Russia plans to equip its troops with a full-body “iron man” suit made of composite armor in a project called “Legionnaire” for the country’s next generation of soldiers. According to a local defense manufacturer, the suit will look like medieval armor and completely cover a warfighter’s body. The company stated that creating an armored suit to increase soldier survivability and protection is a priority for all leading military powers. “Today it will cover the entire body of a warrior and at the same time answer the question of whether it is possible to create ‘armor’ from modern materials that will provide effective protection against small arms,” Armocom deputy general director Oleg Faustov told RIA Novosti. He stressed the need for a strong exoskeleton and an external skeleton to support the suit and protect the person inside. Risks for Future Soldiers The plan to develop an “iron man” suit for Russian soldiers comes amid the increasing belief that humans will not fight in wars at all in the future. Instead, robots and drones will perform combat missions previously carried out by human soldiers. But according to Faustov, these technological advancements will not completely eliminate the need for a real person to conduct military operations. A person will reportedly still have to occupy certain positions on the battlefield, resulting in greater risks. “Machines cannot occupy certain lines and territories on their own, in any case a person enters,” Faustov told state-owned Sputnik. “To do this, of course, [soldiers] must be protected as much as possible. [This applied to all] leading armies [in] the world and we are no exception.” Sources privy to the development have revealed that the research phase for the project has been reduced from three years to one year, with an estimated completion by the end of 2023.
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The Shura (Consultative) Council in Qatar yesterday expressed its rejection of a recent resolution by the European Parliament regarding human rights in the Gulf country. The parliament adopted a resolution last Thursday calling on Doha and FIFA “to extend compensation for families of workers who suffered while building World Cup 2022 infrastructure.” It said that there were human rights “abuses” that were believed to have caused the deaths of migrant workers. The Speaker of the Council, Hassan Bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim, said that the European Parliament’s stance was based on “false allegations and misleading information.” He added that it was continuing its “systematic, suspicious and heinous campaigns targeting the State of Qatar for hosting the World Cup.” According to Al-Ghanim, “Despite Qatar’s efforts to host the FIFA World Cup following the measures that were agreed by the parliament itself, European leaders have preferred to back those who reject the tournament being hosted by an Arab and Muslim country.” This, the Council Speaker pointed out, is a move that exposes “hypocrisy, double standards and racism.” RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has announced the discovery of two new natural gas fields in the Kingdom. The “Awtad” unconventional natural gas field was discovered southwest of the Ghawar field, 142 kilometers southwest of the city of Hofuf, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The “Al-Dahna” unconventional natural gas field is located 230 kilometers southwest of the city of Dhahran. Both fields were discovered by Saudi Aramco. Prince Abdulaziz said that the importance of these discoveries lies in increasing Saudi Arabia’s natural gas reserves, which would in turn support the Kingdom’s strategies and help realize the objectives of the Liquid Fuel Displacement Program. The Minister of Energy added that the discoveries underline the wealth of natural resources the Kingdom has at its disposal. The Football Federation of Kosovo, FFK, on Friday said it had filed a complaint to the world football governing body, FIFA, about a banner shown on Thursday in the Serbian national team’s locker room in Qatar. The banner was reportedly pictured before Serbia played Brazil on Thursday in the first round of the World Cup in Qatar. Brazil beat Serbia 2:0. The banner shows a map of Kosovo with a Serbian flag within it and with the words “No Surrender” (“Nema Predaje”), seen as a reference to Serbs in northern Kosovo resisting government pressure to change Serbia-issued licence plates for Kosovo-issued ones. The picture went viral among Twitter users from Kosovo, demanding that FIFA take action. The FFK called the banner “aggressive” and “unacceptable”. “Such chauvinist acts have no place in sporting events, let alone inside the premises where the biggest event of world football is taking place,” it said in a statement. “FFK, as an equal member of FIFA, demands this institution undertake sanctioning measures against acts that incite hatred among people and contradict with human values,” it added. Kosovo’s Minister of Sports, Hajrulla Ceku, also condemned the banner, calling for FIFA to act. “Disgraceful images from Serbia locker room, displaying hateful, xenophobic and genocidal messages towards Kosova, while exploiting FIFA World Cup platform. “We