Day: October 15, 2021

Serbia and Turkey have reached an agreement to start direct commercial flights between the two countries’ capitals, the Serbian ambassador said on Friday.

In a statement, Zoran Markovic said the flights will be operated by AnadoluJet, a brand of Turkish flag carrier Turkish Airlines, twice a week starting late December.

“This is a significant milestone, not only from a commercial standpoint and for a further increase in the already vibrant and ever-increasing exchange of tourist visits, but for the relations between our two nations and deeper interaction between our citizens,” he said.

He added that “it will foster new opportunities for both Turkish and Serbian citizens to appreciate the kinship and common historical and social links that go back for centuries.”

Markovic said the flights will offer to discover and experience natural wonders, rich cultures, and gastronomy of the two countries, as well as open an important tourist market, recalling that Ankara provides easier access to Central Anatolia, especially Cappadocia.

“Such a perspective could hopefully increase the number of weekly flights from the initial two to much more,” he said. “This will also surely open up new possibilities for furthering our ever-increasing economic interaction and enhancing the upward trend that we have witnessed for over a decade.”

The ambassador also expressed the hope for passport-free travel between Turkey and Serbia. “A further impetus to our common goal will be the successful conclusion of the ongoing discussions on the introduction of passport-free travel between citizens of Serbia and Turkey, which will hopefully come to fruition very soon,” he said.

Source: Anadolu Agency

US retail sales rose sharply in September, according to figures released by the Commerce Department on Friday.

Retail sales came in at $625.4 billion, up 0.7% from a revised level of $620.9 billion in August.

While analysts expected a 0.2% decline on a monthly level, the figure in August was revised up from an increase of 0.7% to 0.9%.

The annual increase in September was 13.9%, compared to the same month of 2020.

“Gasoline stations were up 38.2% from September 2020, while food services and drinking places were up 29.5% from last year,” the agency’s Census Bureau said in a statement.

They were followed by clothing and accessories stores with an annual increase of 22.4%, and electronics and appliance stores with 17.2%.

High inflation continues to be a major problem for the American economy.

The consumer price index (CPI) in September rose 0.4% from the previous month and 5.4% from the same period last year, while the producer price index (PPI) increased 0.5% on a monthly basis and 8.6% annually, according to the latest figures of the Labor Department.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The European Union posted a trade deficit of €5 billion ($5.9 billion) in August, official figures showed on Friday.

The 27-member bloc’s exports totaled €164.7 billion, up 18%, while imports amounted to €169.8 billion, up 31.8%, the statistical authority Eurostat said.

The average euro/US dollar exchange rate was 1.18 in the month.

The union’s trade balance had been €10.8 billion in August 2020.

Intra-EU trade soared 18.8% to stand at €247.8 billion year-on-year in August.

During the first eight months of this year, the EU’s exports increased 13.8% to reach €1.4 trillion, while imports were up 16.7% to reach €1.3 trillion.

China was the bloc’s main trade partner in the January-August period, with €147.2 billion imports from the union and €285.9 billion in exports.

Country-to-country trade balances indicated that the EU had incurred the largest deficit with China – €138.7 billion – and the highest surplus with the US – €110 billion – over the same period.

Turkey was the union’s sixth-largest trade partner during the four-month period, with €49.5 billion imports from the union and €50.9 billion in exports.

On the eurozone side, extra-EA exports increased 18.2% to €184.3 billion in August. The trade surplus was €4.8 billion, down from €14 billion in August 2020.

The eurozone/euro area or the EA19 represents the member states that use the euro as their single currency, while the EU27 includes all member countries of the bloc.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s flag carrier is raising awareness about breast cancer during its flights, it said on Friday.

In a statement, Turkish Airlines said it will raise awareness to the risk of breast cancer on 160 flights on Oct. 15-31, as part of efforts to prioritize the health and safety of its guests.

The company said the first of these flights, which was operated from Istanbul to Ankara, included a special announcement and cabin crew members attaching pink ribbons to their uniforms.

It ran an announcement reminding passengers that breast cancer is the most widespread type of cancer among women in 140 countries, as well as of the importance of early diagnosis in breast cancer.

“Self-awareness saves lives! We wish you a healthy day,” the announcement said.

Turkish Airlines said it would continue to raise awareness on breast cancer on five domestic and five international flights every day through October.

Every year, approximately 25,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Turkey, the statement added.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey is a highly valued market for Spanish companies, according to the head of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE).

The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent disruption in value chains made Turkey an attractive country, Marta Blanco said in an interview with Anadolu Agency.

She said Turkey is a strategic partner of the European Union, and serves as an excellent hub between European and Asian markets owing to its geostrategic location.

“Besides, thanks to its diversified economic structure and consolidated market institutions, as well as the Customs Union that it maintains with the EU since 1996, which facilitates tariff-free trade, the country benefits from a large number of competitive advantages,” she explained.

On economic relations between Turkey and Spain, she said trade and investments declined in 2020 due to the pandemic, but are expected to rebound strongly in 2021.

Spain has an investment stock of more than €5 billion ($5.8 billion) in Turkey, while its imports from Turkey increased from about €3 billion ($3.5 billion) in 2010 to around €7.6 billion ($8.8 billion) by 2019, according to Blanco.

“The investment and trade data shows a clear growing interest of Spanish companies in Turkish products and its market,” she added.

She said Turkey offers several incentives for foreign firms, such as tax reductions and exemptions, and also boasts a strong record in terms of legal framework and stability.

“Turkey is among the world’s 20 largest economies and aims to be one of the world’s top 10 economies by 2050,” she said.

Blanco pointed out that Turkey’s various free trade agreements with several countries in Asia, the Middle East, and the Maghreb region help reduce logistical costs.

“It is important to keep in mind that there are areas that are not included in the Customs Union agreement and others where there exist non-tariff barriers,” she said.

“In order to boost trade between Turkey and Spain, the terms of the agreement could be modernized and adapted to the current reality to remove obstacles for bilateral trade.”

Source: Anadolu Agency