Central European Update Baltic States Update
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CSIS New European Democracies Project Volume 4 ▌Number 38 ▌November 9, 2007 Central European Update Czech Republic Molnar previously announced that won seats in parliamentary elec- has been ambassador since August On 7 November Czech Prime Min- the company had bought a 40 per- tions held last month. During the 2005. ister Mirek Topolanek started his cent stake in an offshore block in talks, Kaczynski voiced his disap- three day visit to Bulgaria. He met Cameroon and would consider proval of the possible nomination Slovak military presence in Iraq with counterpart Sergej Stanishev, other investments in the region if it of Radek Sikorski as foreign will end in December 2007 when with the Chairman of the National provided proper returns. minister. Following his dismissal the last two soldiers of the original Assembly Georgi Pirinski, Foreign as defense minister by Prime Min- 100 member unit return home. In Minister Ivaylo Kalfin and with a Russia’s Gazprom and German ister Jaroslaw Kaczynski in Feb- total there have been 718 Slovak number of political and business utility company E.ON agreed in ruary, Sikorski joined the Civic soldiers sent to Iraq since 2003 as leaders. Topolanek was mid-2006 to swap a stake in Yuz- Platform. part of Operation Iraqi Freedom accompanied by a Czech business hno-Russkoye gas-field for E.ON's and the NATO Training Mission. delegation considering Bulgaria’s gas assets in Hungary. However, On 8 November, EU Commission Presently, Slovakia has 530 sol- market. The Czech prime minister E.ON’s Chief Executive Wulf President Jose Manuel Barroso diers in foreign missions operating said his country is interested in Bernotat said this week that Gaz- met with incoming Prime Minister mainly in the Balkan region and boosting investment in Bulgaria's prom now prefers to acquire a Donald Tusk and President Lech Afghanistan. energy sector, hinting toward col- stake in E.ON’s gas-fired power Kaczynski in Warsaw. Barroso laboration on the construction of a assets in the UK. The Yuzhno- congratulated Tusk on his party’s Slovenia new Bulgarian nuclear plant near Russkoye field would become one victory in the recent parliamentary On 6 November Slovenian Prime Belene. of the main sources of gas for the elections and expressed his hope Minister Janez Jansa said that proposed Nord Stream pipeline. for greater EU-Polish cooperation. climate change and energy issues German Foreign Minister Frank- Tusk has stated that one of the will be key priorities for Slovenia Walter Steinmeier visited Prague Poland goals of his new government is to when it takes over the presidency on 9 November. He met with his The first session of the newly ensure Polish ratification of the of the European Union in January Czech counterpart Karel Schwar- elected parliament was held on 5 EU’s Reform Treaty. 2008. In addition, after a meeting zenberg to discuss the U.S. missile November. The session began with with European Commission Presi- defense base and the new EU re- an oath-taking ceremony followed Lech Walesa, leader of the Soli- dent Jose Manuel Barroso, Jansa form treaty. by a speech from outgoing Prime darity movement and the country’s said he would work with other EU Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski. first post-communist president, governments to quickly ratify the On 7 November Czech Deputy Afterwards, a vote was held to announced that he will undergo new EU reform treaty. Prime Minister and Local Develop- elect a new speaker of the Sejm in heart transplant surgery. Walesa, ment Minister Jiri Cunek resigned, which Civic Platform’s (PO) can- who is currently undergoing medi- following criticism from his anti- didate Bronislaw Komorowski cal tests, has had cardiac problems Roma remarks, a resurfacing cor- defeated Krzysztof Putra of the for years. The date of his operation ruption scandal, and suspicion of Law and Justice (PiS) party. Presi- has yet to be decided. The proce- social benefits fraud. dent Lech Kaczynski broke proto- dure is scheduled to take place in col by not delivering address to the Houston, Texas. Hungary Sejm, a presidential tradition since Opposition Fidesz party leader and 1991. Slovakia former Hungarian Prime Minister On 8 No- vember Slovak Viktor Orban will visit the United President Lech Kaczynski will President Ivan Gasparovic deco- States next week and hold meetings name Donald Tusk, head of the rated the outgoing U.S. ambassa- with political and business leaders. Civic Platform (PO) party, as the dor to Slovakia, Rodolphe "Skip" Orban will also attend an award country’s new prime minister on 9 Vallee, with a Double White Cross ceremony at the Hungarian Em- November. The decision came Order in gratitude for contributing bassy in Washington and later meet after Kaczynski met with the lead- to good relations between the Featured photo: Nitra Castle, Slova- representatives