Tirana _ Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his Albanian counterpart, Sali Berisha, agreed at a meeting on Monday to increase cooperation over energy issues between their respective governments.

The Italian premier stressed the need for new energy sources to ensure the economic growth of both countries.

“Albania cannot enjoy economic growth without addressing the lack of energy sources. Italy is also interested in new sources of energy for its own needs,” Prodi said at a joint news conference.

Prishtina, 23 November 2007 - Kosovar media report that Kosovo Trust Agency (KTA) is the only institution empowered to privatise skiing-resort Brezovica. The Kosovo Government never questioned the decisions made by the KTA.

The Government of Serbia, however, claims that the KTA has no authority to privatise the Ski Centre of Bresovica. High Officials within the KTA emphasise that this non-recognition of the KTA’s mandate by Serbia to privatise the Ski Centre has no impact on the KTA’s decision to move ahead with the privatisation.

“We all know that by the Resolution 1244 it would be illegal for Belgrade to try and privatise Bezovica since the area is a part of Kosovo. Therefore, always through the SRSG/UNMIK, the legal Office in New York will be informed and also only the KTA and Kosovars will be dealing with this issue,” said Jasper Dick, Managing Director of the KTA. He stressed once again that only the KTA can privatise Brezovica and not Serbia.

ECIKS

Prishtina, 28 November 2007 - After threats of the Serbian Government officials to impose an economic blockade and intersect the electricity lines in case Kosovo declares independence, kosovar media quotes experts who claim that Kosovo has a plan ready and that in case these threats realize, the loser will be Serbia. These threats did not disturb the energy officials in Kosovo. The Kosovar Transmission, System and Market Operator (KOSTT) that deals with energy distribution, stressed there are plans in place in case this happens. “The plans are with Pillar IV” (UNMIK) said Fadil Ismaili, Head of KOSTT. Ismaili did not reveal any details of these plans. He said if Serbia blocks the system in Kosovo, the entire region will be affected. Kosovo uses international inter-connection lines with Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. If Serbia blocks one of these lines, Kosovo will be able to function by using three remaining lines.

Shkup, 21 November 2007 - Under the leadership of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – the current Chair in Office of CEFTA – the participants reviewed the events of 2007 that saw the rapid ratification and entry into force of the enlarged and modernized regional free trade agreement now known as CEFTA 2006.

In his welcome address, Prime Minister, Gruevski noted that CEFTA was an important tool to improve overall economic and social well-being. He also highlighted the political benefits of the agreement in accelerating the region’s progress in European integration.