March 27 (SeeNews) - Following is a selection of top stories and interviews moved by SeeNews over the past week:
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LIC33 ACQUIRES STAKES IN BULGARIA'S DUNARIT, AVIONAMS, NURTS, FIRST DIGITAL
LIC33, which describes itself as a group of companies bringing together European Union investors, said on Tuesday it has acquired stakes in Bulgarian ammunition maker Dunarit, aircraft repair company Avionams, TV services providers NURTS and First Digital and audience research company Garb from controversial Bulgarian businessman Tsvetan Vasilev.
LIC33 acquired the stakes as part of a deal for telecommunications company BTC, in which it paid 1 euro, LIC33 chairman Pierre Louvrier told a news conference in Sofia.
Read more at: http://wire.seenews.com/news/update-2-lic33-acquires-stakes-in-bulgarias-dunarit-avionams-nurts-first-digital-469757
ROMANIA SHOULD MATCH PLANNED TAX CUTS WITH OFFSETTING MEASURES - IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday that the tax cuts planned by the Romanian government should be accompanied by offsetting measures.
The Romanian authorities are proposing for 2016 to lower the VAT rate, excises, and taxes on dividends as well as cancel the tax on non-building constructions with an estimated direct revenue loss of 2.2% of GDP.
"[...] any tax reduction plans should go hand-in-hand with stronger revenue administration, better compliance - the VAT collection gap is the highest in the EU at 44% - and formalizing the economy, in particular, further efforts to advance a risk-based compliance oversight approach, given that at 18.7% of GDP the tax revenue-to-GDP ratio is still lower than in most EU member states," the IMF said in its 2015 Article IV consultation staff report.
Read more at: http://wire.seenews.com/news/romania-should-match-planned-tax-cuts-with-offsetting-measures-imf-470453
TELEKOM SRBIJA ACCEPTS LAZARD FRERES SAS OFFER TO ADVISE PLANNED SELL-OFF
State-controlled Telekom Srbija has accepted the offer of Lazard Freres SAS to provide advisory services on the planned privatization of the incumbent telco, the Serbian company's press office told SeeNews in an email on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, Telekom Srbija said Lazard Freres SAS was the only company that filed a bid in the advisory tender.
Read more at: http://wire.seenews.com/news/telekom-srbija-accepts-lazard-freres-sas-offer-to-advise-on-planned-sell-off-470026
CROATIA'S VALAMAR RIVIERA EYES POTENTIAL ACQUISITIOJN TARGETS IN ADRIATIC REGION
Croatian hotel operator Valamar Riviera [ZSE:RIVP-R-A] said on Wednesday it is considering potential acquisitions in Croatia and in the region with the aim of strengthening its tourism portfolio and raising its valuation.
In this context, Valamar Riviera is considering potential expansion in the Adriatic Sea region and adjacent markets, primarily in resort accommodation, which is its key segment, the company's press office said in an emailed response to a SeeNews inquiry.
Read more at: http://wire.seenews.com/news/croatias-valamar-riviera-eyes-potential-acquisition-targets-in-adriatic-region-470050
INTERVIEWS
EY SEES AS GROWTH DRIVERS TRANSPORT IN ROMANIA, MANUFACTURING IN SERBIA, CROATIA
Romania is expected to see robust growth in transport and communications, whereas in Serbia and Croatia economic growth is expected to be driven by manufacturing, a senior economic advisor to global financial consultancy Ernst&Young (EY) said.
“Given the weakness of domestic demand in both Serbia and Croatia, and the weakness of European currencies on global markets, it seems likely to us that growth will come predominantly in export-facing sectors in 2015, and particularly in manufacturing,” Tom Rogers, senior advisor to the EY Eurozone Forecast, said.
Read the full text of the interview at: http://wire.seenews.com/news/interview-ey-sees-as-growth-drivers-transport-in-romania-manufacturing-in-serbia-croatia-469786