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.

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, 800 Plus, 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.

Czech inflation second highest ever in 2023

1 min read Czech Republic, Economy, czechia, inflation

Czechia’s rate of inflation was 10.7% last year, down from 15.1% in 2022, but still representing the country’s second-highest annual inflation rate since the creation of the independent Czechia in 1993, according to data from the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO) published on Thursday 11 January. The

CEE insurance sector grows by over 10%

1 min read Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia, Central & Eastern Europe, czechia, Insurance, xprimm

The Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) insurance market reached a total of EUR 12.5bn by the end of the first quarter of 2023, a year-on-year rise of 10.2%. All CEE markets exhibited annual growth, led by Poland, with EUR 4.3bn gross written premium (GWP), followed by Czechia

Multi-billion deal sees Emirati operator acquire telco assets in four CEE countries

2 min read Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, czechia, e&, Telecommunications, UAE

Emirates Telecommunication Group Company (e&) will buy a 50% plus one share in PPF Group’s telecommunications assets in Bulgaria (mobile operator Yettel Bulgaria), Hungary (Yettel Hungary), Serbia (Yettel Serbia) and Slovakia (O2 Slovakia). The United Arab Emirates-based telco holding company, formerly Etisalat, will pay EUR 2.15bn upfront

Forint falls regionally, as CEE central bankers mull rate cuts

3 min read Czech Republic, Economy, Hungary, Poland, crown, czechia, forint, zloty

Unlike its regional peers, the forint weakened massively this week, as the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) continued to unwind the emergency measures around Europe’s most inflated currency, Hungarian business website Portfolio wrote. Against the euro and the dollar, the domestic currency suffered a significant devaluation, 1.8% against the

Orban, Fiala trade blows over future of EU, V4

7 min read Czech Republic, Economy, Hungary, czechia, Viktor Orban, Visegrad Four

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala dismissed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s claim over the weekend that Czechia has “changed sides” regarding the EU, emphasising the importance of regional cooperation, rather than “absurd stigmas”. Speaking at the 32nd Baile Tusnad “Summer University” Orban had said Czechia is now aligned with

Czech gov't unveils radical green energy plan

3 min read Czech Republic, czechia, green transition

Czechia is poised to start a massive construction of solar and wind power plants to secure cheap and ecological electricity supply, Environment Minister Petr Hladik (KDU-CSL) told members of the press on Thursday. “We have the resources for this: it is possible and realistic,” Hladik said, as he unveiled a

Czech govt unveils austerity package

4 min read Czech Republic, Economy, czechia, taxation

The Czech government announced “Czechia in Shape”, a new tax package to reduce the state budget deficit on Thursday 11 May. The package, designed to cut debt by CZK 94bn (EUR 4bn) in 2024 and CZK 150bn in 2025, includes a range of measures such as raising the pension age

Pavel wants Czechs to play key role in Western response to resurgent China

2 min read Czech Republic, Economy, China, czechia, European Commission, European Parliament, Metsola, Pavel

Czech President Petr Pavel called for a “joint and balanced” strategy between the US, Europe, and other democracies to address China’s growing economic and political power while avoiding divisive lines between them, on Friday 21st April. During a visit to Brussels, Pavel discussed EU-US-China relations with European Council President

Poland to supply Ukraine with fighter jets

2 min read Czech Republic, Economy, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, czechia, Duda, Pavel

Poland will send Ukraine four MiG-29 fighter jets in the coming days, with more to follow later, according to an announcement by Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday, 16 March. The move will make Poland the first NATO member country to fulfil the Ukrainian government’s increasingly urgent requests for

Poland oks Turow mine's permit till 2044

2 min read Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, coal, czechia, European Commission, Turow mine

Poland has extended the operational license of its highly-polluting Turow lignite mine by 22 years, the Czech Environment Ministry revealed on Wednesday. “According to our information, Poland has authorised the extension of mining until 2044, with a decision by its climate and environment minister from 17 February,” Czech Environment Ministry

Pavel not hopeful on Ukraine victory this year

2 min read Czech Republic, Estonia, Ukraine, czechia, NATO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the Western world to send more help when he opened the Munich Security Conference (MSC) from Kyiv on Friday. “We need speed,” Zelenskyy said. The MSC is the primary global platform for the exchange of ideas on security policy, assembling hundreds of heads-of-state, ministers, influential

Pavel calls for unity after landslide in Czech presidential elections

3 min read Czech Republic, Ukraine, Babis, czechia, elections, Pavel

Retired General Petr Pavel, a former senior NATO commander, won the Czech presidency in a record-breaking victory over former prime minister Andrej Babis on Saturday. In the head-to-head second round of voting, pro-EU Pavel received 58.3% of the ballots, to Babis’s 41.68%, the largest ever victory margin