Illyrian Airways to launch flights

A new Priština and Skopje based airline, Illyrian Airways, will commence scheduled flights from December 18 to several Italian cities. The airline recently received a Boeing B737-300 and an Embraer E145 jet, with which it will operate its initial route network. The airline also plans to introduce a Boeing B737-500 and another E145 at a later stage.

Illyrian Airways will inaugurate services with flights from Priština to Brescia and Treviso in Italy and from Skopje to Treviso on December 18. On December 24, the airline will commence flights from its two bases to Rome. On December 24, Illyrian Airways anticipates to launch 1 weekly flight to Antalya. Most other flights will operate twice per week.

Yesterday, Illyrian Airways arranged a promotional flight between Priština and the Albanian capital Tirana. Whether Illyrian Airways will be successful or not remains to be seen. Several previous airlines based in Priština, such as Kosova Airlines and Air Prishtina, suspended services over the past few years.

News source: EX-YU Aviation link: article

Minister promotes Serbia-Italy economic cooperation

Economic cooperation between Italy and Serbia is strong and Italian companies will continue to invest in the Balkan country, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said after a one-day visit to Milan. “The meetings we held in Milan on Monday prove that Milan and Lombardy play a key role in relations between Serbia and Italy. The two countries annually exchange €2 million in goods, and Italy recently invested €640 million into Serbia,” Djelic told news agency Tanjug, adding that the Lombardy region is responsible for one third of total trade exchange.

Djelic said that he reached agreement on three important issues in his meeting with the region of Lombardy president and Milan mayor, as well as with Serbian businessmen and Italian delegates who gathered at the Milan Chamber of Trade.

“We discussed further development of economic relations, keeping in mind that negotiations on six projects and investments from Lombardy are entering their final phase in various parts of Serbia, and they cover rubber industry, IT, textile industry and furniture. That is additional proof that the wave of Italian investments in our country continues,” Djelic said.

The second element of cooperation, according to Djelic, is supported by the fact that Serbia will soon apply as one of the countries participating in the project “Milan Expo 2015,” similar to one held in Shanghai this year. Djelic stressed that the focal points of the international exhibition are agriculture and energy efficiency, both very important for Serbia.

News source: BalkanInsight link: article

Albania exports increased 41.6 percent in September compared with August

During September 2010 were exported 13,751 mln leke commodities, increasing 41.6 percent compared with August 2010 and increasing 43.6 percent compared with September 2009.  There were imported 40,978 mln leke commodities increasing 1.7 percent compared with August 2010 and increasing 0.8 percent compared with September 2009. This month the trade deficit is 27,227 mln leke signing a decrease of 11 percent compared with August 2010 and signing an decrease of 12.4 percent compared with September 2009.

Trade with the EU countries is 68.7 percent. The main trade partners remain Italy and Greece. With Italy the export is 56.7 percent and the import 28.2 percent, while with Greece the export is 5.6 percent and the import 13.1 percent. Some of the partner countries with which our export and import is increased are: in exports, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, etc and in imports, Germany, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Macedonia, etc.

The comparison with the previous month of some group commodities shows that:

Export of “Leather and leather manufactures” increased 4.8 times, “Construction materials and metals” increased 95.5 percent, “Machinery, equipment spare parts” increased 63.8 percent, etc.

Import of group “Textile and footwear” increased 46.9 percent,“Leather and leather manufactures” increased 41.6 percent, “Wood manufactures and articles of paper” increased 14.4. Import of group “Food, beverages, tobacco” decreased 10.3 percent, etc.

In September 2010, the import of goods with excise is 5,815 mln leke or 14.2 percent of the total import. During this month, the import of goods with excise decreased 15.5 percent, compared with August 2010. Oil fuel products are the main imported goods, 67.1 percent, in the group of goods with excise.

News source: Instat link: publication