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