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CEE Morning Briefing: Czech Politics, Polish April Industrial Output in Focus
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Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas is due to talk Tuesday at a conference on the future of the country's social security system. He is expected to try to persuade people to give up their reliance on the over-burdened state-run pension system.
Russia Posts Bleak Growth
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Russia’s economic growth beat the country’s economy ministry expectations in the first quarter, but remains driven mainly by consumption and doesn't look like a harbinger of recovery.
CEE Morning Briefing: Bulgarian Politics, Polish Job Openings, IMF Czech Report
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Polish employment and wage readings, Bulgarian politics, and a report by the International Monetary Fund on the Czech economy will be in focus Monday.
Anti-Gay Sentiment Rises in Russia
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Almost half of Russians think gays and lesbians shouldn’t enjoy the same rights as heterosexual citizens of their country, a poll published Friday showed, also indicating the negative sentiment toward sexual minorities is on the rise.
No German Tanks Please, Hungarian Premier Says
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Hungary's Premier Viktor Orban detested a play of words by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday by saying Hungary wants no German cavalry to be sent to Hungary.
CEE Morning Briefing: Hungarian Debt Level
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The outlook for Hungary's sovereign borrowing needs comes into focus on Friday.
Hungary’s Unexpected Growth Won’t Stop Rate Cuts
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Hungary's sharply falling consumer price inflation and stronger-than-expected first-quarter economic growth won't discourage the central bank from cutting interest rates, the bank’s top executives said Thursday.
Poland and Hungary Cut Debt Costs at Bond Auction
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Poland and Hungary took advantage of favorable bond market conditions Thursday to raise funds through a debt auction more cheaply than at other recent debt sales.
Hungary Considers Do-It-Yourself Funerals
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Fighting to reduce the cost of living, the Hungarian government may make dying a bit cheaper, too.
Russian Oligarch Vouches for Banker Suspected of Bribery
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Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov gave his support Thursday to the chief executive of Societe Generale’s Russian unit, detained Wednesday by police, who allege that he took a bribe.
Central Europe Economies Post Mixed First Quarter
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Mixed economic data from a cluster of four neighboring Central European countries has added weight to mounting claims by politicians that austerity isn't the best way for Europe to climb out of its current crisis.
EU Approves Rescue Aid for LOT Polish Airlines
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The European Commission approved a rescue loan of about $127 million the Polish government gave late last year to LOT Polish Airlines to save it from bankruptcy.
Poland’s Economy Slows Sharply
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Poland's economy slowed to near-stagnation levels in the first three months of this year, the worst performance in years, bolstering the case for more monetary easing.
OSCE Says Bulgaria’s Election Passes Test, Despite Some Violations
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Bulgaria’s election was declared legitimate by an international security organization that said the vote had respected the fundamental freedoms of the country's citizens despite being marred by a wire-tapping scandal and a flood of questionable...
Turkey Sits Proud at EBRD Meeting
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Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the annual meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on Friday with a simple yet familiar message for states of emerging Europe, Eurasia and North Africa: try to be more...
Hungary Threatens to Raise Controversial Taxes Further
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Hungary sent a thinly veiled warning to the European Union that it's ready to increase special taxes for large, mostly foreign-owned firms further if the European Union says the relatively small and temporary freeze on spending approved Friday won't...
CEE Morning Briefing: Czech CPI, Hungarian Trade in Focus
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Czech inflation and Hungarian trade data, as well as Polish corporate earnings, dominate the news agenda Friday.
Roma Project Raises Awareness of Budapest’s Gypsies, in a Delicious Way
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Tasty smells attract passers-by in a developing area of Budapest’s ninth district in a hall that turned into a place tonight for cultures to advance mutual understanding and fight prejudice.
Hungary’s Parliament Told to Reconsider Bill
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Hungary's president sent back to parliament a controversial bill hastily adopted to limit public access to information just as the government was redrafting the country’s tobacco market.
Polish Central Bank Cuts Main Rate to Record Low
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Poland's central bank cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage point Wednesday, defying market expectations as economic growth and inflation continue to decelerate.
