A loan of 500 million Euros to Tunisia, carried out on favorable terms, in order to help the country reduce its external debt and consolidate their democratic mechanisms, was approved by Parliament on Wednesday. To have access to credit, Tunisia will have to sign a memorandum of understanding with the European Commission, pledging to implement structural reforms and to pursue sound public finances.

In addition, Tunisia will have to guarantee the respect of democratic mechanisms, the rule of law and human rights, under EU supervision. Once made these conditions, Tunisia can avail the loan for a period of two and a half years.

The EU loan to Tunisia will join the 2.9 billion euro of aid allocated by the International Monetary Fund. The resolution was approved with 561 votes in favor, 76 against and 42 abstentions.

The economy of Tunisia is in serious difficulties since the beginning of the Arab Spring revolution in 2011. In 2015, the country was hit by terrorist attacks that disrupted the flow of tourists and exacerbated his already weak fiscal balance and position in credits. The growth forecast for 2016 is 0.5%, while in 2015 declined by 3%. The unemployment rate stands at 20% for women and 28.6% for young graduates; the overall average is 15%.

The EU has granted to Tunisia € 300 million of financial aid in 2014. In August 2015, the Tunisian government has asked the EU to contribute 500 million euro to a second assistance program and supplementary loans of the IMF international (FMI).

Following a vote by the European Parliament in 2016, the EU has also granted to Tunisia a temporary additional quota for imports of olive oil duty-free.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The project on the creation of a “Free Economic Zone” in Tripoli has been included again in the agenda of the Council of Ministers, after being frozen for nearly six years, following the change of government.

Located near the port of Tripoli, the special economic zone, with an area of 550,000 square meters, is expected to create new job opportunities and attract the private sector investment.

Furthermore, due to its proximity with Syria and the major cities on the coast, will help rebuild the country after the conflict.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The goal of the Algerian government to reduce imports of medicines to promote domestic production in recent years has given thwarted.

Imports reached 2.28 billion dollars in 2013, the $ 2.6 billion in 2014 (+ 14%), before recording a decrease in 2015 to reach 1.96 billion dollars (-22%). However, according to the latest data of the CNIS (Centre National de l’Informatique et des Statistiques), during the first 4 months of 2016, imports again increased by 29% over the same period in 2015.

In value between January and April 2016; imports recorded a total of 606.96 million dollars compared to $ 470.48 million in the same period in 2015. In quantity, the increase was 4.6% with 7770 tons.

As regards medicinal products for human use, during the 4 first months of this year, imports increased by 28.6% recording a total of 441.71 million dollars, while the quantities are through to 6 947,5 tons against 6 708.2 tons (+ 3.5%) for the same period in 2015.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

Spain’s consumption of fish and seafood has remained stable in 2015, reaching the 8.2 billion euro. These are some of the data presented by AECOC (multisectoral Association of producers and distributors) in the XVII Congress on food sea.

Among the various product families, that of fish and fresh seafood is the preferred by local consumers, followed by canned, frozen, chilled and smoked. The volume of fresh produce marketed in 2015 was as high as 668,000 tonnes, including cod and hake accounted for 15.2%; sardines and anchovies 10.6%; molluscs 9%; Salmon 8.5%. As for canned fish and seafood, the expenditure of Spanish households reached 1,430 million euro, equivalent to 163,000 tons; purchase of frozen products were destined 1,189 million euro (153,000 tons).

The segment of private label products (MDD) grew by 0.4% in 2015, the trend in the first quarter of this year was, however, decreasing (-0.1%). In this category, canned fish account for the largest share, followed by fish and frozen seafood, smoked and chilled fish.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The bankruptcy trustee of the Bijela shipyard has recently announced that the contract was signed for the sale of the large landing dock, part of the port, with a buyer from Lithuania. The purchase price reached after the second call for tenders will amount to 11 million euros. The bankruptcy administration began negotiations with the Lithuanian company after the first place, the Estonian company Baltik Art, has withdrawn from the purchase in early May. The bankruptcy procedure has been requested by the Agency of Montenegrin revenues in July of 2015 due to an outstanding debt of the company of approximately 6 million euro.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The OECD expects economic growth of 1.5% in 2016, -0.4% compared to the Outlook of last November. This is determined primarily by the decrease in export growth, greater uncertainty in the international arena and momentary decline in public investment at the beginning of the European financial perspective. For next year, the OECD has shown economic growth of 2.3%, -0.4% compared to what was announced in the previous report.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The Spanish Minister of Economy, Luis de Guindos, fixed at 3%, the growth rate of GDP in 2016, thus improving the forecasts sent to Brussels last April (2.7%). In fact – despite the period of uncertainty politics after the failure of contacts between political parties to form government – the Spanish economy recorded in the period January / March 2016 an increase of 0.8%; in annual terms the growth rate stood at 3.4%, exceeding by about two percentage points above the EU average (1.5%).

