The American company Gulf intends to open a network of gas stations in Uzbekistan and invest in the aviation industry. This was announced by the company’s vice president Craig Kramer on February 18 in Washington at a meeting of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev with representatives of American business and financial institutions.
According to him, over the next two years, the company plans to launch at least 100 modern and convenient gas stations that will meet Western standards.
“They will be built according to Western standards and provide high-quality fuel. During this period, we will invest at least $150 million in retail assets. The financing is fully secured. Each facility will be modern and unique in terms of volume and design,” he said in a story on Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.
In addition, it is planned to create transport centers for tourists and transit carriers along the highways.
“These projects will create at least 30 new jobs at each facility. In total, more than 3,000 new jobs will be organized for Uzbek citizens,” the Gulf representative said.
Kramer said that he had received proposals from the country’s regions on infrastructure development.
“I have received specific proposals from all the khokims of Uzbekistan’s regions to develop nearly 200 gas stations across the country. This clearly demonstrates that your country has an open business climate and a high level of trust in investors,” he said.
The company also intends to introduce modern technologies and develop the aviation sector.
“We will launch mechanisms that provide modern amenities for retail and corporate clients. Along with retail, we are also investing in aviation. About $50 million will be invested in the aviation sector through Gulf Aviation,” Kramer said.
According to him, this will provide Uzbekistan’s rapidly growing aviation industry with a safe and stable fuel supply, as well as establish a reliable supply system for local and international airlines.
Gulf’s operating base in Central Asia is planned to be located in Tashkent.
“This will be another important step towards transforming Uzbekistan into a center of regional logistics and retail infrastructure,” the company representative emphasized.
The fuel for the stations will be purchased at the Republican Commodity Exchange on general terms and conditions, as well as imported.
The first Central Asia-Republic of Korea Summit will be held in Seoul on September 16-17, 2026.
The summit is expected to be attended by the heads of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
The main goal of the summit is to expand diplomatic horizons and qualitatively strengthen ties between Seoul and the region. The parties will pay special attention to diversification of supply chains and economic security, which is critical in the current geopolitical environment.
The new format of the dialogue is intended to move cooperation from the plane of individual projects to the plane of systemic multilateral interaction, covering energy, technology, and logistics.
The World Korea writes that the government of the Republic of Korea intends to use the upcoming summit as an opportunity to develop cooperation in the following areas:
– Partnership in critical minerals and energy;
– Industrial and digital transformation;
– Transportation and logistics ties;
– Cooperation in defense and security;
– Cooperation in Agriculture, Climate and Health.
The Government of Catalonia has submitted proposals to the draft Royal Decree of Spain on the extraordinary legalization of migrants, proposing to take into account the study of the Catalan language at the first renewal of the annual residence permit.
According to the initiative, those granted an initial permit will have about a year to start learning, and it is planned to take into account “language progress” when applying for renewal. As proof, it is proposed to accept the completion of courses organized by the authorities of Catalonia, or independent training, confirmed by a certificate.
At the same time, as sources in the Spanish government emphasize, the requirement of knowledge of Catalan or Spanish language is not expected to obtain a primary permit within the framework of legalization. The question of renewal is the responsibility of the autonomous communities and may be based on the integration report of the social services, where among the factors may be taken into account and training in official languages.
According to the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (IDESCAT), on January 1, 2024, there were 1,444,192 people with foreign nationality living in Catalonia, corresponding to 18.0% of the region’s population. The largest groups of foreigners included citizens of Morocco (241,179), Colombia (94,196) and Italy (86,822). There were 44,101 Ukrainians and 33,317 citizens of the Russian Federation. More recent data on the number of foreigners will be released in mid-2026.
As reported by Serbian Economist, the average price of 1 square meter of housing in new buildings in Montenegro in the IV quarter of 2025 amounted to 2 206 euros, which is 14% higher than the level of the IV quarter of 2024 (1 936 euros), according to data from MONSTAT.
The growth was uneven by region. On the coast, the average price reached EUR 2,570 per sqm (approximately +24% y/y), in Podgorica – EUR 2,141 (+10%), in the central region – EUR 1,363 (growth from a low base, approximately +46%), while the northern region did not record new building sales in Q4 2025.
The dynamics during 2025 were in waves: the national average price was €2,158 in Q1, €2,201 in Q2, €2,228 in Q3 and €2,206 in Q4, meaning that after peaking in the summer, the figure fell slightly towards the end of the year.
MONSTAT separately emphasizes that the average price is strongly influenced by the share of so-called solidarity housing (housing sold under the preferential model). In the fourth quarter of 2025, in the category “enterprises” (market sales), the average price in the country was 2,415 euros per square meter, while in solidarity housing – 705 euros.
From the point of view of “Serbian Economist”, the key conclusion for 2025 is as follows: the market of new buildings in Montenegro remains “two-speed” – the coast continues to rise in price faster due to tourist demand and limited supply in prime locations, while the capital and inland regions are more dependent on the structure of transactions and availability of credit. The Financial Stability Board at the Central Bank of Montenegro also warned about the risks of overheating amid active lending and rising prices at the end of 2025.
In 2026, the pressure on prices is likely to continue, but the pace may become more “selective” in terms of locations and quality of projects: the priority will be objects with clear documents, ready infrastructure and rental potential, while the mass segment is more sensitive to household incomes and financing conditions.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2311
According to Serbian Economist, the total volume of investment in Belgrade’s office real estate in 2025 grew to EUR 131 million, compared to EUR 14 million a year earlier, amid steady demand for prime-class properties and moderate new space supply, Serbia Business reports.
The total volume of modern office space in Belgrade reached 1.46 million square meters at the end of 2025, with more than 65,000 square meters of new space added during the year (about +5% year-on-year). Annual take-up amounted to 180,000 sq m, which is 9% lower than in 2024.
Vacancy in the market at the end of 2025 is estimated at 5.67% (within the “healthy” range of 5-10%), while in the prime segment it fell to 2.5%, reflecting a shortage of quality space. In the transaction structure, 43% were contract renewals and 40% were new leases.
Rental rates remained stable: prime offices – EUR 16-18 per sq. m per month, with rates exceeding EUR 19 in top properties, and class B remaining in the range of EUR 12-14.
Industry consultants generally confirm the trend of stable supply and sustained demand for high-quality space. CBRE indicated that in 2025, Belgrade’s office stock increased by more than 72,000 sq m of speculative supply, while IO Partners recorded stable prime rates at EUR 18-19 and an increase in stock of 86,900 sq m over the year.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2308
