News
S&P raises Bosnia’s outlook for the first time since 2012
Bosnia’s rating could be raised in the next 12 months if a lasting government is formed and structural reforms are launched — but medium term growth hinges on Sarajevo unfreezing the country's IMF deal.
Primark picks Slovenia for first CEE store opening
Fast fashion giant has also lined up retail space in Poland and the Czech Republic as it embarks on eastward expansion.
EPP leader Weber says differences remain after talks with Viktor Orban
Talks in Budapest just a week before EPP parties are due to vote on whether expel Hungary's ruling right-wing Fidesz from its ranks.
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Bogeymen: Recession-hit Erdogan makes feisty attack on Turkey’s shadowy foreign ‘economic enemies’
Under pre-election pressure to explain how his country’s fortunes have sunk, strongman talks of “attacks in the dragon’s triangle of foreign currency, interest and inflation rates”.
Western-backed NABU anti-graft agency caught up in Ukraine defence corruption scandal
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has found out itself front and centre of the ongoing corruption scandal over alleged illegal profit of associates of President Petro Poroshenko from the war in Donbas.
Turkey’s Garanti Bankasi secures $150mn of 5-year financing
Funds secured by future flow transaction under international borrowing plan. Fitch assigns Garanti Diversified Payment Rights Finance Company's notes BBB-/Negative.
Estonia’s Centre Party extends coalition offer to nationalists
In bid to retain power after coming second in Estonia's general election, Centre Party extends coalition offer to far-right Eurosceptic party it promised to isolate.
Russia moves to auction half of crab fishing quotas
Russia intends to auction off 50% of crab fishing quotas instead of assigning the quotas to market players in proportion to the catch as in previous years
S&P Global upgrades IIB's long-term rating to A- with a stable outlook
International Investment Bank receives its fifth positive rating action from leading international rating agencies since the beginning of 2018.
Manafort sentenced to 47 months in prison for hiding $55mn in Ukraine payments
Paul Manafort, who headed Donald Trump's presidential campaign for two months in 2016, was jailed on March 8 for hiding from US tax authorities $55mn in payments he received from Ukrainian politicians for consulting work.
Fallen star: First recession in Turkey for a decade
Confirmation will for many make end-of-month local elections a referendum on Erdogan administration. But government officials insist a V-shaped recovery is possible from here.
Bulgaria to pick strategic investor for Belene nuclear project
Several international investors interested in revived project to build Bulgaria's second nuclear power station.
Ukrainian comic and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy outlines his policies
Ukrainian comic and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with representatives of the international media on March 4 and sketched out some of his proposed policies should he win the upcoming Ukrainian presidential elections on March 31.
European People's Party group leader Weber proposes talks with Orban
Orban’s right-wing nationalist party risks being kicked out of the European People’s Party,after launching a scathing campaign against European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Markets nervous as S-400 row between Turkey, US enters crucial stage
Washington may be trying to step up pressure while Erdogan is vulnerable during runup to end-of-month local elections.
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North Macedonia’s ex-secret police chief sentenced to 3 years in prison for election fraud
Cousin of Macedonia's fugitive ex-PM sentenced in local election fraud case, dubbed Titanik 2.
ALACO DISPATCHES: Europe’s bid to salvage Iran nuclear deal under threat
A new trading channel circumventing US sanctions may falter over some Iranian lawmakers’ reluctance to adopt international financial regulations.
Transparency International ranks corruption in 100 Ukrainian cities
The NGO found the level of corruption has risen from the year before, and the leaders have changed.
Russia’s MTS pays $850mn fine for bribing Uzbekistan’s Gulnara Karimova
Russia’s leading mobile phone company Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has agreed to pay a $850mn fine to the US Department of Justice to settle a case connected to bribes it paid to Gulnara Karimova, daughter of Uzbekistan's former president.
European Parliament backs former head of Romanian antigraft agency for European chief prosecutor role
Laura Kovesi was ousted last year from the DNA, which had aggressively investigated top level corruption in Romania.