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Eastern European Countries and Austria | Bilateral Relations
Austria and Eastern European countries - Latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, diplomacy, culture and tourism
Hungary: Employment on the Rise
80 thousand more people in work in the third quarter than a year ago.
October 30, 2012
Czech Republic and Slovakia: Nuclear Power Remains Main Energy Source
The Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico underline that nuclear energy will remain the future technology.
October 30, 2012
„Banking Union Weakens Central Banks“
The Czech President Vaclav Klaus criticizes that a common banking supervision limits the competencies of national central banks.
October 30, 2012
Telekom Austria´s Vipnet Invests in Croatia
Telekom Austria´s Croatian subsidiary Vipnet Acquires 10 MHz of 800 MHz Spectrum for approximately € 20m in Croatia.
October 30, 2012
Romanian Economy to Shrink Further
With a large negative contribution expected to come from agriculture, real GDP should decline again in Q3 in quarterly terms (as well in annual terms). The contraction is likely to be larger than initially expected, Raiffeisen Zentralbank forecasts.
October 30, 2012
CA Immo Secures Major Project in Romania
Lease agreements have been extended for over 14,000 sqm in two Bucharest office buildings. International anchor tenants are ensuring an almost 100 % occupancy rate in the CA Immo Romanian portfolio.
October 30, 2012
Poland: Real Wages are Falling
Due to the persistently high inflation rate, real wages have fallen for the first time in 20 years.
October 29, 2012
Donau Chemie Starts Expansion in Hungary
The Austrian chemical group invests € 6.5m in a new factory in Eastern Hungary.
October 29, 2012
Saving in CEE Becomes More Important
Poles and Slovaks are CEE's savings champions, putting aside 15% resp. 12% of their monthly income. Austrians, Germans and Czechs follow suit with 9%.
October 29, 2012
Austrian-Ukrainian Trade Relations Show Development Potential
According to Richard Schenz, Vice President of WKO (Austrian Chamber of Commerce), the economic relations between Austria and the Ukraine are excellent.
October 25, 2012
Czech Republic: Economic Sentiment on the Rise
According to recent surveys, confidence in the Czech Republic is increasing slightly.
October 25, 2012
Poland: Calls for Interest Cut Become Louder
The Polish economic growth flattens. NBP´s council member Andrzej Rzonca wants the interest rate to be cut.
October 25, 2012
Belgrade to Sharpen Austerity Policy
Next year, Serbia reduces the budget deficit from 6.2% to 3.5% of GDP. The Serbian government expects that the economy will recover next year.
October 25, 2012
CA Immo´s Occupancy Rate in Prague at 90%
The Austrian real estate company CA Immo has managed to secure further tenants for four office buildings and a shopping center in Prague.
October 25, 2012
Foreign Banks Withdraw Funds from Croatia
Due to the difficult economic situation in Croatia, foreign banks reduce their exposure in Croatia.
October 24, 2012
“Poland is Safe”
Despite the economic slowdown, the Polish Minister of Finance Jacek Rostowksi says that the country is safe from the economic crisis.
October 24, 2012
Slovenia: Foundation of Bad Bank Proves Difficult
After the approval of the Slovenian Parliament, the government faces a public vote on the creation of a bad bank and an industrial holding group.
October 24, 2012
World Bank: „Poland is a Growth Engine for Eastern Europe“
According to the “Doing Business Report 2013”, Poland´s competitive position has improved remarkably. Austria was up by two ranks.
October 23, 2012
Czech Banking Sector to Sharpen Lending Conditions
For corporate and housing loans, lending conditions were tightened in the third quarter of 2012.
October 23, 2012
Bawag: Hungarian Exposure Shrinks
The Austrian bank gradually withdraws from Hungary. The stake in MKB Bank becomes smaller.
October 23, 2012
Rewe Austria to Expand in Russia
Rewe Austria intends to open ten new stores in Russia per year. Besides Russia, the Ukraine and Romania are main target markets.
October 22, 2012
Tusk: Joining Banking Union Only if it Does not Weaken Poland
The Polish Prime Minister does not exclude to enter the banking union. However, this measure must not weaken Poland´s position.
October 22, 2012
Poland Favors Banking Union, Czech Republic is Skeptical
The governor of the Polish National Bank Marek Belka calls for joining the banking union. The Czech Republic may use the right to give a veto.
October 20, 2012
Hungary Does not Exclude to Increase Bank Tax
Prime Minister Orban refers to the pressure coming from Brussels. Hungary must reduce the budget deficit below 3.0% of GDP.
October 20, 2012
Polish Government: Austerity in Order to Enter Eurozone
The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski says that Poland will fulfill the Maastricht Criteria in 2015.