expect concrete actions from FIFA, considering that the FFK is a full FIFA and UEFA member,” Ceku wrote. This is not the first time global sporting events have been hijacked by political disputes. In the 2018 World Cup, held in Russia, FIFA fined two Swiss players, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, 10,000 Swiss francs [8,600 euros] for celebrating their goals against Serbia with a double-headed eagle gesture, symbolising the Albanian flag. Switzerland had beaten Serbia 2:1. Xhaka and Shaqiri are both ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, which broke away from Serbia in war in 1999 and declared independence almost a decade later but is not recognised by Serbia. On Friday, the FFK said that, as the most popular sport in the world “football conveys values of unity and not of division… And this act does not imply such values and should be punished as such”. FIFA accepted the FFK as its 210th member in Mexico City in 2016. https://balkaninsight.com/ Two consecutive attacks on the Tsar Boris Bulgarian cultural club in the North Macedonian town of Ohrid have put fresh strain on efforts to overcome sensitive disputes between North Macedonia and Bulgaria. Bulgaria on Thursday sent a protest note to Skopje, calling the attacks a serious crime, as Skopje condemned the attacks as “barbaric acts”, insisting it is working to uncover the perpetrators. “I condemn the attack […] I expect the institutions to launch a swift and detailed investigation,” North Macedonia’s President, Stevo Pendarovski, said on Thursday. In the first attack, on Tuesday evening, security footage showed a group of masked persons stoning the club and breaking its windows. The next evening, in a more serious incident, nearby residents heard gunshots that were apparently directed at the club. The Bulgarian “Macedonia” foundation, which runs the club, said four bullets had ended inside the club and the attacker or attackers fired their shots while the lights in the club were on, suggesting they were aware that they could hurt someone inside. It called for immediate action to arrest the attackers, and if not, urged Bulgaria to cut the electricity and gas supply to North Macedonia. There were no reported injuries in the attacks. North Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday wrote that it “sharply condemns the barbaric acts”, adding that such events are utterly unacceptable and can endanger human lives and “strengthen the retrograde processes that are contrary to the European integration of the country”. Bulgaria on Wednesday summoned North Macedonia’s ambassador to Sofia, Agnesa Rusi-Popovska, handing her a protest note. Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry told North Macedonia it was not enough to classify the attacks as barbaric acts but as “heavy criminal acts”. The protest note demanded the immediate discovery and punishment of the perpetrators, stating that the current “systemic absence of appropriate measures creates a feeling of impunity”. Relations between Skopje and Sofia deteriorated in 2020 when Bulgaria blocked the start of North Macedonia’s EU accession talks, citing different views on identity and history. Sofia has insisted that the Macedonian language and identity have Bulgarian origin and that during World War II Nazi-allied Bulgaria did not “occupy” much of today’s North Macedonia but merely administered it. These views are deeply offensive for many Macedonians, who suspect an attempt by Sofia to whitewash Bulgarian history and negate Macedonian identity, all under cover of EU integration. This summer, a compromise put forward by the former French EU presidency bore fruit, resulting in Bulgaria conditionally lifting its blockade. North Macedonia was obliged to add Bulgarians to the Constitution, naming them among the country’s constitutive nations, and continue talks on history matters. The recent opening of the two Bulgarian clubs in Ohrid and in Bitola, both sponsored by private donors, and named after Nazi collaborators, added insult to the injury for many Macedonians and challenged diplomatic efforts to overcome the broader disputes. The first club, opened in April in Bitola, was named after Ivan Mihailov, a controversial 20th-century nationalist leader who became a Nazi collaborator. The club in Ohrid, opened in October, was named after Tsar or King Boris III of Bulgaria – who led Bulgaria into the Axis alliance in World War II and occupied much of today’s North Macedonia. The club attacks are expected to stain Friday’s planned opening of a Bulgarian Culture and Information Centre in Skopje, which unlike the clubs, is officially sponsored by the auithorities in Sofia. North Macedonia’s and Bulgaria’s Culture Ministers, Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojcevska and Velislav Minekov respectively, were due to attend the opening. In return, North Macedonia plans to open its own such centre in Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria in the near future. Condemning the attacks and expecting the opening ceremony to go ahead in Skopje, North Macedonia’s PM Dimitar Kovacevski on Thursday said cooperation between the two peoples should be channelled through such official centres, and not through private