2.2.2008 by CrniLabudovi.

RUSSISCHE TECHNOLOGIE

Selenograd - das Silicon -Valley Russlands

Vor den Toren Moskaus entsteht derzeit ein Hochtechnologie-Netzwerk. Russland gehört zu den sieben Hochtechnologie-Nationen der Welt, die winzigste Speicherchips herstellen können. Um den noch verbliebenen Rückstand aufzuholen, stützen sich die Russen auf technisches Wissen und auf Apparaturen aus dem Süden und Südwesten Deutschlands. In der in Selenograd bei Moskau neu eröffneten Mikrochip-Fabrik Sitronics stehen hauptsächlich Geräte „Made in Germany“. Langfristig will das Unternehmen des Oligarchen Wladimir Jeftuschenkow auch Nokia und Siemens-Handys mit SIM-Karten bestücken.

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2.2.2008 by CrniLabudovi.

Albania’s best economic year?

01/02/2008

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha says 2007 was a banner year for the country’s economy. Is his assessment on target?

By Klodjan Seferaj for Southeast European Times – 02/01/08

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha believes the country’s economy is picking up pace, in a big way.

“Berisha declared that 2007, based on all the indices, has been the best economic year in the entire economy history of the country,” reports L1 at the popular Albanian blog peshkupauje. “Last year the good functioning of the institutions and economy of the country made it possible for the government to keep all its promises made during the elections.”

Commenting on the post, Artian isn’t so sure things are getting better. “My family told me that, as of 2008, buying power is decreasing a lot. People are not buying like they used to two years before,” he writes.

“The economic increase is high,” insists Ardi. “According to foreign analysts that study the Eastern European economic markets, Albania will continue to have such strong economic increases. The fact is that this government raised pensions and salaries and increased the buying power of the budget sector!”

On his blog, Floart gives a mixed assessment.

“Berisha presented yesterday some information and economic achievements, supported also by the last Economic Freedom report, which ranked Albania ten places higher than last time. But the thing that could be observed was the comparison of the in-cash numbers.”

“The Prime Minister is aware of the in-cash failure, notably in tax administration, and in order to hide this problem they prefer to publish only general data, including customs. Despite the hidden failures, Berisha thinks that ‘last year, based on all the indices, has been the best economic year in the entire history of the country’.”

Finally this week, Alpha mulls a reported decision by the government to impose value-added tax (VAT) on books published outside the country.

“The government said this will favour the Albanian printing houses and market equilibrium,” she writes. “The argument … would have merit if books were ordinary goods like potatoes, coffee or hydraulic pipes.”

“Do those people realise the social, cultural and political dimension of books?” Alpha asks. “How is it possible for books to be in the same category as the other goods? Maybe with this decision the government wanted to stimulate importers to concentrate on imported spinach.”

After all, “Both are now being taxed in the same way, but spinach is sold in much greater quantities.”

This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

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2.2.2008 by CrniLabudovi.

Port workers in Greece again strike against privatisation plan

01/02/2008

Opposing the government’s plans to privatise terminals, workers at the two main commercial ports in Greece started a 48-hour strike on Wednesday.

By George Anagnostopoulos for Southeast European Times in Athens – 01/02/08

Workers in two of Greece’s main ports — Piraeus and Thessaloniki — launched a 48-hour strike on Wednesday (January 30th) against the government’s decision to privatise container terminals.

This strike follows a January 15th protest, where police used tear gas to disperse dock workers at the two ports. During that protest, port employees in Thessaloniki slipped inside a building where representatives of the Maritime Trade and Transport Ministry were discussing the privatisation plans. Workers at both ports claim privatisation will eventually lead to job cuts.

But according to Merchant Marine Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis, allowing private investors into container stations will help Greece play a key role in the region by becoming an important hub.

Setimes 

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2.2.2008 by CrniLabudovi.

SWP-Berlin 

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