October 19, 2012
Fekter Interested in Hungary´s Bank Taxation Plans
The Austrian Minister of Finance wants to analyse the taxation plans of the Hungarian government thoroughly. The bank taxes would be “highly interesting”, Fekter says.
October 19, 2012
Poland Starts Privatization Program
The Polish government wants to sell state-owned assets worth € 5bn.
October 18, 2012
RHI Begins to Downsize in Europe
The Austrian refractories company plans to expand in Russia. In Europe, the first factories will be shut down in two years.
October 18, 2012
RBI: We Will Not Leave Hungary
Herbert Stepic, CEO of Austrian RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International) is highly dissatisfied with Hungary´s decision not to reduce bank taxes. However, RBI will stay, he says.
October 18, 2012 · Updated: October 18, 2012; 17:08
Hungary: Gross Earnings Growing
In the national economy – at corporations employing at least 5 persons, budgetary and designated non-profit institutions – average gross earnings increased by 4.7%.
October 18, 2012
Estonia: IMF More Optimistic
The Estonian economy is expected to expand by 2.4% this year.
October 18, 2012
Hungarian Tax Plans: Austrian Banks Annoyed
Because of the pressing need to reduce the budget deficit, Hungary´s government decided not to lower the bank tax. Moreover, the financial transaction tax will be doubled.
October 18, 2012
Hungary Doubles Financial Transaction Tax
The Hungarian Minister of Economics Gyorgy Matolcsy announced that the financial transaction tax will be increased to 0.2%. Moreover, the bank taxes will not be reduced.
October 17, 2012
Spindelegger in Romania: “Strategic interest in stable domestic conditions”
The Austrian Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs meets Traian Basescu, President of Romania
October 17, 2012
Hungary Reaffirms Not to Enter Eurozone
After the meeting with Germany´s Chancellor Angela Merkel, Hungary´s Prime Minister Viktor Orban explained that the euro must offer a perspective again.
October 16, 2012
RBI Cuts Slovenian Subsidiary Radically
The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International plans to lay off the half of its workforce in Slovania.
October 16, 2012
Immofinanz Shows Progress in Romania
The wholly owned Immofinanz Group subsidiary Adama announces the start of construction on the second phase of two of its existing projects.
October 16, 2012
Hungary Wants Foreign Land Owners to Leave
The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to bring back “stolen land”.
October 15, 2012
Hungarian Construction Industry Shrinks
In August 2012, construction decreased by 5.3% in output year-on-year. The construction of buildings decreased by one tenth, while that of civil engineering works grew slightly.
October 15, 2012
Klaus: “Nobel Prize for EU is a Mistake”
The Czech President Vaclav Klaus criticizes the decision of the Nobel Prize Committee. For him, the decision is a “joke”.
October 13, 2012
Orban Blames EU for Austerity Cuts
The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban explains that Hungary has no other choice but to deepen the austerity cuts.
October 13, 2012
Czech Government Attempts to Stimulate Growth
On the one hand, the Czech government deepens the austerity measures. On the other hand, growth-stimulating investments should be initiated.
October 13, 2012
Slovak Deficit to Reach 2.9% of GDP in 2013
The Slovak government approved the 2013 state budget. The deficit will be reduced step by step in the next years.
October 12, 2012
Czech Banking Association Pessimistic
CBA has lowred its forecast on the Czech economy. The decreasing household consumption would be the main reason.
October 12, 2012
Czech National Bank Open for Interventions
At the moment, the Czech National Bank (CNB) sees no reason for weakening the exchange rate of the Czech Crown. However, CNB is ready to start interventions if necessary.
October 12, 2012
Slovakia: Employment and Nominal Wages Growing
The highest wage increase was observed in the manufacturing and automotive industries. Employment was down in the construction sector and grew in the service sector.
October 12, 2012
Hungary: Industrial Production Declines Slightly
In August 2012, industrial gross output declined by 0.8% compared to the same month of 2011.
October 12, 2012
Stepic: “Must Reduce Lending in CESEE”
The CEO of Austrian RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International) Herbert Stepic explains that new lending in Eastern Europe must be reduced substantially.
October 11, 2012
S&P: Eastern Subsidiaries of Austrian Banks Most Become More Independent
The U.S. rating agency criticizes that Austrian banks are still weakly capitalized. The economic crisis caused a massive withdrawal of funds in Eastern Europe, S&P says.
October 11, 2012
Poland´s Budget Deficit “Will Not Be Bigger than Planned”
The Polish Minister of finance Jacek Rostowski stresses that the planned budget deficit will not be higher than PLN 35.6bn.
October 11, 2012