clubs which can “only serve as provocations, due to their names”. https://balkaninsight.com/ At a highly unusual time of year for a football World Cup, amid high temperatures, humidity and criticism of Qatar’s record on human rights, 32 countries’ national teams are now in the Gulf state, waiting for the tournament’s curtain-raiser to start on Sunday. Croatia, the most successful national team in the Balkans, having reached the final at the Russia 2018 tournament only to lose against France, are hoping to consolidate their reputation. But for manager Zlatko Dalic, the challenge will be harder although the team he is hanging his hopes upon is almost the same which shone in 2018 with Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, 37, in his final international competition. “When you see the Brazilian team, you know how strong it is, it is the best team. However, they were also the favorites last time and were eliminated by Belgium,” Dalic, whose team is 12th in the football world governing body FIFA’s current rankings, told media in Zagreb before departure to Qatar. “There are favorites, but nothing is certain,” he added. Croatia will play in Group F against Belgium, Morocco and Canada, with their first match against Morocco on November 23. “I am not running away from the fact that we are good, but I will not put a burden on the players or myself. Let’s do our best,” Dalic said Ranked 21st in FIFA’s current ranking list, Serbia will play in Group G against Brazil, Switzerland and Cameroon. The Serbs will kick their campaign off on November 24 against Brazil at the Lusail Stadium. Serbia’s national team head coach, Dragan Stojkovic, said the group of players he selected for the major football tournament earned their places on merit for their performances during the qualification stage, with a group of in-form attackers consisting of Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus, Dusan Tadic of Ajax and Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham. “The style we play brought us results. This group absolutely deserves to be at the World Cup and we are going to play the best way we can… We have quality and solidarity on the pitch, [we have] our goals and are focused on reaching these goals,” Stojkovic said on Monday. Poland, with their star striker Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, have been drawn in the same group as Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Poland’s first match of the campaign will be played against Mexico on November 22 at Stadium 974. Poland’s head coach, Czeslaw Michniewicz, said before their departure to Qatar that he and his team have been prepared together for the tournament for a long time. “We analysed and watched many matches. Finally, we chose the line-up as it is. I realise that not everyone is happy,” Michniewicz said when pressed about players he left out of the squad. As well as being staged at an unusual time of year in an attempt to avoid extreme heat, the 2022 World Cup tournament has been dogged by controversies about the alleged exploitation of migrant workers to build the stadiums and the poor treatment of LGBT people in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. How the teams line up: Croatia Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivica Ivusic (Osijek), Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid) Defenders: Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Dejan Lovren (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Josip Juranovic (Celtic), Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josip Sutalo (Dinamo Zagreb) Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Kristijan Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt), Luka Sucic (Red Bull Salzburg) Forwards: Ivan Perisic (Tottenham), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hajduk Split) Serbia Goalkeepers: Marko Dmitrovic (Sevilla), Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino), Marko Ilic (Kortrijk) Defenders: Stefan Mitrovic (Getafe), Filip Mladenovic (Legia Warsaw), Strahinja Pavlovic (Salzburg), Milos Veljkovic (Werder Bremen), Aleksa Terzic (Fiorentina), Erhan Masovic (Bochum), Strahinja Erakovic (Red Star Belgrade), Srdan Babic (Almeria); Midfielders: Dusan Tadic (Ajax), Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla), Filip Kostic (Juventus), Nemanja Maksimovic (Getafe), Filip Duricic (Sampdoria), Nemanja Radonjic (Torino), Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio), Sasa Lukic (Torino), Andrija Zivkovic (PAOK), Stefan Mitrovic (Red Star Belgrade), Uros Racic (Braga), Ivan Ilic (Hellas Verona), Darko Lazovic (Hellas Verona) Forwards: Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), Luka Jovic (Fiorentina), Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus) Poland Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus), Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna), Kamil Grabara (Copenhagen) Defenders: Kamil Glik (Benevento), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Jan Bednarek (Aston Villa), Matty Cash (Aston Villa), Robert Gumny (Augsburg), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Jakub Kiwior (Spezia), Mateusz Wieteska (Clermont), Nicola Zalewski (Roma) Midfielders: Piotr