Azerbaijan

The number of tourists visiting the Mediterranean resort of Antalya by air saw a 47 percent decrease in the first nine months of 2016 compared to last year, plummeting to 4.7 million, as Turkey's tourist industry continues to struggle with a number of headwinds. 

Pope Francis on Oct. 2 arrived in mainly Muslim Azerbaijan on the last leg of his peace tour of the volatile ex-Soviet Caucasus region, just months after visiting arch-foe Armenia.

The pontiff held a mass for the country's tiny Catholic community in the capital Baku ahead of a scheduled meeting with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev.

National Parliament of Azerbaijan Republic approved Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) Project on Sept. 30.

Azerbaijani Parliament discussed issues including the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey during the first meeting of the autumn.

Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR has assured the Bulgarian side that gas deliveries to Bulgaria can begin in 2020, announced Deputy Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov after a meeting with the management of SOCAR in Baku, reported BNR.

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic, Ambassador of Azerbaijan Eldar Hassanov and representatives of the construction company Azvirt on Wednesday agreed the Corridor 11 road section from Ljig to Preljina, central Serbia, should be completed and opened to traffic by the end of October.

Azerbaijan with supply Bulgaria with gas that will be destined for the "Balkan Gas Hub", according to the Bulgarian Energy Ministry.

The decision was taken at the 4th intergovernmental committee in Baku, where 2020 was confirmed as a beginning.

A protocol that will pave the way for a study into gas deliveries options to third countries was also signed at the meeting.

Bulgaria is among the countries with the least efficient healthcare systems in the world, data published by Bloomberg shows.

Out of 55 countries studied by the Bloomberg index, Bulgaria has dropped by three spots compared to its results in 2009 (the index ranks countries as of 2014).

Two years ago it had the 46th most efficient healthcare system, while in 2009 it ranked 43rd.

The Corridor 11 road section from Ljig to Preljina, central Serbia, should be completed and opened to traffic by the end of October.

Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic, Ambassador of Azerbaijan Eldar Hassanov and representatives of the construction company Azvirt agreed this on Wednesday, Tanjug reported.

Bulgarian Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski will head a delegation sent to Azerbaijan as part of a bilateral committee that will have a session on September 29-30, the government says.

The Fourth session of the Bulgarian-Azerbaijani intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation will be presided by Lukarski and Azerbaijan's Transport Minister Ziya Mamedov.

Azerbaijan's state energy company Socar has agreed to extend a letter of guarantee for its acquisition of Greek gas network operator DESFA by a month, the office of the prime minister said on Tuesday.