International investors see Turkish political climate as deterrent, survey shows International investors in Turkey are looking forward to a mostly stable first half of the year but are see domestic political turmoil as one of the most adverse developments to affect foreign direct investment (FDI).

According to the results of the biannual Barometer Survey conducted by the International Investors Association (YASED) among its members, a greater majority of international investors in Turkey expect growth from Turkey more than they expect the global economy to improve. The results show that 47 percent of those surveyed expected Turkey to grow in the next six months, with 40 percent expecting growth to remain stable. Those expecting growth in the global economy, however, were lower at 30 percent, with 60 percent expecting global economic growth to stabilize at current levels. The matter at the forefront of everyone’s minds, however, was domestic political turmoil, as it was the highest-ranked potentially adverse development to affect FDI.

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said after talks with President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy in Brussels today that Serbia eagerly awaits the beginning of the process of ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union (EU).

Cvetkovic said that 2009 was a very successful year for Serbia in terms of European integration and that it will do everything to continue the reform process, including the completion of cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

The probe of the Transport Ministry had discovered serious violations committed at the Bulgarian State Railroad Company, BDZ, between 2007 and September 2009.

Transport Minister, Alexander Tsvetkov, reported that over BGN 127 mln have been lost, calling the waste of resources a “total disgrace.”

The most striking example is a public order, signed in 2008 by the former BDZ Head Hristo Monov, for the delivery of 30 sleeping cars from Switzerland. 18 of the cars, for which EUR 14 mln have been paid, are missing and no one knows their location. 12 cars were delivered but 6 are already out of use over malfunctions. The Prosecutor has been notified, Tsvetkov says.