Central Europe / News
Hungarian finance minister suggests raising bank levy to cover rising budget deficit
Central bank governor clashes with finance minister over who bears responsibility for the EU’s highest inflation.
Hungary indicates it will continue to block Sweden’s Nato ratification
Ruling Fidesz faction leader now uses "defamatory" film by Sweden’s public television as excuse for delaying Sweden's accession to Nato.
Slovakia, Romania and Poland move to settle grain dispute with Ukraine
Slovakia's and Romania’s farming ministers have agreed with Kyiv on a licensing system for trading in grains.
Poland says no plans for further weapons deliveries to Ukraine as grain row deepens
Poland has been one of Ukraine's closest allies against Russia's aggression, but relations have soured over Ukrainian grain imports, which Poland says are hurting its farmers.
Poland bans import of Ukrainian grain after EU-wide embargo expires
Ukraine has vowed to pursue legal action at the World Trade Organisation if any EU member states institute their own embargoes.
Hungary faces steep demographic decline in coming decades
Population will decline below 9mn by 2043 from 9.63mn today and 10.7mn in 1980.
EU’s crisis funds depleted by climate-related chaos
With a 400% increase in requests for emergency aid over the past two years, Commissioner for Crisis Management Lenarcic argued the EU's disaster response budget is insufficient.
Poland gives EU “ultimatum” on Ukrainian grain imports
Kyiv has said that it will take legal action against those EU member states that impose national bans against EU-wide trade rules.
Sending Soviet tanks into Hungary and Czechoslovakia was a mistake, says Putin
"It is not right to do anything in foreign policy that harms the interests of other peoples," says Russian dictator who has fought a vicious war against Ukraine that is already being investigated for war crimes.
Czech companies urge PM to ensure equal rights to LGBT+ people
Marriage for all legislation made it to the second reading in the parliament in June for the first time in Czechia’s history.
Czech oil imports from Russia rose to a decade high in 1H23
Share of Russian crude oil imports into Czechia is the highest since 2012 at 65%.
New poll indicates Polish opposition could edge out PiS in new parliament
Combined results of three opposition parties ranging from left to centre-right could give them the smallest possible majority of 231 seats.
Southeast Europe leaders pledge to speed up EU integration process
Leaders of Slovenia, Croatia and the six Western Balkans countries will commit to reforms to improve the prospects for the Western Balkan states to join the EU by 2030.
Skoda Auto halts production at Czech site after floods in Slovenia
Flood damages to KLS Ljubno in Slovenia have already led to the halting of production at Volkswagen’s plant in Portugal.
Polish power giant PGE’s stock price falls nearly 11% after U-turn on climate ambitions
The now-ditched strategy provoked political controversy, as the still-powerful Polish mining lobby saw it as laying the groundwork for accelerating the energy transformation away from coal.
Poland’s central bank shocks market with a 75bp rate cut despite 10% inflation
Market reacted strongly to the scale of the easing, pushing the zloty down by almost 2% against the euro and the US dollar.
Slovenia to tax banks to pay for flood reconstruction
Slovenia needs at least €5bn to pay for recovery and rebuilding after the worst floods in decades killed six people and caused massive damage to homes and businesses.
Putin slams door shut on any quick revival of Black Sea grain deal
Meeting with Turkish counterpart Erdogan produces no tangible sign that Moscow is preparing to budge on allowing Ukrainian ships safe passage.
Volkswagen cuts Wolfsburg plant hours due as Slovenia floods cause parts shortage
Floods in Slovenia, a major auto parts producer, are disrupting Europe's automotive supply chains.
_1693841350.jpeg)
Latvian exports of sanctioned goods soar to Russia's neighbours
In mechanical and electrical equipment, where Latvian exports to Russia fell by a quarter last year, growth in Kazakhstan, KyrgyzstanArmenia was between five and 12 times.