Zielinski (SSC Napoli), Kamil Grosicki (Pogon Szczecin), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Al-Shabab Riyadh), Damian Szymanski (AEK FC), Sebastian Szymanski (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Przemyslaw Frankowski (RC Lens), Krystian Bielik (Birmingham City), Jakub Kaminski (VfL Wolfsburg), Michal Skoras (Lech Poznan), Szymon Zurkowski (ACF Fiorentina) Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (FC Barcelona), Arkadiusz Milik (Juventus FC), Krzysztof Piatek (US Salernitana 1919), Karol Swiderski (Charlotte FC) https://balkaninsight.com/ The mapping of the three data centers, the importance for Greece and the emphasis on green energy The licensing of Microsoft’s large investment in Attica is progressing step by step. With a horizon of full operation in 2025, the first data center region of the technological giant in southeastern Europe, is estimated to have a 1 billion euro impact on the Greek economy. The environmental licensing of the huge project, which includes three Data Centers in Spata and Koropi, is on track. The Ministry of Development and Investments has published for consultation the Strategic Environmental Impact Study (SES) of the “Investment in Data Centers in Greece” project. The completion of environmental licensing will put the project, which has been included in the regime of strategic investments, in the final stretch for implementation, with the first step being the tender for the selection of a contractor. Over 100 new jobs per Data Center According to the study, the total budget for the 3 Data Centers in the decade has been calculated at 976,168,800 euros, of which 746,548,800 euros will be directed to capital costs, including the purchase of land, construction of buildings and procurement technological equipment. The remaining 229,620,000 euros are calculated for staff operational costs, building maintenance costs and public utility services. It will also contribute to employment growth by creating more than 100 high-quality direct jobs (35 per shift) in each of the Data Centers during the operational phase. The operation of the three data centers will be continuous, 365/24/7, with shifts, with the result that each post leads to the creation of 3-4 full-time jobs. The main types of jobs that will be created will be in the fields of security, facilities operation and IT. Microsoft’s investment is yet another vote of confidence both in the Greek economy and in the prospects of our country emerging as a regional data hub. It is indicative that today Microsoft operates Data Centers in 4 countries of the European Union, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Ireland. They are under construction in 3 more countries, Poland, Italy and Spain. The first data center region in south-eastern Europe is being created in Greece, also upgrading the geostrategic role of our country, at a time when data is becoming the new gold. The largest of the three data centers in Spata The first data center, to which the published Environmental Impact Study concerns, will be constructed in the area of Spata, within the Petra Gialos-Voulia-Prokalissi Business Park. Essentially, it will be the largest link in the chain of three facilities, with twice the capacity of the other two, which will be located in Koropi, at a distance of 9-10 km from the property in question. Its capacity will be 19.2 MW. The reason why the solution of the cluster of three Data Centers, which will operate in absolute harmony with each other, is chosen, is to meet very strict security standards and to ensure uninterrupted operation even in the event of a failure in one, e.g. due to natural disaster. As described in the study, the first data center will be spread over two plots, with an area of 69,538.91 sq.m. and 14,999.35 sq.m. respectively, separated by a road. These are located approximately 1.5 km north of the city of Spata, 33 km east of Athens and 5 km north of “Eleftherios Venizelos” airport. In the larger of the two, the Data Center facilities will be constructed, both the core, the so-called Ballard Building, with the servers, the mechanical room, the electrical equipment, as well as the administration building. A fenced area will also be created for the exclusive use of power substations with an independent entrance from the south side of the plot. An internal substation will also be created within the installation site for the distribution of the average voltage on the plot. All energy from RES Focusing on energy conservation and the principles of sustainable development, the energy that will be consumed in the data centers will come entirely from renewable sources. In addition, Microsoft is committed to consuming 100% green energy by 2030. Each facility will have a photovoltaic power generation system, which will be properly connected to the electricity distribution network. In this direction, as provided in the Environmental Impact Study, electric vehicle charging stations are to be created in the special parking area within the main facility. “Smart” and energy-efficient LED lighting will also be installed inside and outside the main data center facility. Controls of energy consumption for lighting will be carried out by photocells, timers