Moldova

Ekkehard Neureither is the Country Manager of the automation and power technologies giant ABB for Bulgaria.

He is also the Local Division Manager for Low Voltage Products in Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova.

Bulgaria has the eighth cheapest local beer in the world, shows a survey of the Global Post website, based on data of UN Office of Drugs and Crime. 

A half-liter bottle of locally produced beer in Bulgaria costs USD 0.77. It is the cheapest in Vietnam – USD 0.59 and most expensive in Iran – USD 7.24. In the Czech republic, known for its quality lager, a bottle costs USD 0.70.

Victoria Nuland, the US Assistant State Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, will visit Bulgaria on Monday.

Talks have been scheduled between Nuland and Bulgarian government representatives, in which bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy and economy is to be discussed, Bulgarian TV channel bTV has reported.

Ten years after joining North Alliance Treaty Organisation, Romanian officials say the country has benefited from  membership overall, although they concede that the cost has been high in terms of the number of casualties during NATO missions and the money spent on military operations.

Washington, Brussels and Chisinau are the cities where celebrations of Eastern Europe’s 10th Anniversary in NATO will take place.

Russia's troops have seized control of a naval base near Crimea's city of Feodosia.

Over the past 48 hours, this was the third successful Russian assault of a Ukrainian base on the Crimean peninsula.

It leaves all Ukrainian bases in the region, which was incorporated into the Russian Federation last week, under control by Moscow.

Former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker has urged the EU to prevent Moldova from becoming the next victim of Russian aggression.

Land troops of 12 countries will take part in the international military exercise at the Novo Selo range in Bulgaria. 

Saber Guardian, the largest exercise for this year, starts on Friday and will include 700 troops from Bulgaria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, USA, Belgium, Turkey and Ukraine, according to Bulgaria's Defence Ministry.

"Caretaker cabinet has no comment on EU sanctions"

BELGRADE -- Serbia did not take a stand on EU's sanctions imposed against officials of the ousted authorities in Ukraine "because the government is in a technical mandate."

The caretaker government "cannot comment on such situations," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Beta on Thursday.

Moldova's pro-European course 'can only lead to a better life'

Moldova's effort to maintain a pro-European course is a positive example for Ukraine and other countries in the region that aspire to EU membership, experts and officials say.

Moldovan citizens will soon be able to travel to the EU's border-free Schengen area without a visa. [AFP]