Latest Articles about Balkans

Gazprom Takes its South Stream Bluff to Bucharest

This week in Bucharest, high-level representatives of the Russian energy business and their Italian allies are making their strongest pitch yet for Romania to join their South Stream gas transport project. Romania is the latest target in Moscow's recent effort to enlist additional countries in... MORE

Nabucco Intergovernmental Agreement Signed in Ankara

On July 13 the Nabucco transit countries removed an important obstacle for the strategic pipeline project. Attending a high profile meeting hosted by Turkey, the prime ministers of Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Turkey inked the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). The ceremony was also attended by... MORE

Sochi Agreements and Aftermath Deflate South Stream Hype (Part Two)

Despite facing gas production shortfalls (relative to internal and external supply commitments) post-2010, Russia is multiplying its supply offers to European consumer countries through South Stream and other pipeline projects. Gazprom signed bilateral agreements on building South Stream with state-controlled Italian, Bulgarian, Greek, and Serbian... MORE

Corruption in Romania—Can It Be Eliminated?

Romania and Bulgaria find themselves in the unenviable position of being the poster children for corruption in the EU. Bulgaria is plagued by organized crime gangs roaming the streets of its cities and killing for hire, while Romania is saddled with corrupt politicians who seem... MORE

Bulgaria’s “Overgas,” a Russian Spy in Canada, and Gazprom

In February 2009, after the Ukrainian-Russian gas conflict ended and deliveries of gas were restored to Bulgaria, Bulgarian officials announced that they would once again seek to remove two middleman companies-Overgas, Inc., and Wintershall Erdgas Handelshaus Zug AG (WIEE)-from the gas supply chain between Russia... MORE

Serbia’s Oil Industry: a Christmas Gift to Gazprom

On December 24, 2008, the Serbian government ceded control over Serbia’s Oil Industry (Naftna Industrija Srbije, NIS) to Russian Gazprom’s oil subsidiary, Gazprom Neft. Motivated to a large extent politically and negotiated poorly by Belgrade, the cession amounts to a Christmas gift for Gazprom and... MORE

GAZPROM SEDUCING ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT WITH SOUTH STREAM

Romania could be described until now as the staunchest and perhaps last remaining loyalist in the Western-backed Nabucco project. While four of the five Nabucco participant countries (save Romania) and a number of other countries in the region are variously negotiating Russian options, such as... MORE