Economy of Europe

By Anestis Dokas

OTE telecom’s exit from the Athens Stock Exchange next year has emerged as a likely development that would leave the local bourse even poorer in capitalization terms.

OTE chief executive Michalis Tsamaz stated a few days ago in Barcelona that parent company Deutsche Telekom may acquire an additional 10 percent stake in the Greek telecom provider.

Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski has said that Bulgaria will not sign the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) unless the US lifts visa requirements.

Turkey hopes to receive a discount on gas prices, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said Nov. 26.

“We have presented our proposals to Gazprom about a potential discount for gas, and we hope that Gazprom will take our proposals into account,” he said after attending the Turkey and Russia Joint Economic Commission with his counterpart Alexander Novak.

Banca Transilvania, the third-largest bank in Romania, is under discussions to take over the Romanian subsidiary of the Austrian banking group Volksbanken, Volksbank Romania SA, two sources close to the discussions have told Bloomberg.

Bulgaria's central bank on Wednesday said it approved the design of a two-lev coin that will replace banknotes of the same face value next year.

A statement issued by Turkey’s EU Minister Volkan Bozkır last week that said Turkey might freeze its Customs Union deal with the European Union if the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) does not include Turkey was quite important, showing the government’s determination toward this end.

At this stage of negotiations, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement is not useful neither for Europe, nor for Bulgaria, said Ivaylo Kalfin, Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of Demographic and Social Policy and Minister Of Social Policy.

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Turkey may freeze its customs union deal with the EU if the planned trade deal between the US and EU does not cover all Customs Union members, including Turkey, says the European Union Minister Turkey is planning to suspend its Customs Union deal with the EU if the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) does not include an article emphasizing the deal to be applicable fo

Center-right GERB party, the biggest in Parliament, is to preside over the two temporary committees with the National Assembly formed Wednesday.

The decision was announced a few hours ahead of MPs' first regular plenary session after the legislature was convened on Monday.

The Turkey director of the World Bank, Martin Raiser, has advised Turkey to engage in parallel negotiations with the U.S. in order to prevent adverse effects of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).