and suitable sensors, so that the lighting is not activated unnecessarily. The exterior and emergency areas, where staff will be located for long periods of time will be manually checked. A building energy management system will also be installed, with real time monitoring. Also, a building management system will be installed, which will control and can notify in case of increased consumption. To service the main building, it is planned to construct a water treatment unit for use in the cooling system, a pumping station, a reverse osmosis unit, three water storage tanks and two rainwater retention/storage ponds at the entrance of the facility. As far as water management is concerned, efficient equipment and systems will be available for consumption and for cleaning operations, while as much reuse as possible will be done. Finally, power meters or flowmeters will be installed at various points of the operating systems and equipment to control the consumption of water, electricity and fuel. in.gr Nikos Vettas, Director General, IOBE and professor, Athens University of Economics, Grigoris D. Dimitriadis, managing director of the Superfund, Nikos Karamouzis, president, Grant Thornton and Haris Lambropoulos, president of the Hellenic Development Investment Bank, speaking at the Fortune Greece CEO Initiative, came to the common conclusion that despite the new challenges facing the Greek economy, it will stand at a better level than other European economies in 2023, despite the fact that the performance will fall short of 2022. Mr. Vettas noted that Greece has “reservoirs” that will allow it to maintain the positive dynamics it has developed, but he pointed out that the country should also be prepared for the unfavorable scenario where the European environment will be derailed, due to the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis. Greece’s steps should focus on extroversion and innovation. He pointed out that there is huge liquidity due to the Recovery Fund, pointing out the need for proper use of the funds. The Greek economy is potentially at the beginning of a positive cycle. Read also: UBS: Growth in Greece will remain strong An election year Mr. Dimitriadis expressed his optimism that the economy will continue to grow, stressing that there must be a continuation of all efforts even though 2023 is an election year, something very important for continued FDI in Greece. He referred to the investment interest that exists for Greece with an emphasis on areas such as real estate development Mr. Karamouzis emphasized that the ECB should not proceed with a front-loading increase in interest rates, given that the problem in Europe is a cost and supply problem. He referred to the small sizes of Greek SMEs compared to their European counterparts and spoke of the boldness on the part of businesses to seek capital to invest in their own businesses and not rely only on the state. Mr. Lambropoulos pointed out that 2023 will be a year full of challenges pointing out that the dynamics of the Greek economy has taken a course and needs consistency in adapting to the fiscal goals. Speaking about the funds of the Recovery and Resilience Fund he said that they represent a historic challenge and a unique opportunity to be used and not just absorbed, emphasizing the same participation. Foreign funds have put Greece on their radar, they see Greek talent and development prospects, he added. The head of the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, has died aged 81 after a long battle with cancer. According to an announcement from his doctors, the Archbishop passed away peacefully at 6.40am on Monday. “The Archbishop fell peacefully asleep after facing the test of his illness with courage, patience and Christian determination,” the statement said. “What those of us who were close to him experienced during the difficult hours of his illness, was his humility, the kindness of his soul and his profound faith as well as his concern for his flock. He leaves behind a work characterized by foresight, boldness, highlighting and respecting and restoring the Church’s historical tradition along with innovative changes, always seeking the harmony and unity of the Church. What we will remember will always be with us is his honesty, kindness, kindness and smile,” noted the statement A session of the Holy Synod is expected to convene within the day. Early life He was born in 1941 in the village of Tala in Pafos. Immediately after primary education, he became a novitiate monk at the Holy Monastery of Agios Neophytos and then attended the Paphos High School. He graduated from high school in 1963 and on November 3 of the same year was ordained a deacon. In 1968, he began his studies at the Theological School of the University of Athens, from where he graduated in 1972. On October 19 of the same year, he was unanimously elected abbot of the Monastery of Agios Neophytos, he was ordained elder and installed as abbot on November 12 by Archbishop Makarios III. Archbishop Chrysostomos II was enthroned as Archbishop in November 2006 after a contentious election campaign. He was known to have outspoken views on many issues from how the Church was run, to the Cyprus issue. He also weighed in