Telco 4iG’s One Hungary brand launched this month, combining Digi Hungary and Vodafone Hungary into a single, state-backed telco, after a government-subsidized shopping spree aimed at challenging Deutsche Telekom’s local subsidiary, Magyar Telekom. The new company One Hungary will offer fixed, mobile, and pay-TV services as part of
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) remains uneven, with significant variations between countries in the region, according to new data from the European Environment Agency (EEA). Adoption rates in CEE lag behind Western Europe: the Western Balkans, for example, has just 1,540 public EV charging
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he will prioritise security, defence and support for Ukraine while strengthening sanctions on Russia, at the launch event of his country’s presidency of the Council of the EU on 3 January, 2025. The gala began with a speech from Tusk, who outlined the
Austria could be set for snap elections after Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he will resign both as chancellor and the leader of the conservative People’s Party (OVP) “in the coming days”. He made the announcement on Friday, 3 January 2025, after the failure of lengthy negotiations with two other
Hungarian banking group OTP’s subsidiaries in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovenia were ranked as the best banks in their respective countries at the Bank of the Year 2024 Awards organised by The Banker magazine. The UK-based outlet, part of the Financial Times Group, said it chose the winning banks
Czechia’s RegioJet is the top-performing rail operator in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for cost and quality, according to the latest report of the European Federation for Transport and Environment, or Transport & Environment (T&E). In the report T&E, an umbrella organisation for green and
Polish government representatives outlined the key priorities for its six-month stint holding the presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January , at a press event at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw on Tuesday, 10 December. Unveiling the motto of its upcoming tenure “Security, Europe!”, Polish
Romania and Bulgaria are set to become full members of the Schengen Area on 1 January, a significant milestone in their integration into the borderless zone. This represents the destination of a journey that began in 2011 when the European Commission (EC) first adjudged both countries as ready to join,
Slovenia has announced an increase in border controls with Croatia and Hungary, citing national security and escalating concerns over irregular migration, particularly linked to developments in Syria, where the al-Assad regime was recently toppled after over 50 years of repressive rule. The new measures were put into place after discussions
Digital news consumption in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is transforming, driven by evolving audience habits, technology adoption, and growing mistrust in traditional media, according to Reuters Digital News Report 2024. Internet penetration and smartphone usage have enabled a rapid shift online, but challenges related to declining trust in news
Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are still navigating post-pandemic economic challenges amid newer geopolitical tensions, according to the Economic Outlook December 2024 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Inflationary pressures, labour shortages, and weakened demand from key European markets, most notably Germany, are affecting industrial
Austria’s economy has contracted for the sixth quarter in a row, and there has been an almost continuous decline in industrial turnover since March 2023, according to new data from Statistics Austria. Statistics Austria head of statistics Tobias Thomas painted a gloomy picture at the “Austrian Economic Barometer” presentation
A new report on the pros and cons of euro adoption from the Czech National Economic Council (NERV) warns that joining the eurozone would see Czechia lose control over interest rates and monetary policies, limiting its ability to address domestic economic issues. On the positive side, the report highlighted that
Romania’s Constitutional Court (CCR) annulled the country’s presidential election on Friday, 6 December after the emergence of evidence of Russian interference in the lead-up to the first-round vote late last month. Pro-Russian ultranationalist candidate and political newcomer Calin Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round of voting on 24
The Hungarian forint plummeted to a near-historic low against sterling on Monday morning, with a British pound buying HUF 501.5. For Hungary, heavily reliant on imports, the forint’s fall inflates the cost of goods. When coupled with high interest rates, this inflation creates a precarious economic environment. The