A collection of 27 posts
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
Lithuania’s new Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas plans to increase the country’s defence spending to 3.5% of GDP in response to security concerns, he announced as he took office on Thursday, 21 November. MPs in the Baltic country’s parliament, the Seimas, confirmed Paluckas, 45, as the country’
The European Commission (EC) analyses the accession prospects of all ten prospective members of the EU in a new set of reports on how the countries measure up to the criteria for governance, judicial independence and democratic standards required to join the bloc. The EC publishes an annual detailing of
Moldovan President Maia Sandu defeated her pro-Russian rival Alexandr Stoianoglo by around 55% to 45% in the presidential second-round vote on Sunday, 3 November. While Stoianoglo was ahead in rural areas, the south, and the breakaway republic of Transnistria, pro-EU Sandu took Chisinau and other cities and was also the
The EU requires an in-depth exploration of its security needs, focusing on digital resilience, cyber threats, and countering disinformation, according to a recent report by Globsec entitled “Towards a Secure Europe: Turning EU Security into Tangible Reality”. The Bratislava-based think tank adds that addressing these challenges is especially critical for
The sixth China and Central and Eastern European Countries Local Leaders’ Meeting concluded on 16 October with a firm commitment between the Asian country and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) officials to deepening strategic cooperation across sectors such as trade, agriculture, and technology. The two-day summit, held in Yantai, Shandong
In a knife-edge referendum that laid bare Moldova’s internal divisions and heightened geopolitical tensions, the country’s voters backed constitutional changes aimed at securing EU membership on Sunday, 20 October, with 50.46% voting in favour and 49.54% against. On the morning of the vote, Moldovan President Maia
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is catching up with Western Europe for e-commerce, but unique regional challenges and opportunities are shaping its growth trajectory, according to the European e-Commerce Report 2024. Central Europe Many CEE countries still experience uneven digital development, as compared to Western Europe where higher internet penetration
A total of 59 companies have been awarded non-reimbursable funding totalling some MDL 25mn (EUR 1.3mn) as part of a MDL 544mn (EUR 28.29mn) EU-led stimulation initiative. Since the beginning of the year, the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (OED) has already facilitated grants of over MDL 144mn to
Hungary is rushing to safeguard its energy security following Ukraine’s sanctions on Russian oil company Lukoil, and is in active discussions to guarantee alternative supply routes, according to the country’s top diplomat. Szijjarto concerned over energy supplies Despite protests from Budapest and Bratislava, the European Commission (EC) has
The expansion and modernisation of the NATO air base in Constanta, south-east Romania, symbolises the country’s growing strategic importance to NATO and the US, regional expert Ronald H. Linden writes in an article entitled “Romania is America’s new indispensable ally in Eastern Europe” in US politics daily The
Only 6% of Ukrainian diesel imports come from Hungary, the head of Hungarian energy giant MOL said at a conference on Saturday, 29 July. MOL CEO Zsolt Hernadi was responding to a recent article by Netherlands daily Handelsblatt, which said MOL’s oil deliveries to Ukraine have doubled in the