Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic nominated political newcomer Duro Macut, a 62-year-old endocrinologist and university professor, to serve as the country’s next prime minister on Monday, 7 April. The nomination comes amid ongoing mass protests demanding political accountability for governmental scandals and infrastructure failures. Macut’s nomination was announced weeks
When Croatia, Albania and Kosovo recently formed a new military alliance, Serbia and Hungary followed suit, reshaping the security situation in South East Europe. Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Hungarian Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky earlier this month signed a bilateral military cooperation agreement in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
Stock markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) fell sharply after US President Donald Trump announced retaliatory tariffs on global imports on 2 April 2025, spooking the region's export-dependent economies and reviving fears of a wider economic slowdown. CEE Stock Market Weekly Performance to 7 April 2025 Most
The city of Krakow, south Poland, saw nearly 1,900 group layoffs in the first quarter of 2025, almost equalling the total for all of 2024, local media reported, citing official data. The dismissals, mostly affecting white-collar roles in finance, technology and business services, point to deeper structural changes in
Romania will hold fresh presidential elections on 4 May, after its Constitutional Court annulled November's vote, citing Russian interference. However, the decision to disqualify nationalist frontrunner Calin Georgescu has seemingly propelled far-right leader George Simion into a commanding position, fuelling concerns about the direction of Romanian democracy. Generational
Trying to figure out the rationale behind Trump’s “trade revolution”? Don’t bother, there isn’t one. It is rooted in delusion, yet the consequences are real, and already here for us all. What is coming has the potential to turn into a recession equal to the most destructive
Liberation Day is here. Trump has announced his tariffs targeting the US’s biggest trading partners, delivering one of the biggest blows to the global economy since the pandemic—and hitting the US especially hard. Likely countermeasures will target the heart of the US economy: its service sector - including
Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik announced that he had arrived in Moscow on Monday 31 March, after Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) prosecutors ordered an international arrest warrant for his alleged flouting of the BiH Constitution. BiH is facing its biggest political challenge in years, as Dodik escalates a legal
A total of three US soldiers were found dead while a fourth remains missing after their armoured recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog during a NATO training exercise near the Belarusian border in Lithuania on 25 March 2025. The incident occurred at the General Silvestras Zukauskas Training Area
The US and Russia are discussing the potential reopening of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, raising significant concerns across Europe, according to media reports. The natural gas pipeline, which runs beneath the Baltic Sea, aimed to double Russian gas exports to Germany. However, it has remained inactive since its
Startups in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are growing faster than in Western Europe and the CEE startup ecosystem is now worth EUR 243bn, according to the CEE Startups 2025 report. While funding and valuations have surged in recent years, structural challenges remain, including geographic fragmentation, uneven investor coverage, and
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is set for stronger economic growth in 2025, with GDP expected to expand by 2.6%, according to a report by Erste Group. The forecast marks an improvement from previous years, driven by higher consumer spending, increased investment, and inflows of EU funds. Poland boosted
As political landscapes shift across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), governments are recalibrating their approaches to Ukraine, European security, and internal governance. The region remains split between pro-European integration and nationalist, often pro-Kremlin, forces: Czechia and Poland reinforce their commitments to Ukraine, while Hungary and Slovakia align with Moscow. Meanwhile,
Crowds flooded the streets of the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Saturday, 15 March, in the largest demonstration of the recent anger towards the government to date, and possibly the biggest protest in the Balkan country’s history. The students leading the protests are demanding government accountability regarding the collapse
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is set to play a key role in the EU’s push to establish itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence under the new funding initiative Invest AI. European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen announced the plan at the AI Action Summit
Poland is rapidly emerging as a key hub for technological innovation and investment in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), attracting major commitments from global tech companies such as Microsoft and Google. Microsoft has announced an investment of nearly PLN 3bn (around USD 700mn) to strengthen Poland’s cybersecurity infrastructure and
Poland is set to purchase an additional 180 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks for approximately USD 6.2bn (EUR 5.7bn), South Korean government officials announced on 9 March. The proposed agreement could be finalised as soon as next month and follows Poland’s earlier USD 12.4bn deal
Moldova and North Macedonia have been approved to join the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), marking a significant step in their integration with European financial systems. The countries will become operational members on October 5, after becoming compliant with SEPA regulations from April, the European Payments Council (EPC) announced on
Romanian authorities are investigating far-right, pro-Russian politician Calin Georgescu over allegations of working against the constitutional order, spreading misinformation and supporting extremist organisations. The probe follows the annulment of the 2024 presidential election in which Georgescu secured the most votes in the first round. The vote was invalidated over concerns
Austria’s centre-right People’s Party (OVP), centre-left Social Democrats (SPO) and centrist, liberal NEOs have now finalised a coalition pact after a five-month political impasse and two rounds of failed negotiations. Members of the NEOs voted 94% in favour of a coalition deal on Sunday, 2 March, clearing the
Republika Srpska (RS) president Milorad Dodik is once again at the centre of political turmoil in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) after being sentenced to a one-year prison term. The Serb nationalist politician was convicted by a court of first instance for failing to implement decisions made by the Office of
Except for wartorn Ukraine, Slovakia has the most red tape in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), according to the latest Bureaucracy Index, an annual report by the Institute of Economic and Social Studies (INESS). The Bureaucracy Index measures the time and resources businesses must dedicate to compliance with government regulations.
The dramatic breakdown of relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance on Friday, 28 February, is prompting Central and Eastern European (CEE) nations to urgently reassess regional defence strategies. The meeting, streamed from the Oval Office, was ostensibly held to formalise
US President Donald Trump underscored this week that he intends to impose 25% tariffs on EU imports, reinforcing his claim that the bloc enjoys unfair advantages in transatlantic trade. Trump even went on to say the EU was created “to screw the United States”. Trump may be correct that the
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on European leaders to step up their efforts towards peace in Ukraine during a string of high-level phone calls on Friday, 21 February, including several with premiers of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries. Zelenskyy stressed that Europe must act more decisively, in a televised