Central European Times - Central European Times (Page 7)

Aerial sunny autumn fall view Markuciai Park, Vilnius, Lithuania

Lithuanian gov’t pulls plug on Vilnius Rail Baltica link

3 min read rail baltica, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Vilnius, Warsaw, Tallinn, Kaunas, Riga, Valdas Benkunskas, Eugenijus Sabutis, Adina Valean, Vivian Loonela, Rail Baltica Statyba, Arenijus Jackus, Atis Svinka, Kuldar Leis

The main RB corridor will connect Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas and Warsaw via a continuous standard-gauge line, ensuring uninterrupted north-south passenger and freight movement.

Bulgarians protest as EU okays eurozone entry

2 min read European Commission, European Central Bank, European Council, eurozone, Bulgaria, Zhelyazkov, Croatia

Petar Ganev, senior research fellow at Bulgaria’s Institute for Market Economics said “When you don’t trust the institutions in the country, it is much harder to make any transition … especially when it comes to joining the euro."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office

CEE diversifies on gas, as Merz decries Nord Stream 2 'mistake'

4 min read Merz, Tusk, Paluckas, Dan, Nord Stream II, Zelenskyy, Baltic Pipe, Baltics, TurkStream, Gazprom, Putin, REPowerEU, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation of BiH

In late May, Merz said Nord Stream 2 must stay closed to “weaken Moscow's war machine” and also declared that his government would “do everything” to prevent the pipeline from going online.ce

Leaders convene at the Vilnius Summit on 2 June 2025

CEE leaders push for more weapons, NATO spending, at Vilnius summit

2 min read Bucharest Nine, NATO, Rutte, Kallas, Nauseda, Duda, Zelenskyy, Rinkevics, Pellegrini, Dan

The summit reflected growing urgency in CEE ahead of the NATO meeting in The Hague scheduled from June 24-26. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the meeting in The Hague would demonstrate the alliance’s commitment to collective defence.c

Illustration of the geographical representations of Poland and Romania, being connected by a bridge

Polish investors step up Romania acquisitions

3 min read Maspex, Purcari, Rainbow Tours, Zabka, Prime Label, Grafoprint, Three Seas Initiative

Romania’s appeal for Polish investors includes its EU membership, consumer base, and steady economic growth, according to analysts.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik

Orbán receives Dodik, despite international warrant

1 min read

The meeting took place despite an active arrest warrant issued in March by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) state court, following Dodik’s February conviction for defying rulings by the international envoy overseeing the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement.

New MOL oil well in west Hungary ups domestic output

2 min read MOL, Hungary, Somogysamson, Szazhalombatta, Russia, Croatia, Janaf, Druzhba, Serbia, erste

The Som-8 well is Hungary’s first meaningful local oil addition since 2019. National demand averaged 167,000 bpd in 2024, while domestic crude output stood closer to 23,000 bpd, according to industry data.

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

3 min read David Petraeus, CIA, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, Lithuania, Germany, NATO, Belarus, Kaliningrad, Andris Spruds, Enhanced Forward Presence, PBS Group, czechia, Poland, EU

“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

3 min read Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, ev, auto, UN, WTO, Bevs, AFIR

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.

Karol Nawrocki and family in the Polish presidential election second round

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

3 min read Nawrocki, Trzaskowski, Poland, PiS, KO, Tusk, Duda, European Commission

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.

Building of the China's General Administration of Customs

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

3 min read China-CEEC Expo, China, CEE, CEEC, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Wine, Dairy, agriculture, grain, meat, logistics, Energy, Shen Yiqin, Belt and Road, AI, robotics, Aviation, Lithuania, czechia, Slovakia, Estonia, European Commission

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

2 min read Eurostat, Poland, North Macedonia, minimum wage, Romania, Bulgaria, czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, Portugal

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.

Estonian gov’t inks record deals for Rail Baltica construction

2 min read rail baltica, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Merko Ehitus, KMG Inseneriehituse, Connecting Europe, Kristen Michal, European Court of Auditors, Ernst & Young

Rail Baltica has faced repeated delays, cost inflation and uneven progress across national segments.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico

Hungary, Slovakia resist EU's energy, budget reforms amid growing east-west schism

2 min read Russia, Orban, von der Leyen, REPowerEU, Jourova, European Union, Centre for Research on Energy, Defence, Energy, EU, Hungary, Slovakia, Politics, V4 & Romania

Hungary and Slovakia have emerged as the most vocal opponents of two of the EU’s most consequential reform proposals: plans to phase out Russian energy imports and to overhaul the bloc’s long-term budget to prioritise defence, climate and digital transition. EU mulls ban of new Russian energy contracts

Centrist Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski celebrating victory

Centrist takes first round of Poland’s presidential election, to face nationalist in runoff vote

2 min read Duda, KO, Nawrocki, PiS, Trzaskowski, Tusk, EU, Poland, Politics, V4 & Romania

Centrist Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski narrowly won in the first round of Poland’s presidential election, setting up a closely contested runoff on 1 June. With 99.75% of votes counted, Trzaskowski, backed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist Civic Coalition (KO) secured 31.3% on 18 May