Lithuania steps up defence as ex-CIA chief cites Russian threat

“If Ukraine falls, Lithuania is next. That’s not speculative. It’s consistent with everything Putin has said and done,” Petraeus said.

CEE auto industry powers exports, stalls on e-mobility

While Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia continue to attract foreign capital, structural delays in electrification and infrastructure risk diminishing long-term value, according to the International Trade Centre (ITC) Trade Map.

Nawrocki elected Polish president, cementing power of veto for right-wing

The result will extend Law and Justice (PiS) party influence over the presidency and its continued obstruction of the "big tent" pro-EU governing Civic Coalition (KO) led by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

China deepens CEE links on agro, rail, as bilateral trade climbs 6.3%

China's trade with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) reached USD 142.3bn in 2024, marking a 6.3% year-on-year increase, surpassing China's overall foreign trade growth rate by 2.5 percentage points, according to China's General Administration of Customs. The total marked a 4.

CEE’s minimum wage surge spooks small business groups

Nominal minimum wages in Romania and Bulgaria have more than doubled in the last decade, with the sharpest growth before 2020. Czechia and Slovakia now apply EU-aligned benchmarks for annual adjustments.