A collection of 105 posts
The citizens of EU’s richest and most populous country go to the polls on September 26, and no foreign election is as important to Central Europeans as Germany’s. With Chancellor Angela Merkel set to stand down as leader of the bloc’s economic engine after 16 years, the
The contentious Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline will commence gas transits from Russia to Europe next month, according to the Russian state-owned Gazprom. This massive infrastructure development will not only impact European energy supplies, but could also have geopolitical effects. After years of debate and delay, the final sections
This summer six Western Balkan countries abolished mobile phone roaming charges, in what is seen as a positive step towards the eventual expansion of the European Union. Since July 1, roaming citizens of the south-east European region have been able to call text and surf online for the same fees
President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen called on Europe to be “bold again” as she addressed climate change, pan-continental security and digital issues in her annual State of the European Union speech on Wednesday. Von der Leyen urged China to be more transparent regarding its carbon
By the end of August, EU member Croatia and two of its Southern neighbors down the Adriatic coast, Montenegro and Albania, had happily concluded what was an excellent tourist season for those countries so far this year. Revenues from tourism are giving a significant boost to their economies, much needed
If not partly or fully owned by the state, like utility and oil companies, the largest companies in the Visegrad 4 (“V4”) countries – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – are mostly foreign-owned and typically operate in the automotive, retail and electronics sectors. They are highly productive and prosperous, driving their
Bulgaria will hold both presidential and snap general elections in November amidst political polarization and uncertainty that are stalling badly needed recovery aid from the European Union. On Thursday, the country’s parliament voted 152-0 with 25 abstentions to schedule the presidential vote on November 14. President Rumen Radev is
“Why risk a good relationship with the US and elicit yet another conflict with Brussels?” one might ask when pondering a bill, called “Lex TVN,” recently submitted to Poland’s parliament. One likely answer is that the Polish ruling party wants to secure its victory in the country’s next
Small, export-oriented countries may lose out to larger economies if a “minimum tax” proposal from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) remains unchanged. The proposal, backed by some 130 countries, would introduce a 15% minimum corporate tax globally to end the current “tax race to the bottom,” a
Bulgaria, the poorest EU member state, is sliding into political chaos, throwing its ability to tap into badly needed EU economic recovery aid into question. Currently run by a caretaker cabinet with limited powers, appointed by president Rumen Radev, the country is on the brink of calling a third general
Two countries in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), Bulgaria and Croatia, are on track to introduce the European common currency. In Sofia, politicians on both the left and right endorse the euro despite the looming government crisis, while Zagreb has even decided on its national symbols to be portrayed on
If you’re traveling to Dubrovnik, Croatia’s southern Adriatic resort town, you no longer need to transit through Bosnia and Hercegovina: the two parts of Croatian territory are now united by a spectacular, 2.5 kilometer-long bridge, linking the mainland with the Peljesac peninsula. For the first time in
Are you planning your summer holidays in Central & Eastern Europe? If you’ll take your rest and relaxation at a beach in the region, we invite you to check the quality of the bathing water you’re planning on dipping into, whether it’s a lake or at the
Latvia, a country with less than 2 million people, already has low CO2 emissions (half the OECD average), but they still see room for improvement: last September Latvia’s government pledged its support to the European Climate law, cementing its commitment to more rigorous decarbonization. Latvia will achieve a low-carbon
EC Justice Commissioner: Hungary’s Recovery Funds Frozen July 20, 2021 < 1min read There are systemic problems with the rule of law in Hungary, so the European Commission is use its legal toolkit – including the freezing of EU funds for the country – in defence of democracy – according to Didier