unabashedly on social issues like homosexuality, gay adoption rights and abortion, often causing major controversies. He always described himself as a realist and saw no reason to seek out popularity. Born Herodotos Demetriou on April 10, 1941 in Tala, Paphos he lost his father at the age of ten. After finishing primary school, two years later, he became a novice at the Ayios Neophytos Monastery in Paphos from where he continued his education, graduating high school in 1963. On November 3 that year, he was ordained by Bishop Georgios of Trimithounda and for the next five years, he was a deacon at the monastery and working there, where he picked up a flair for business dealings. In 1968, he began tertiary studies in theology at the University of Athens, graduating in 1972. On October 19, 1972, he was elected abbot at Ayios Neophytos. In February 1978, Chrysostomos was elected Bishop of Paphos, which threw him into the public eye. Following the retirement of Archbishop Chrysostomos I in 2006 due to Alzheimer’s, Chrysostomos was named locum tenens until his election as Archbishop on November 5, 2006. He was enthroned a week later on November 12 at St Nicholas Cathedral in Nicosia. Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $581.2-million contract to supply the US Navy with more UGM-133A Trident II submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missiles. According to the US Department of Defense, the contract also benefits a foreign military sale to the UK. The agreement calls for the American firm to integrate Trident II missiles into the next-generation ballistic submarine designs of the two allied countries. Work for the contract will be performed in Florida and other parts of the US. It is expected to be completed by September 2027. The contract may also reach a total value of $1.2 billion if modification options are exercised. The Trident II Missiles The Trident II D5 is regarded as one of the world’s most advanced long-range submarine-launched nuclear missiles. It has a maximum range of 4,000 to 7,000 miles (6,437 to 11,265 kilometers), and its navigation subsystem uses a combination of inertial and celestial guidance. Deployed on the Ohio-class submarine, the missile serves as the US Navy’s primary sea-based nuclear ballistic missile. The service currently operates a total of 14 Ohio-class submarines that carry the Trident II. “The Trident II D5 missile has achieved 167 successful test launches since design completion in 1989 – a record unmatched by any other large ballistic missile or space launch vehicle,” Lockheed Martin stated on its website. The railway and road connections between Greece and Bulgaria, as well as the cooperation in the port of Alexandroupoli, which is becoming an energy hub of particular geopolitical importance, were at the center of the meeting of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Kostas Karamanlis, with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications of Bulgaria, Hristo Alexie , the Minister of Economy and Industry Nikola Stoyanov, the Minister of Energy Rosen Christov and the Ambassador of Bulgaria Valentin Poriazov. “Solidarity and cooperation” In his statements after the meeting, Mr. Karamanlis noted that that it highlighted the solidarity and cooperation of the two countries, especially at a time when in the Balkans and Europe are facing difficult challenges due to the war in Ukraine. Noting that in the poast the so-called iron curtain divided the two countries which are now united by the European Union to their mutual benefit. This is the reason for the emphasis plafced on the transnational project “Sea2Sea”, the modern high-speed railway connection with Bulgaria, but also with Romania. From the Aegean to the Black Sea Thie mega project will connect the ports of northern Greece and the Aegean with the Black Sea and the Danube creating a land freight bridge, bypassing the Bosphorus Strait. Thessaloniki and Kavala will become ports of exit for all products from South-Eastern Europe. And Alexandroupolis will emerge as a transport and infrastructure hub, as well as an energy hub of the wider region stressed Mr. Karamanlis. Beyod the Sea2Sea Project the two sides also discussed road freight transport and cross-border crossings. “Project of strategic importance” For his part, Mr. Alexiev noted that the railway axis Thessaloniki – Kavala – Alexandroupoli – Burgas – Varna – Ruse is a project of strategic importance that will provide an opportunity to improve transport links and expand economic potential, helping to develop the connectivity of the entire region. The corridor will be an alternative land connection route between the Aegean – Black Sea and the Danube, facilitating interconnection, but also developing the TEN-T transport network. “Attractive opportunity for investors” “This alternative route could be an extremely attractive opportunity for investors, but also for cargo operators. It is a corridor with capacity capable and sufficient to meet future demand, while there is the potential to attract additional freight traffic. In all of this, we should point out that this corridor is an attractive alternative to the existing routes, both in terms of cost reduction and travel time”, he concluded. |