Romania is ready to replace Bulgaria in the Russian-Italian gas pipeline project South Stream, a formal statement of Bucharest’s economy ministry reads. Romania’s only condition is that Gazprom sticks to the local regulations while constructing the facility. At the same time, Romania confirmed its participation in the Nabucco pipeline project, …

The United States do not recognize the legality and the results of the presidential vote in Abkhazia, held on December 12. This is according to U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly.

As of December 19, 2009, visa regime for citizens of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro will be lifted, Bulgarian Foreign Ministry announced.