Domestic consumption continues to be the engine of growth, domestic demand recorded a 0.9% increase in the first three months of this year, the rate reaching 3.7% in annual terms. Public consumption has maintained its expansionary trend, despite the deficit target failure in 2015.

The positive performance of the Spanish GDP has, however, some signs of deceleration. In fact, gross fixed investment rose by 1.1% growth rates in the period October / December 2015 to the current 0.4% (January / March 2016). Stands out, also, the investment downturn in the construction sector (-0.2%), after two years of uninterrupted growth; despite, the construction activity continues to mark growth in annual terms (+ 3.1% compared to the first quarter last year).

The quarterly change in investment in capital goods amounted to 1.3% against 1.9% in the fourth quarter of 2015. The increase trend has positioned slightly below 10%.

Similarly, the trend in the foreign sector was more moderate, reflecting the slowdown in emerging economies and some of the customer markets of Spanish exports. Local exports of goods and services rose from an annual growth rate of 5.8% to 3.7%. Analysis shows there was a slight decrease of 0.5% against the 0.9% rise which occurred at the end of 2015.

Finally, as regards the occupation there was an annual increase of 3.2%, two tenths higher rate than in the fourth quarter of 2015. Based on the data of the INE (Spanish Statistics Institute) there were created 533,000 jobs in last twelve months.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

MassChallenge is the new startup accelerator that opened its activity in these days in Jerusalem in the Mahane Yehuda neighborhood.

48 new startups from around the world have been admitted to a special program: in addition to benefit from the general working conditions dates from an accelerator will participate in training courses and will have significant contacts with professional partners both in Israel and in other countries.

The end of program will be on 27 October and during the closing ceremony will be awarded prizes for a total of 1 million NIS (approximately 240,000 euro) to all those companies that will be marked for the innovation of their projects.

45% of eligible companies from industry-tech, 20% from the field of life sciences and 10% from activities inherent in the social sphere.

The MassChallenge is an accelerator nonprofit active in the United States, Great Britain, Switzerland and Israel.

Over the past six years they have been eligible to take part 835 companies from around the world getting financing for 1 million dollars (830 million euro approx) and there were created 8500 new jobs.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

Two guide dog puppies that were raised locally arrived last night from Messina, Sicily, where they were officially handed over to their new guide dog partners in a moving ceremony at city hall.

The two new ‘teams’ are Michael Scerri from Xaghra, Gozo, and his guide dog Justy, and Joseph Vella from Marsaxlokk and his guide dog Juno. The Fleming family that puppy raised Justy and Charlene Darmanin, who along with her husband David raised Juno, were present at the handing over ceremony in Messina.

Also present were Malta Guide Dogs Foundation Chairman Leone Sciberras and Hon Secretary Lilibeth Cachia.

Justy and Juno were initially brought to Malta in August, 2014, from a breeding centre in France and after they were a year old were taken to the Helen Keller Regional Centre Guide Dog School of the Italian Blind Union last June, where they were entrusted to two professional trainers, Francesco Cucinotta (who has trained other guide dogs currently in service in Malta) and Giovanni Visalli Garufi.

For Michael, a civil servant, this is his second guide dog after his first guide dog, Pixy, was retired. For Joseph, a father of three who is a database administrator, this is his first guide dog. Both men spent two weeks in Messina bonding with their guide dogs and learning how to be proficient guide dog handlers.

Joseph remarked that he now feels confident entrusting Juno to work with him as he commutes every day on public transport and on foot to the office.

Sciberras expressed satisfaction that the two puppies have been successfully matched with local handlers: “We have now started a phase in the lifecycle of the MGDF when guide dogs currently in service will be retiring either for age reasons or for other reasons, so we will be seeking to replace a number of these dogs over a period of time.

“We also renew our appeal to those suffering from visual impairment who wish to obtain new freedom and independence through OM (orientation and mobility training) and eventually wish to have a guide dog to approach the MGDF. We provide this service free of charge to them.”

Sciberras thanked the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), which is covering the travelling expenses, and Borg Cardona & Co. Ltd, who supplied Royal Canin dog food for free to the puppies.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The Marina of Bizerte, “Cap 300”, was inaugurated Saturday, May 28, by the Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Salma Elloumi the presence of numerous officials and other deputies.

The Tunisian Minister stressed the importance of the realization of this project, after 11 years of delay, after the announcement of its launch, adding that it will help enhance the field of nautical tourism in the region, because it is the second largest port of its kind after to Gammarth, opened in 2015.

The Governor of Bizerte, Menaouer Ouertani, said that the positive effects of the project will not only evident in the region, but will affect the whole country, because it is a cutting-edge tourist project at the national level, so that the regional authorities will work to bring completed all its components.

The opening of the marina, that will accommodate 300 boats in particular yachts ranging in length from 6 to 30 meters, will be followed by the recovery of the residential complex jobs.

The total value of investments of Marina Bizerte project amounts to 300 million dinars (MTD). The port is one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean, capable of seating more than 50 boats with a length between 40 and 110 meters and a parking lot with a capacity of 250 cars.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews