Slovakia
Slovak finance minister survives vote of no-confidence
Former coalition partner and SaS leader Richard Sulik says he is now ready to discuss early elections.
Czechs try to transform EU's relationship with Israel
As the current rotating president of the European Union, Prague has convened a meeting of the long moribund EU Israel Association to try to boost EU links with the Jewish state.
bneGREEN: Fit for 55 – not fit for purpose
The EU’s Fitfor55 efforts to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 are woefully inadequate and unable to contain global warming to the 1.5°C target, with reductions of up to 77% needed instead to stand any chance of averting a climate catastrophe.
Slovak ministers criticise Czech border controls
Czechia and Austria introduce checks on borders with Slovakia to stop increasing numbers of migrants crossing towards Germany.
More pain stored up for Emerging Europe in 2023
Government efforts to shield populations from the energy crisis and rampant inflation have shifted the economic impact to next year, says the EBRD as it downgrades GDP growth forecasts for 2023.
EBRD: Reduced gas supplies and inflation to slow growth further in EBRD regions
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) projects growth in its region will slow as a result of gas supply problems that are feeding an energy crisis. The bank says growth will slow to 2.3% in 2022 in its region and 3% in 2023.
BRUEGEL: National policies to shield consumers from rising energy prices
The current increase in wholesale energy prices in Europe has prompted governments to try to shield consumers from the direct impact of an energy crisis that is sweeping the Continent and the rising prices that are costing hundreds of billions.
ING: Eurozone PMI suggests the region may already be in recession
The third decline in a row for the eurozone PMI indicates that business activity has been contracting throughout the quarter. This confirms our view that a recession could have already started.
VISEGRAD BLOG: Orban prepares to surf the populist wave again
But the Hungarian strongman may struggle both to exploit the cost of living crisis and to unite Europe's resurgent radical right, particularly if the Russian-Ukraine war grinds on.
Slovakia’s minority cabinet manages to open parliamentary session with help of opposition
Smer leader Robert Fico is trying to exploit the cabinet infighting and the energy crisis to engineer a return to power.
Slovak government faces a hot autumn
A vote of confidence is expected in Finance Minister Igor Matovic, and a referendum is set to be held on forcing the government to resign.
Czech government imposes national energy price caps
The Czech price cap is seen as a back-up plan in case a common EU-level approach is not reached.
Czechia and Slovakia accelerate decoupling from decades-long nuclear partnership with Moscow
Central European states are moving to widen the cutting off of Russian energy links beyond gas, oil and coal.
VISEGRAD BLOG: Putin’s cost of living crisis has already caused mass demonstrations in Europe, but will they get worse?
Last weekend 70,000 protesters gathered on Wenceslas Square in the heart of Prague to demonstrate against the rising cost of living and demanded a rapprochement with Russia. Will demonstrations spread across Europe as the crisis gets worse?
Eastern EU governments under pressure to act on rising living costs
Discontent is growing in Central and Southeast European countries that are suffering the highest inflation in the EU, pumped up by soaring food and energy prices.
Soaring Central European wages fail to keep pace with inflation
Oxford Economics says risk of wage-price inflationary spirals is “overblown”.
SaS ministers' resignation leaves Slovak coalition without a majority
The coalition crisis shows the stresses created by the ongoing cost of living crisis, even though the roots of the dispute are in a personal rift between two cabinet ministers.
Slovakia’s economy minister resigns as coalition crisis climaxes
Other SaS ministers have postponed their resignations to Monday to give more time for Finance Minister Igor Matovic to leave the cabinet in a quid pro quo.
VISEGRAD BLOG: Central Europe faces a hot autumn of discontent
Slovakia looks set for 18 months of political chaos before the next general elections, at a time when the government has to cope with the cost of living crisis and growing fatigue with the cost of supporting neighbouring Ukraine against Russia.
Slovakia faces minority cabinet as SaS party set to resign
SaS will leave the three-party coalition on Wednesday, depriving the cabinet led by Prime Minister Eduard Heger of its majority.
