Thursday, 12 September 2024

Hungary's Prime Minister Stresses Anti-Migrant Stance, Faces EU Backlash

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reiterated his strong anti-immigrant views, claiming migration threatens the European Union's cohesion, while advocating for countries like Hungary to opt out of the EU's common migration policy.
Hungary plans to offer asylum seekers free one-way transport to Brussels, a response to the EU’s demands for compliance with asylum rules. This proposal follows the European Court of Justice fining Hungary €200 million for violating EU asylum laws.
Hungary’s government, facing EU criticism and frozen funds, intends to challenge the fines and demands compensation for border security expenses, while also missing the first deadline to pay the imposed fine.

Romania and Bulgaria Make Partial Entry into Schengen Zone

Romania and Bulgaria have partially joined the Schengen Area, allowing free air and sea travel, while land border checks remain due to opposition from Austria over illegal migration concerns.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the development as a "historic moment," with Romanian and Bulgarian leaders hoping for full accession by the end of 2024, benefiting travel and boosting economic growth.
Both countries have met Schengen criteria, but unanimous support from EU members is required for full integration, with additional security measures introduced to combat illegal migration.

Uzbekistan's oil refiner Saneg has reached a deal to process Afghan crude at its Fergana refinery, with initial shipments already dispatched from Afghanistan's Hairatan terminal. The processed crude, with high sulphur content, will mainly produce diesel for the Uzbek market.
Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, is working to boost crude oil production to address chronic fuel shortages, despite lacking adequate processing capabilities. The country has long relied on fuel imports from Turkmenistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
The deal marks the first time Afghan crude will be processed outside the country, potentially opening the door for exports of refined products back to Afghanistan to alleviate its ongoing energy crisis.

A decision on whether to delay maintenance at Kazakhstan’s Kashagan oil field, operated by the NCOC consortium and its partners including CNPC, Eni, ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies, is expected on September 10, 2024. The planned shutdown is currently set for October, with a 28-day maintenance period.
Kazakhstan is considering postponing the maintenance due to its recent overproduction of oil, which requires compensation under its OPEC+ obligations, though no final decision has been made.
The Kazakh Energy Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to the OPEC+ agreement and has updated its compensation plan to address the overproduction from January to June 2024, ensuring compliance with its obligations.

Portugal saw a 3.8% increase in road crashes during the first five months of 2024, totaling 14,045 incidents. While road deaths dropped slightly to 179, serious injuries spiked to 954, with collisions being the most frequent type of crash.
Norway, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria reported worrying road fatality trends. Norway had 67 road deaths in 2024 so far, the Czech Republic experienced 89 deaths over the summer, and Bulgaria recorded 294 fatalities by the end of August, despite a drop compared to 2023.
Denmark raised concerns about driver behaviour in work zones, with 377 crashes in road work areas in 2023, emphasising the need for adherence to speed limits even when personnel are not present.

Bulgarian aluminium producer Alcomet has begun a €70 million plant expansion in Shumen to produce new aluminium alloys for electric car batteries and expand offerings for the automotive and solar sectors, creating 160 new jobs.
The expansion is part of a three-year investment plan, including upgrades to its roller unit, a second foundry, new presses, and a high-tech coil casting line to improve processing efficiency and product quality.
Alcomet shares last traded at 6.50 levs on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange on September 5, 2024.

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