Serbia to start producing Sputnik V vaccine

Serbia will start producing the first Russian vaccine-Sputnik V. The Russian Direct Investment Fund signed an agreement with the Serbian Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera- Torlak to start producing the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in Serbia in May. Serbian nationals and foreign citizens who have received the Pfizer/BionTech, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines, will be able to enter this country without a PCR tests. They will not be placed under quarantine either, announced the press office of the Serbian cabinet. So far, more than 2,241 million Serbian nationals have been inoculated against Covid-19 and more than 903,000 people have already received their second vaccine dose. Serbia is second in the region and first in Europe in terms of the number of inoculations per 1 million people, reported BTA.

Albania orders Chinese vaccine produced in Turkey

Albania’s cabinet has signed an agreement with a Turkish company for the delivery of 1 million doses of China’s coronavirus vaccine Sinovac, announced Exit website. The contract signed with the Turkish company is confidential and information about the price of the vaccines will not be made public. Following a decision of Albania’s Parliament, this country’s government can start negotiations with any company ready to provide vaccines against Covid-19, approved in the country of origin. Albania has already received the first 192,000 doses of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. The rest will be delivered within 2 months. Albania, whose population amounts to 2.8 million people, signed a contract for 500,000 doses of the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine. So far, more than 50,000 Albanians have been inoculated against the novel coronavirus with this vaccine and with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine.

Inoculation against Covid-19 begins on Mount Athos

The first 120 doses of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine have been administered to monks and secular workers on Mount Athos. More doses of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine are expected in April. The number of monks willing to receive Covid-19 vaccines has increased. Monks from the monasteries and hermitages are inoculated against Covid-19 in the health center in Karyes. Dozens of Covid-19 cases have been already confirmed on Mount Athos. At least 4 monks have died from Covid-19. Others have recovered from the virus in hospitals in Thessaloniki. In order to prevent further spread of Covid-19, the authorities banned pilgrims from visiting Mount Athos. The monks and secular workers who move to and from Mount Athos undergo rapid Covid-19 testing.

Constitutional Court of Romania denies abolition of Romanian Revolution Institute of 1989

The Constitutional Court of Romania has denied the abolition of the Romanian Revolution Institute of 1989 led by former President Ion Iliescu. Romania’s Constitutional Court found the bill, initiated by this country’s cabinet, unconstitutional, Ziare web site announced.

In December 2019, Romania’s cabinet announced that the activities of the Institute of the Romanian Revolution did not correspond with the public funds allocated to the institute. The Romanian Revolution Institute was tasked with analyzing what happened in December 1989 when the communist regime in Romania fell. 30 years later, the participants in these events and the Romanian citizens are still waiting to learn the truth about the Romanian Revolution led by Ion Iliescu.

Montenegro starts offshore drilling for oil

Topas Driller rig started digging for oil offshore Montenegro, announced the Croatian news agency HINA. The Italian-Russian company Eni-Novatek started drilling near the Adriatic town of Ulcinj. The exploratory drilling for oil and gas deposits is expected to last 180 days. The first drilling offshore Montenegro is done under a concession contract signed with the Montenegrin cabinet in 2016.

The company will drill the first oil exploration well 14 nautical miles offshore with a planned depth of 6,525 meters. Non-governmental organizations and environmentalists already opposed the drilling. Ulcinj is a resort town with 15 kilometers of sandy beaches and the local residents are worried that drilling operations in the region may affect the tourism industry, reported BTA.

President Erdogan appoints Sahap Kavcioglu as new governor of Turkey’s Central Bank

Sahap Kavcioglu was appointed as governor of Turkey’s Central Bank. He is the fourth chief of Turkey’s Central Bank appointed by President Recep Erdogan in two years. Turkey’s currency tumbled almost 9% after the news. The university Professor and columnist in a pro-government media Kavcioglu has argued for lower interest rates. Earlier, Erdogan dismissed the former governor of Turkey’s Central Bank Naci Abgal, who had shored up the Lira with higher interest rates. Turkey’s Minister of Finance Lutvi Elvan assured markets that Turkey was committed to free market rules and to a liberal currency exchange regime.

Compiled by: Ivo Ivanov

English version: Kostadin Atanasov