 Bln Euro at End-February Mar 03, 2008, 14:10 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - The foreign exchange reserves held by Romania’s central bank, excluding gold, totalled 25.241 billion euro ($38.3 billion) at the end of February, down by a net 311 million euro from a month earlier, the central bank said on Monday. link

Romanian Bourse Drops Further Reflecting Falls on Intl Markets Mar 03, 2008, 16:12 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Romanian share indices fell for a fourth day in shrinking turnover on Monday, reflecting the overall drops on the international markets, brokers said. link

Romania Schedule of Events – Mar 3 - May 15 Mar 03, 2008, 12:12 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - Following is a schedule of corporate, economic and political events taking place in or related to Romania through May 15. New or amended entries are marked (*). link

Romanian Leu Ends A Little Stronger vs Euro Mar 03, 2008, 17:04 CET | Story | SeeNews BUCHAREST (Romania), March 3 (SeeNews) - The Romanian leu remained stronger than the 3.8-per-euro mark on Monday and one dealer said that could be due to central bank efforts to keep it from depreciating further. link

* SERBIA *

Kosovo’s C-Bank 2007 Assets Rise 64% to 1.06 Bln Euro - Table Mar 03, 2008, 12:21 CET | Story | SeeNews PRISTINA (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) - The total assets of the Central Banking Authority of Kosovo (CBAK) rose by 64% in 2007 to 1.06 billion euro ($1.6 billion), the bank said on Monday. link

Kosovo Commercial Banks 2007 Loan Portfolio Up 40% - Table Mar 03, 2008, 12:46 CET | Story | SeeNews PRISTINA (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) - The loan portfolio of commercial banks in Kosovo grew to 891.201million euro ($1.35 billion) last year, up by 40%, the Central Banking Authority of Kosovo (CBAK) said on Monday. link

Kosovo Insurers 2007 Gross Premium Income Rises 4.2% to 50.8 Mln Euro Mar 03, 2008, 13:28 CET | Story | SeeNews PRISTINA (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) - Insurance companies in Kosovo reported 50.81 million euro ($77.12 million) in combined gross premium income for 2007, up by 4.2%, the Central Banking Authority of Kosovo (CBAK) said on Monday. link

SERBIAN SOYBEAN MANUFACTURER SOJAPROTEIN BECEJ NEARLY DOUBLES 2007 NET PROFIT TO 1.25 BLN DINARS (14.4 MLN EURO) Mar 03, 2008, 14:19 CET | Alert | SeeNews link

Serbian Blue-chip Soybean Manufacturer Sojaprotein Becej Almost Doubles 2007 Net Profit to 1.25 Bln Dinars (14.4 Mln Euro) Mar 03, 2008, 14:48 CET | Story | SeeNews BELGRADE (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) – Serbian blue-chip soybean manufacturer Sojaprotein Becej said on Monday its net profit nearly doubled to 1.25 billion dinars ($22.7million/14.4 million euro) last year. link

Serbia’s C-Bank Gives Preliminary Approval to Bank of Moscow To Establish Business Mar 03, 2008, 15:51 CET | Story | SeeNews BELGRADE (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) – The Serbian central bank (NBS) said on Monday it has given preliminary approval to Russia’s Bank of Moscow for setting up a business in Serbia. link

Kosovo Dec Jobless Numbers Rise 2.6% Y/Y - Table Mar 03, 2008, 12:53 CET | Story | SeeNews PRISTINA (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) - There were 334,595 people unemployed in Kosovo at the end of December, up 2.6% from a year earlier, the Central Banking Authority of Kosovo (CBAK) said on Monday. link

Kosovo’s Budget Surplus Reaches 233.7 Mln Euro in 2007 Mar 03, 2008, 13:43 CET | Story | SeeNews PRISTINA (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) - Kosovo had a budget surplus of 233.7 million euro ($354.7 million) in 2007, compared to a surplus of 76.5 million euro a year earlier, as revenue rose faster than spending, Kosovo’s Central Banking Authority (CBAK) said on Monday. link

Belgrade Indices Close Lower in Dull Session Mar 03, 2008, 17:34 CET | Story | SeeNews BELGRADE (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) - Belgrade Stock Exchange (BELEX) indices started the week lower in a dull session as two blue-chip banks made over 25% of the daily turnover, brokers said. link

Serbia Schedule of Events – March 3 - May 18 Mar 03, 2008, 12:10 CET | Story | SeeNews BELGRADE (Serbia), March 3 (SeeNews) - Following is a schedule of corporate, economic and political events taking place in or related to Serbia through May 18. New or amended entries are marked (*). link

* SLOVENIA *

SLOVENIAN GOVT COMMISSION REJECTS BOTH BIDS FOR 49.13% OF STATE TELCO - MEDIA Mar 03, 2008, 12:13 CET | Alert | SeeNews link

Slovenian Govt Commission Rejects Both Bids for 49.13% of State Telco – Media Mar 03, 2008, 12:20 CET | Story | SeeNews LJUBLJANA (Slovenia), March 3 (SeeNews) - The Slovenian government commission in charge of the sale of 49.13% of Telekom Slovenije has rejected both bids for 49.13% of Telekom Slovenije, state-run news agency STA reported on Monday. link

UPDATE 1 - Slovenian Govt Commission Rejects Both Bids for 49.13% of State Telco Mar 03, 2008, 16:29 CET | Story | SeeNews (adds quotes, share price) link

UPDATE 2 - Slovenian Govt Commission Rejects Both Bids for 49.13% of State Telco Mar 03, 2008, 17:12 CET | Story | SeeNews (adds analyst comment) link

Societe Generale’s Slovenian Unit Raises 2007 Group Net Profit by 40% Mar 03, 2008, 17:18 CET | Story | SeeNews LJUBLJANA (Slovenia), March 3 (SeeNews) - Slovenian commercial bank SKB Banka, a subsidiary of France’s Societe Generale, on Monday reported a 40% rise in its 2007 group net profit to 22.2 million euro ($32.46 million) on the back of dynamic commercial activities and the launch of new products. link

Slovenian Retailer Merkur Expands to Cyprus Mar 03, 2008, 18:08 CET | Story | SeeNews LJUBLJANA (Slovenia), March 3 (SeeNews) - Slovenian hardware goods retailer Merkur said on Monday it has opened a franchise store in Limassol, the second-largest city of Cyprus, as part of its further expansion abroad. link

Telekom Slovenije, Foreign Markets Drag Down Slovenian Stock Indices Mar 03, 2008, 18:42 CET | Story | SeeNews LJUBLJANA (Slovenia), March 3 (SeeNews) - Slovenian stock indices fell by more than two percent on Monday dragged down by sharp falls in blue chip Telekom Slovenije and the overall drops on the foreign markets, brokers said. link

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