News
Zelenskiy meets Macron as Russia engages in a diplomatic dance over a possible Biden-Putin summit
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to restart the four way talks under the Normandy Format during a trip to Paris to meet with his French counterpart President Emmanuel Macron
M&A hits €8.5bn in CEE in Q1, says Mergermarket
Trend towards bigger deals and more fund investment continues, as deal value rises by half to give best Q1 since 2013.
UEFA´s 'unfair' punishment of Czech football player raises furore among fans and politicians
Row demonstrates the wide gulf that exists between attitudes towards racist behaviour in Western Europe compared to the newer CEE member states.
Bulgaria’s Gerb to nominate Daniel Mitov for next PM amid lack of coalition partners
Boyko Borissov, the leader of the Gerb party, will nominate Daniel Mitov, former foreign affairs minister, as Bulgaria's prime minister, assuming a coalition led by Gerb can be formed.
Poland’s government-controlled top court tells independent ombudsman to go
Holder of one of last remaining independent state institutions set to be replaced by government appointee as parliament cannot agree on a replacement.
wiiw raises 2021 CEE growth forecast to 3.8%
But pandemic has delayed restart of convergence with Western Europe until 2023.
Turkey’s key rate held but central bank language ‘indicates premature easing is ahead’
Regulator says “domestic activity is strong” but Capital responds: “Our own reading is that the economy is starting to slow more abruptly.”
US slaps new sanctions on Russia, including debt bans
The administration of US President Joe Biden on April 15 released details of long expected new sanctions against Russia, including a ban on US investors buying newly issued Russian ruble bonds that will infuriate the Kremlin.
Junior ruling partner in Romania withdraws support for prime minister
The conflict between the two major partners in Romania’s ruling coalition reached a climax when Prime Minister Florin Citu dismissed the USR-PLUS health minister.
Belarus to hike central bank rates 75bp to 8.5% from April 21
The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus will hike its key interest rate by 75bp from April 21 to 8.5% to combat rising inflation. In addition, the bank’s overnight lending rate will be increased to 9.5% and the overnight deposit rate to 7.5%.
Kremlin says Putin's attendance at a summit with Biden will depend on Washington’s behaviour
Moscow is going out of its way to make it clear it wants to materially change the way the two countries work together.
Kyrgyz court frees ex-PM charged with corruption after he pays $12mn
New government allows those found with illegal financial assets to avoid prosecution by surrendering them to Treasury. US embassy has warned about rise of organised crime in Kyrgyzstan.
GameStop-style investors trigger speculation in Arkle
162 Group forced by LSE to issue statement saying potential reverse takeover of Irish gold and zinc explorer by Mongolian miner was not going ahead.
Orban unveils plan for cautious reopening despite soaring death rate
The Hungarian government will allow outdoor dining places to open next week after the number of people vaccinated reaches 3.5mn, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announces.
“Where is the $128 billion?” posters plastered across Istanbul ask Erdogan
Police use cranes to remove embarrassing message from city streets as main opposition party says it won’t let the matter of Turkey’s decimated FX reserves go.
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Russia’s leading investor relations consultancy hires former Moscow Exchange managing director to boost business development
EM, Russia’s leading communications and investor relations consultancy for clients in Russia, China and other emerging markets, announced the appointment of former Moscow Exchange executive Anna Vasilenko as CEO.
Biden and Putin talk for the second time – sanctions threats and summit promises
US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked by phone for the first time in a tense conversation on April 13. Biden warned Russia to stand down troops on the Ukrainian border but offered a summit with Putin as well.
Slovenian PM denies Bosnian media reports on ‘non-paper’ about dividing Bosnia
Populist premier, who will take over EU rotating presidency in July, is accused of proposing "final disintegration of former Yugoslavia".
Ukraine may receive $2.7bn “gift” from IMF this year as coronacrisis support
Ukraine may receive $2.7bn from the IMF this summer under an IMF plan to allocate $650bn from international reserves to restore the world economy after the coronavirus crisis.
Azerbaijan accused of fomenting ethnic hatred with display of dead Armenian soldiers’ helmets
Yerevan, meanwhile, moves towards putting on trial two men from Syria it claims served as mercenaries in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict after being recruited by Turkey to fight for Baku.