of Hungarian organi- ers of the four political groups that United States and Slovakia. Vallee kia zations in New York. Baltic States Update Hungarian oil and gas company MOL announced on 7 November Lithuania the emergence of new threats such ters discussed the joint Baltic that it had signed a production shar- Lithuanian Defense Minister Juo- as cyber attacks and discussed battalion comprised of Lithuania, ing contract for an oil field in north- zas Olekas attended the meeting participation of Baltic and Nordic Latvia, and Estonia that will be ern Iraq. MOL will hold a 20 per- of Nordic and Baltic defense min- countries in international opera- operational with the NATO Re- cent share in the block. MOL’s isters in Stockholm on 6-7 No- tions throughout the hotspots of sponse Force in 2010. Chief Financial Officer Jozsef vember. The ministers discussed the world. Furthermore, the minis- Continued on page 2 Page 2 Select Briefing Europe East Baltic States Update Contd. Lithuania (contd) omy will grow by 7.2 percent in positive experience with other ing abroad in peacekeeping mis- Lithuania’s Ignalina Nuclear 2007 and 6.5 percent in 2008. aspiring candidates. sions. The contract signed was Power Plant (INPP) stopped gen- However, current account deficits worth USD 3.3 million in provid- Latvia eration on 8 November due to were forecast to remain high for ing the Falcon II high-frequency Latvian Prime Minister Aigars maintenance problems. As a re- ’07 and ’08. radios. Harris Corp. has had previ- Kalvitis announced on 7 Novem- sult, Lithuania is currently relying ous contracts with the Latvian Estonia ber that he would step down on 5 on electricity imports from Rus- Ministry of Defense and National On 9 November, during a meeting December. Kalvitis added that the sia. However, engineers are trying Guard. in Tallinn with EU Enlargement four-party ruling coalition will to get the plant operational by Commissioner Olli Rehn, Estonian begin to search for a new head of next week. INPP is expected to be On 8 November Latvian lawmak- Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said government and that opposition shut down in late 2009 in line ers approved the appointment of that countries seeking to become parties will be consulted before with Vilnius’ commitments to the three new ministers. The new EU members should complete all deciding. EU. Latvian foreign minister is Maris necessary criteria. Ansip further Riekstins, the regional affairs stated that the preparation period The Latvian defense forces signed The European Bank for Recon- minister is Edgars Zalans, while for Estonia’s EU accession had a contract with the British com- struction and Development Iveta Purne will serve as welfare been to the benefit of the country pany Harris Corp. for the provi- (EBRD) made public its report on minister. and Tallinn is willing to share its sion of communication equipment Lithuania, showing that the econ- intended for Latvian troops serv- Southeast European Update Bulgaria new opportunities for Japanese come next with 5.5 percent, fol- by EU-level cooperation, follow- Bulgarian Defense Minister investments in Bulgaria, as well as lowed by the Pensioners Party ing a meeting with his Italian Veselin Bliznakov began a two- two major Japanese projects al- (HSU) and the People's Party counterpart Pier Luigi Bersani day official visit to the Czech ready under way. Kalfin also met (HNS) each with 5.3 percent. The on 6 November. Italy is Roma- Republic on 7 November. Blizna- with the Japanese Chairman of the Party of Rights (HSP) is likely to nia’s most important economic kov met with his Czech counter- Chamber of Commerce and Indus- receive 4.6 percent, the Democ- partner, and the two countries are part Vlasta Parkanova to discuss try, Tadashi Okamura, to discuss ratic Centre (DC) 2.8 percent, and also partners in the Constanta- issues involving NATO, regional the investment climate and eco- the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) Trieste Pan-European oil pipeline security cooperation, transforma- nomic situation in Bulgaria since 1.9 percent. project that is intended to diver- tion of the armed forces, partici- joining the EU sify oil supply sources. Romania pation in international missions Croatia Romania notified the EU Com- and operations, and the impor- During a two-day official visit to Visitor numbers in Croatia are mission concerning the implemen- tance of developments in bilateral Norway that began on 7 Novem- likely to reach record levels this tation of new Italian immigration defense cooperation. Bliznakov ber, Romanian President Traian year. In the first nine months the regulations permitting the expul- also met with the chairmen of the Basescu met with Norwegian Adriatic country hosted 9.2 million sion of “dangerous immigrants” Czech Senate and the Chamber of King Harald V, Prime Minister tourists and posted 53.4 million from Italy. Following the murder Representatives.