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Austria and the Czech Republic - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, diplomacy and culture

Russian Rosatom May Build Nuclear Power Plant in Bohunice

Because of the completion of the Czech nuclear power plants, the Czech energy company CEZ is expected to withdraw from the construction project.

January 19, 2013

Klaus Recommends to Vote not for Schwarzenberg

Czech President Vaclav Klaus will stay in office until March. Klaus does not want Karel Schwarzenberg to become his successor.

January 19, 2013 · Updated: January 19, 2013; 15:47

Czech Republic Decides to Enlarge Temelin Power Plant

Today, the Czech Ministry of Environment has approved the enlargement of the nuclear power plant in southern Bohemia.

January 18, 2013

Czech Republic: Czech Government Withstand Another Vote of Confidence

The stability of the Czech government is still doubtful. For the time being, the coalition can deal with the pressure from the opposition.

January 18, 2013

Citizens in CESEE Countries Tend to Pessimism

According to a survey carried out by the opinion research institute marketagent.com, pessimism in the countries of central, east and southeast Europe persists.

January 16, 2013

“Strict rules and monitoring mechanisms for a healthy Europe”

Austria´s State Secretary Reinhold Lopatka discusses EU financial matters with Czech State Secretary Vojtech Belling.

January 16, 2013

Schwarzenberg Will Not Resign as Foreign Minister

The Czech presidential candidate and foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg announced to remain in office until the second round of the elections.

January 16, 2013

CESEE: Chakrabarti Expects Stabilization

In an interview with the Austrian news magazine „Standard“, EBRD´s President Suma Chakrabarti demonstrates cautious optimism. 2013 will be a better year for the CESEE region, he says.

January 14, 2013

Fitch: Austrian Banking Industry Depends on CESEE

According to the U.S. rating agency, the situation of Austrian banks strongly depends on the development in central, east and southeast Europe.

January 14, 2013

Surprise in Czech Republic: Schwarzenberg Just Slightly Behind Zeman

The first presidential election round in the Czech Republic brought a surprise. Zeman ranks first with 24%. Schwarzenberg came in second place with 23%.

January 14, 2013 · Updated: January 14, 2013; 11:22

Czech Republic: Retail Trade Sector Declines

In November, sales in retail trade including the automotive segment after seasonal adjustment decreased by 0.6% at constant prices, month-on-month, and working days adjusted by 3.5%, y-o-y.

January 11, 2013

Klaus Meets Merkel

Czech President Vaclav Klaus wants to persuade Merkel to stop the integration process in the EU.

January 10, 2013

First Signs of Economic Recovery

Liquidity is driving the markets, global monetary policy remains heavily expansive. Muted growth outlook for CEE.

January 10, 2013

Czech Republic: Government Crisis Solved

The Czech government remains for the time being. Before, the smallest governing party seemed to leave the coalition.

January 9, 2013

Central Europe's Relations With the U.S.

Philip H. Gordon from the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S.-Central Europe Strategy Forum, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) in Washington, DC remarks on the issue of U.S. relations with Central- and Eastern Europe as follows.

January 9, 2013

Czech Inflation Above EU Average

Consumer prices in December increased by 0.1% compared with November. The year-on-year rise in consumer prices decelerated to 2.4% in December (2.7% in November).

January 9, 2013

Poverty: Romanian and Bulgarian Citizens Most Endangered

Regarding the poverty rate, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, Greece and Lithuania are significantly above the EU average.

January 9, 2013

Generali to Expand into CESEE Region

The Italian insurance group wants to strengthen its market presence in central, east and southeast Europe. The minority stake in the Czech insurer PPF will be acquired.

January 8, 2013

Immofinanz Sells Offices in Prague

As of 31 December 2012 Immofinanz Group sold the office building BB Centrum Building C located in Prague to the VIG FUND.

January 7, 2013

“2013 will be a better growth year for CEE than 2012”

Unlike 2012 the new year starts with much less financial stress and easier monetary policy. Central and Eastern Europe has still considerable potential to outperform EMU, differentiating on domestic policies, Bank Austria says.

January 7, 2013

Czech Construction Output on the Fall

In November 2012 the construction output fell by 2.7%, year-on-year (y-o-y), in real terms.

January 7, 2013

CESEE: Economy Slows Down Further

CEE macro downturn to hit trough in Q1 2013; forecast GDP growth 2013: Poland 2.2%, Slovakia 1.3%, Romania 1.1%, Erste Group says.

January 7, 2013

CESEE Equity Market: Upside Trend after Slow Start

Country allocation: An overweight on Russia is a strong bet for the coming quarter and mostly based on liquidity searching for an option after Turkey performing so strongly, Erste Group says.

