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
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban described 2025 as a “breakthrough year” when he set out his government’s agenda for the coming year in Budapest on Saturday, 22 February. In his annual “state of the nation” address, Orban referred to the returning US President Donald Trump as “our comrade in
As Bulgaria edges closer to the Eurozone, some 1,000 protestors gathered outside the National Bank headquarters waving banners and placards proclaiming “No to the euro” and “Yes to the Bulgarian lev” in a demonstration organised by the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane (Revival) Party on Saturday, 22 February. The demonstrators later proceeded
The centre-right People’s Party (OVP) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPO) are working behind closed doors on a coalition deal that would exclude the far-right, pro-Russia Freedom Party (FPO) from government, after the latter party failed to form a ruling coalition, party officials said on Thursday, 20 February. Austria’
One of the most disappointing characteristics of our 21st Century is that while we live in a high-tech world, billions are still struggling under cruel political systems. Our century has seen many attempts to dethrone dictators. Surprisingly few prevailed. One exception was Ukraine, which overthrew Russian influence in February 2014,
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on European leaders to increase their defence spending while maintaining close ties with the US, before an emergency summit of European leaders in Paris on Tuesday, 18 February. US President Donald Trump’s decision to attempt to negotiate a peace deal on Ukraine with
The Munich Security Conference ended on a cautiously positive note for EU candidate countries Albania and Montenegro on Sunday, 16 February. After a tumultuous 3 days, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos namechecked Albania and Montenegro as “front-runners” for EU accession during a roundtable discussion, adding that their negotiations could be
Greece is poised to become a key player in the EU’s efforts to secure critical raw materials (CRMs) due to its richness in minerals such as nickel and magnesium, making it a strategic asset for a Europe increasingly focused on supply chain autonomy. The Balkan country is already a
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stressed the necessity of European involvement in any peace talks involving Russia and Ukraine, at a meeting in Paris on 12 February, arguing that a fair deal with strong security guarantees is essential for lasting peace. Poland inks open letter with other major EU powers
Poland’s economy emerged as a regional standout in 2024, recording a GDP growth of 2.9%, significantly outpacing its Central and Eastern European (CEE) peers, according to an ING Bank analysis that cited Poland’s StatOffice. While other CEE economies fell short of expectations, Poland’s economic expansion was
German companies are considering ramping up investments in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with 55% expecting the region’s economic significance to grow in the next 5 years, according to the “German CEE Business Outlook 2025” report by auditor KPMG. The survey analysed the economic prospects and business strategies of
Leaders from Central and Eastern (CEE) countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were among the signatories of an invitation to ex-NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg to draw up a white paper on regional defence collaboration, ahead of the alliance’s summit scheduled in The Hague, the Netherlands, in June. Stoltenberg will
Kosovo’s parliamentary elections saw Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling centre-left Vetevendosje (self-determination) party win the most seats but fall short of a majority, on Sunday, 9 February. Kurti’s party garnered around 40% of the votes, down from 50% in 2021, exit polls suggested. He wrote on
The European Commission (EC) unveiled its flagship “Competitiveness Compass” initiative on 29 January, the first major project of its 2024-29 term. The initiative is designed to serve as a strategic roadmap to foster innovation in sectors such as AI, semiconductors, quantum tech and biotechnology in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)
Lufthansa Group acquired a 10% stake in Latvia’s airBaltic for EUR 14mn on January 29, pending antitrust approval. Europe’s largest airline group has long been interested in the Baltic region, and airBaltic, headquartered in Riga, Latvia, and flying to over 100 destinations across Europe, the Middle East and
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned on Tuesday, 28 January, becoming the latest politician from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) to fall victim to the wave of anti-government protests sweeping the country. Gov’t on brink after over a decade in power A canopy collapse after a botched reconstruction
The suspension of foreign aid by incoming US President Donald Trump on 24 January is causing major disruption in sectors including independent media and NGOs across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with many institutions now frantically seeking alternative funding sources. The US has traditionally played a key role in funding
The year in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has begun with large-scale protests across the region, including in Serbia, Slovakia, Greece and Montenegro, amid rising geopolitical tensions. While the triggers vary, the demonstrations have the common thread of addressing government incompetence and demanding improved transparency, reforms and alignment with European