Features
Kyrgyzstan: President prescribes poison root for COVID-19
The health minister then drank the concoction at a press conference.
Geopolitics makes the Russian ruble rate highly volatile
The Russian ruble has been through some wild swings this year as it has almost completely decoupled from the price of oil and is almost entirely dependent on the ebbs and flows of geopolitical tension.
The new no 1 in Romania’s private medical sector
Regina Maria overtook rival MedLife to become the biggest player in the Romanian private medical services market. Private equity backer Mid Europa Partners plans to build it up further.
Bulgaria’s new sheriff in town
Slavi Trifonov is the favourite to become Bulgaria’s next prime minister while Boyko Borissov is consigned to the dustbin of history. But are the two politicians so different?
Next steps for Romania’s Fondul Proprietatea
It’s ten years since Fondul Proprietatea listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. bne IntelliNews looks at what’s next, including the upcoming IPO of its largest portfolio company, Hidroelectrica.
Nakhchivan rail plans promise to rewire Caucasus connections
Iran stands to be one of the winners of the new regional transportation map.
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Hungarian millionaire’s persecution shows reality of 'rule of law' in Viktor Orban’s Hungary
Fertiliser magnate suffers 17 inspections in two years after clashing with Fidesz oligarchs and ending football club donations.
COVID cabin fever creates a middle class Balkan jetset
With most of Europe under lockdown, holidaymakers from the Western Balkans are jetting off to exotic long haul destinations.
Russia gets ready for green power and problems from costing carbon
A string of massive environmental disasters in 2020 and the increasing awareness that Russia’s permafrost is melting have put the climate crisis on Russia’s table and the Kremlin is responding.
This former Russian deputy minister is now worth $10bn after NASDAQ IPO
A new Russian techbillionaire emerged last week on the NASDAQ with the SPAC-enabled IPO of Arrival, a company touted as a game-changer in the electric car industry.
IKEA’s New Europe Empire
Getting an IKEA store is a good guide to how developed a country is. And the Swedish furniture store has an uncanny knack for opening their yellow and blue stores exactly at the beginning of a country's rapid growth phase.
Air Bank poised to fly to top of Czech banking
Merger with Moneta Money Bank still going ahead, says CEO of digital bank, despite death of owner Petr Kellner.
China’s water use threatens Kazakhstan’s other big lake
Climate change, farming and a lack of cooperation risk another Aral Sea disaster.
Borissov fights to hold on to power in Bulgarian election
He’s been touring the country in an attempt to shore up fading ratings, but PM Boyko Borissov will struggle to put together a new coalition after Sunday’s general election.
Turkmenistan: Rotten tomatoes review
The president gets another title, ignores soaring food prices, starts a charity, and pens a ditty to his favourite city. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.
Russia's taste for Irish whiskey explodes
Russia is now Irish whiskey's second biggest market after the US as wealthier consumers shift away from vodka.
OBITUARY: Petr Kellner, Central Europe's great dealmaker
Czech billionaire financier dies in helicopter crash, raising questions over the future of his diversified PPF Group.
LONG READ: Who is Sergei Pugachev, the oligarch that accused Abramovich of buying Chelsea on Putin's orders?
Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich filed a defamation lawsuit against the HarperCollins publishing company and the author of “Putin’s People”, Catherine Belton, for claiming that he had bought the Chelsea football club on Putin's direct orders.
RAEX-Europe: First ESG ranking of Russian iron and steel companies
The first ESG ranking of Russian iron and steel companies showcases fairly high results in terms of the quality of corporate governance, while the average scores for social and environmental factors are noticeably lower.
Ukraine poised for take off
When will Ukraine’s economy reach critical mass and start the virtuous circle of profits, investment, rising wages and ballooning consumption? Ukraine still has its catch-up growth ahead of it, and when it starts it will boom.