January 7, 2013

Czech Industrial Sector Shrinks

In November 2012, industrial production decreased at constant prices by 3.9%, year-on-year; working days adjusted industrial production decreased by 6.2%.

January 7, 2013

Czech Republic: Exports Grew, Imports Fell

In November 2012, according to preliminary data of ‘border statistics’, current price exports rose by 4.2%, while imports fell by 2.4%, year-on-year (y−o−y), respectively.

January 7, 2013

CESEE: Construction Industry Shrinks Further

The European research institute Euroconstruct expects a negative development for the construction industry in the CESEE region.

January 5, 2013

Significant Upward Trend in Austrian Tourism Sector

Positive start in winter season 2012/13: 4.15 million overnights in November. The number of guests from Italy and Russia is growing remarkably.

January 4, 2013

Automotive Industry in CESEE Region Booms

According to an analysis issued by Austrian Erste Group, every fourth car produced in the EU in 2013 will be "Made in CEE".

December 28, 2012

Czech Republic Does Not Fulfill Maastricht Criteria

At the moment, joining the eurozone is no issue for the Czech Republic. The stability criteria are still not fulfilled anyway.

December 28, 2012

Czech Republic: Overall Confidence in Economy on the Rise

Overall confidence in domestic economy increased in December. The composite confidence indicator (economic sentiment indicator) increased by 1.1 points compared to November.

December 27, 2012

Government Crisis in Czech Republic

After the new Minister of Defence was removed, the coalition collapses.

December 21, 2012

CESEE: Deposit Growth Slows Down

Given the sketched regional loan growth dynamics and their most important drivers it comes as no surprise that deposit growth rates in CEE also decelerated in recent months, Raiffeisen Research states.

December 21, 2012

Czech Parliament Resolves VAT Increase

After months of controversies, the Czech Chamber of Deputies approved the government´s taxation plans.

December 21, 2012

CESEE: Airline Industry in Severe Crisis

The airline industry in East and Southeast Europe faces enormous difficulties. Not only Polish LOT needs immediate help.

December 21, 2012

Czech Republic: Euro Introduction No Issue Yet

The Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas explained that the Czech Republic does not strive for becoming a member of the Eurozone.

December 21, 2012

CESEE Asset Quality: “Not out of the woods”

In terms of asset quality the banking sector trends in CEE remain a mixed bag, Raiffeisen Research says.

December 20, 2012

CESEE Banking Sector: Improving Market sentiment, but Slower Growth

The average CEE loan growth slowed to16-17% yoy in Q3 from 19% in Q1/Q2, Raiffeisen Research says.

December 20, 2012

Czech Republic: Interest Rate Remains Unchanged

The council of CNB (Czech National Bank) decided to let the interest rate at 0.05%.

December 19, 2012

Poland and Hungary to Cut Interest Rates Further

Unlike the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary still have some downward potential. The inflation rate is still below the base rate.

December 19, 2012

CESEE: Poverty Grows Considerably

In Europe, one in four citizens is affected by poverty, the Russian newspaper “Rossijskaja Gaseta” states.

December 18, 2012

Banking Union: Czech Republic Cautious

For the time being, the Czech Republic will not join the single supervising mechanism.

December 15, 2012

EU Guarantees Stability of Czech Banking Sector

The Czech Republic will not use its right to veto. In return, the EU guarantees the stability of the Czech financial sector.

December 14, 2012

CEE Countries May Join Banking Union

ECB will become the main supervisor for the Eurozone´s banking industry. Non-Eurozone member countries are entitled to opt-in.

December 13, 2012

Czech Finance Minister: „No Reason to Veto Banking Union“

The Czech Minister of Finance Miroslav Kalousek announced that the Czech Republic has no concerns against the banking union in the Eurozone.

December 12, 2012

Czech Republic: Migration Declines

The population of the Czech Republic increased by 7.8 thousand to 10 513.2 thousand during the first three quarters of 2012.

December 12, 2012

Gasparovic Meets Klaus

The Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic was officially received by his Czech counterpart Vaclav Klaus.

December 11, 2012

Czech Unemployment on the Rise

In November, the Czech unemployment quota reached 8.7% after 8.5% in the previous month.

December 10, 2012

Czech Construction Output Decreases

In October 2012 the construction output decreased by 4.3%, year-on-year (y-o-y), in real terms. Even a higher number of working days has not stopped the decline in construction output.

December 10, 2012

Czech Industry: More Working days, More Production

In October 2012, industrial production increased at constant prices by 4.1%, year-on-year; working days adjusted industrial production decreased by 3.3%.

December 10, 2012

Czech Republic: Klaus Rejects ESM

Czech Republic´s President refuses to grant consent to the ESM bill.

December 7, 2012