International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has stripped Belarus of the right to hold the World Championship this year
Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny arrested on arrival as he returns home
LONG READ: The oligarch problem
COVID-19 and Trump’s indifference helped human rights abusers in 2020
Russian opposition activist Navalny calls for supporters to take to the streets this weekend
One of Russia’s biggest wood product companies, Segezha could be Sistema’s next IPO
New Ukrainian VC firm QPDigital aims to invest up to $100 million in digital startups
EBRD investments reach record €11bn in pandemic-struck 2020
OUTLOOK 2021 Lithuania
EBRD says loan to Estonia’s controversial Porto Franco project was never disbursed
Estonian premier quits after Tallinn development scandal
Czech Pirates and Mayors approve final coalition agreement for 2021 elections
OUTLOOK 2021 Czechia
BRICKS & MORTAR: Rosier future beckons for CEE retailers after year of change and disruption
OUTLOOK 2021 Hungary
Hungarian government remains silent after Capitol riots
World Bank expects modest recovery for Europe and Central Asia in 2021
OUTLOOK 2021 Slovakia
FDI inflows to CEE down 58% in 1H20 but rebound expected
Slovakia to invest €1.2bn in digitisation
Corona-induced slump in global clothing sector dragged down Albania’s 2020 exports
BALKAN BLOG: The controversial recipe for building up Albania
Heavy flooding causes chaos in parts of Southeast Europe
Vodafone Albania plans €100mn infrastructure investments after AbCom merger
Turnover rose on Bosnia's two stock exchanges in 2020 while prices fell
Storming parliaments: New Europe's greatest hits
Kyiv accuses Bosnian President Dodik of lying about icon gifted to Russian foreign minister
Bulgaria’s government considers gradual easing of COVID-related restrictions
Sofia-based LAUNCHub Ventures holds first close of new fund on €44mn
ING THINK: Growth in the Balkans: from zero to hero again?
Labour demand down 28% y/y in Croatia in 2020
Zagreb Stock Exchange's Crobex10 index at highest level since March 5
OUTLOOK 2021 Kosovo
Arrera Automobili aims to launch Albania’s first supercar
OUTLOOK 2021 Moldova
World Bank revises projection for Moldova’s 2020 GDP decline to 7.2%
Moldova’s PM resigns to prepare the ground for early elections
Montenegrins say state administration is most corrupt institution
75% of Montenegrins want EU membership
Montenegro’s new ruling coalition carves up top state jobs
North Macedonia's manufacturing confidence indicator down by 8.5 pp y/y in December
OUTLOOK 2021 North Macedonia
Transparency International warns of high corruption risk in CEE defence sectors
OUTLOOK 2021 Romania
Romania’s central bank cuts monetary policy rate by 25bp to 1.25%
Romanian construction companies' activity slows in November after intense 2020
OUTLOOK 2021 Serbia
Slovenia’s opposition files no-confidence motion against Jansa cabinet
Slovenia’s government to release funds to news agency STA after EU pressure
UK Moneyhub picks Slovenia for post-Brexit European base
Slovenia’s dire COVID-19 situation in 4Q20 caused second economic dip
Turkcell denies any affiliation with $1.6bn loan in default extended by Ziraat Bank to Virgin Islands company
BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Let’s tentatively pencil in a date for Turkey’s hot money outflow
Armenia ‘to extend life of its 1970s Metsamor nuclear power plant after 2026’
OUTLOOK 2021 Armenia
COMMENT: Record high debt levels will slow post-coronavirus recovery, threaten some countries' financial stability, says IIF
Armenia’s PM cautions conflict with Azerbaijan “still not settled” after trilateral meeting with Putin
OUTLOOK 2021 Georgia
Georgia’s political kingpin Bidzina Ivanishvili quits politics
Modern-day “Robin Hood” inspires Georgians drowning in debt
Durov rejects Western funds’ offer to buy 5%-10% of Telegram with $30bn valuation
Iran’s navy conducts missile drill while analyst argues Trump even capable of nuclear strike in final days
TEHRAN BLOG: Who’s more credible? Johnson backing Trump’s Nobel chances or Iran applauding arrest warrant for US president?
Central Asia vaccination plans underwhelm, but governments look unruffled
Fears of authoritarianism as Kyrgyz populist wins landslide and backing for ‘Khanstitution’
OUTLOOK 2021 Kyrgyzstan
Mongolia's winter dzud set to be one of most extreme on record says Red Cross
Mongolian coal exports to China paralysed as Beijing demands virus testing of truck drivers
Mongolia fears economic damage as country faces up to its first local transmissions of coronavirus
Mongolia in lockdown after suffering first local coronavirus transmissions
OUTLOOK 2021 Tajikistan
China business briefing: Not happy with Kyrgyzstan
OUTLOOK 2021 Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan: How the Grinch stole New Year
Turkmenistan: The dammed united
COMMENT: Uzbekistan is being transformed, but where are the democratic reforms?
OUTLOOK 2021 Uzbekistan
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After two years of increased political and economic instability, Moldova has the chance to return to the reform path.
Romania needs credible, farsighted and agile governance to address urgent vulnerabilities and capture the opportunities created by the European Union’s reconstruction plans.
Andrew Meier had a good joke about the problems post-Soviet countries face with their oligarchs: "What is to be done with those who are to blame."
Small nation enters new year battered and bruised by the pandemic and defeat in the autumn war with Azerbaijan. A modest economic rebound is within reach should the peace hold.
Segezha is Russia's biggest pulp and paper company. Owned by multi-industry conglomerate Sistema, the company could be the next up in the groups string of IPOs
2020 was a bad year for human rights around the world, but the US’ upcoming Biden presidency is an opportunity for change, says Human Rights Watch.
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan are taking triumphalist stances on coronavirus.
Lithuania's economic contraction in 2020 was among the smallest in Europe, but its recovery will be slower than in the other Baltic states in 2021.
Serbia weathered the coronacrisis better than the rest of the Southeast Europe region, and no major political surprises are expected in the inter-election year of 2021.
Ivanishvili says he’s quit politics, Saakashvili has suffered a failed comeback, might new faces prove dominant on a political scene riven by the opposition’s boycott of parliament? The tourism-hooked economy remains destabilised by the pandemic.
A very challenging year lies ahead of North Macedonia following the Bulgarian veto on the launch of the country’s EU accession talks.
Igor Matovic's government faces a backlash over its handling over the pandemic as opposition parties try to force early elections.
Support for Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s ANO party has slipped and the opposition is uniting ahead of what looks to be close elections in October.
Emomali Rahmon has ‘won’ yet another term. What else hasn’t changed? Central Asia’s poorest nation is still pouring money into building the giant Rogun dam. Energy export is one way to ease fiscal woes. But a latest worry is failing rains.
No surprise as ruling party Nur Otan wins landslide. All parties on ballot paper were pro-government. Despite the modest resistance, security forces take no chances.
Political turmoil to continue as Bulgaria prepares to hold general election in March amid economic contraction and deep distrust of political institutions.
The country has one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios in Europe, a situation exacerbated by the pandemic.
Ordinary people in the country are said to have fallen into a state of Dickensian misery but the president can still find the wherewithal for a giant golden statue of a dog. Plans for equitable economic development are going nowhere fast.
Bold new political experiment adds uncertainty as Montenegro struggles to use its limited resources to overcome recession and restore growth.
Estonia’s vibrant tech sector helped it weather the pandemic, and activity has already picked up in manufacturing and in ICT services, while entertainment and tourism remain in the doldrums.
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