A collection of 66 posts
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 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
In a new step in the cleaner transport transition, OMV Petrom has inaugurated Romania's largest electric vehicle (EV) hub with 34 charging points of up to 400kW on the A1 motorway near Miercurea Sibiului, central Romania. The site is located on the Rhine-Danube Corridor - one of Romania’
Hungary currently leads the world for share of solar energy in its energy mix, as it generated a quarter of its domestic electricity from photovoltaic panels in 2024. However, the recent massive blackout in Spain and Portugal served as a reminder of the challenges involved with high reliance on renewable
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has claimed victory in Albania’s parliamentary election on Sunday, 11 May, after exit polls showed his Socialist Party (PS) with a clear lead. The vote, which has been characterised as ballot on Albania’s commitment to EU accession, was marked by low turnout and
Czechia has halted imports of Russian crude oil delivered via the Druzhba pipelinefor the first time in 60 years, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced in mid-April. The milestone was enabled by the expansion of the Transalpine Pipeline (TAL), which connects the Italian port of Trieste to Austria and Germany,
Workers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) enjoy some of the lowest personal income tax rates in Europe, with Slovakia and Poland the outliers for individuals and families, according to a new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report. The OECD Taxing Wages 2025 report analysed tax data and
US President Donald Trump’s new raft of global tariffs threatens to hammer the export-driven economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with his 25% duty on foreign-made cars posing a direct risk to regional manufacturing. As highly integrated suppliers in Germany-led EU value chains, Slovakia, Hungary and Czechia are
Poland has launched a new national doctrine aimed at establishing the country as the dominant military and economic power in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the "Piast Doctrine" during a speech in Gniezno, central Poland. "Maybe today it is worth announcing
The Baltic states are stepping up their air, missile and drone defence capabilities, as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania invest in new systems to address growing security threats in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The acceleration of defence-related investments in the Baltic region comes amid heightened concerns about Russian military activity
Greece has announced plans to repay its first bailout loans a decade ahead of schedule, in a move that officials say underscores the country’s economic recovery and new fiscal credibility. The repayment strategy would see Greece pay off the remaining EUR 31bn of its initial EUR 53bn in bailout
The EU’s internal market is still falling short of its founding promise. Despite decades of integration, consumers across member states face uneven product quality and varied prices. This is due to regulatory fragmentation in two main forms: Territorial Supply Constraints and gold-plating. TSCs occur when suppliers block cross-border sourcing
Attendees from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) nations including Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Moldova and others discussed policy priorities at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in south west Turkey on 11-13 April. The forum's theme "Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World" set the tone for
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
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