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

Slovak Bank Tax Is Going to Hurt Austrian Banks

On Thursday the Slovak parliament has officially approved a bank levy. The tax is one of the measures taken by the government to strengthen the Slovak budget.

October 21, 2011

Austrian Post Buys Stake in Romanian PostMaster

The deal includes an option for Austrian Post to become sole shareholder of the leading alternative postal service provider in Romania.

October 20, 2011

VIG Acquires Jahorina Insurance in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Vienna Insurance Group AG Wiener Versicherung Gruppe is the new majority shareholder in the Jahorina Osiguranje AD Pale (Jahorina) insurance company in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

October 20, 2011

Corruption Suspicions Against Penta

The Czech-Slovak investment company, which also bid for the Austrian A-Tec, is accused to have paid bribes to the Czech Minister of Finance.

October 19, 2011

Austria with the Best Situation on the Real Estate Market in the Region

Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland are the three countries from Central Europe, where the condition of the property market according to the banks’ opinion is the best – states the KPMG’s research - CEE Property Lending Barometer 2011.

October 19, 2011

Vienna Again Among Top 5 in Innovation Cities Global Ranking

Boston came first again in a field of 331 cities in the Innovation Cities Global Index. This year’s among top five cities apart from Boston were San Francisco, Paris, New York and Vienna. Prague was 43th, Budapest 47th.

October 19, 2011

Warsaw is Going to Have a Second Airport

According to plans, Modlin airport authorities expect regular international and domestic airlines connections to start in autumn next year.

October 18, 2011

Growth of CEE Region Under Threat from Eurozone Crisis

The EBRD research is predicting a slow-down in emerging Europe’s economic growth next year with the continuing eurozone sovereign debt crisis posing challenges to recovery from the 2008-09 global financial crisis.

October 18, 2011

Spectacular Surge in Profits of CEE Technology Companies

The annual Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Program honors the fastest growing Central European technology companies. It is based on the percentage of revenue growth over five-year period.

October 18, 2011

Raiffeisen's Comment on Current Developments of CEE Eurobonds

Eurobond markets felt the deteriorating market sentiment in recent weeks, reported Raiffeisen Research.

October 18, 2011

Warsaw Stock Exchange, the Financial Hub of CEE

The 4th Warsaw-CEE Financial Hub conference will be held on 30th November 2011 in the Listing Room of the Warsaw Stock Exchange under the honorary patronat of the Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.

October 18, 2011

Hypo Group: „Need Time, not Cash“

Gottwald Kranebitter, CEO of the Austrian nationalized Hypo Group emphasizes the independence from further state capital.

October 18, 2011

Do & Co Expands in Ukraine

The Turkish-Austrian catering company provides its services also in Ukraine. Here, CEO Attila Dogudan expects further growth opportunities.

October 18, 2011

Austrian-Czech Technology Cooperation Opportunities

The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Vienna, in cooperation with the Lower Austria Chamber of Commerce hosts on 18 October 2011 a technology seminar.

October 17, 2011

The Intended VIG Acquisition of Polish Warta Faces a Tough Competition

According to the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita, analysts estimate the value of the Polish insurer Warta at € 230-340m.

October 17, 2011

CEE Less Vulnerable to Severe Economic Crisis

The reaction of the CEE region to the global slowdown should be less severe than in the post-Lehman crisis, as CEE economies are in a completely different stage of their economic cycle and have reduced their imbalances.

October 17, 2011

Erste Bank Hungary Opens Home Savings Bank

According to Imre Szatno. the deputy head of retail division of Erste Bank in Hungary, quoted by Budapest Business Journal, the Erste Group has launched its own home saving bank.

October 17, 2011

Sale at Rail Cargo Austria?

The freight traffic division of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) still suffers from its Hungarian subsidiary RCH. A sale to Hungary seems to be possible.

October 15, 2011

Financial Syndicate for Nabucco Arising

The Austrian OeKB intends to conduct a financial consortium for the gas pipeline project Nabucco.

October 15, 2011

Erste Group Increases Stake in BCR

The Austrian Erste Group further expands in the difficult Romanian market. Erste Group will hold 94% in BCR then.

October 15, 2011

Still Danger of Overheating in SEE Property Markets

According to the “Bank Austria Real Estate Country Facts”, commercial property markets in Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia are gaining ground, but risks of overheating remains.

October 15, 2011

Erste Group Signs Facility Agreement with Ukrainian Energy Holding

The Austrian bank extends an existing credit facility for DTEK from € 50 to € 100m with a maturity of three years.

October 14, 2011

VBAG Expects Massive Loss

The Austrian bank has to write off € 700m on the book value of its participations in Investkredit and Volksbank Romania. The state’s participation capital will not be repaid this year.

October 14, 2011

Slovakia Approved EFSF

After unsuccessful voting on Tuesday, Slovak lawmakers supported today the enlargement of the European Financial Stability Fund.

October 13, 2011

Polish Foreign Trade Will Increase by 125% by 2025

The world trade will increase only by 73%, states the report of HSBC Trade Connections. The document presents forecasts for the international trade in the perspective of several years.

October 13, 2011

Warsaw Ahead of Vienna and Prague in the Ranking of the Most Attractive European Business Cities

Warsaw moved up three places in the ranking of the most attractive European cities to locate a business, prepared by Cushman & Wakefield.

October 13, 2011

Vienna Insurance Group Has Its Own Funds to Buy the Polish Insurer Warta

Guenter Geyer, the head of the Austrian insurance company quoted by the Polish daily Gazeta Prawna confirmed the interest in an auction of the Warta Insurance and Reinsurance Company.

October 13, 2011

Greiner Packaging Expands its Network in Romania

The Austrian packaging producer took over the major share of S.C. Amplast Co S.A. from a group of private owners.

October 13, 2011

Immofinanz Opens Shopping Center Extension in Poland

The Austrian real estate company invested € 50m in the project, making it one of the top five shopping centers in Poland.

October 12, 2011

Bank Austria Rethinks Expansion in Hungary

The subsidiary of Italian UniCredit reviews its activities in the country. A withdrawal is not ruled out.

October 12, 2011

Slovakia Against the Enlargement of the Euro Zone Bailout Fund

After six hours of heated debate Slovak lawmakers failed to approved the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF).

October 12, 2011

Czech Consumer Price Index Increased by 1,8% Compared to September 2010

According to research released by the Czech Statistical Office, consumer prices decreased in September by 0.2 %, month-on-month.

October 12, 2011

Increase of Car Production in Czech Republic and Slovakia

Last week, the Czech Statistics Office announced that industrial production since the beginning of the year increased by 3.5 percent mainly due to the automotive industry.

October 12, 2011

Hungarian Consumer Price Index Increased by 3,6% Compared to September 2010

In September 2011 consumer prices increased by 3.6% compared to September 2010, it was the same rate as in the previous month, registered the Hungarian Central Statistic Office.

October 12, 2011

Drop in Car Production in Poland

In September 2011, the production of passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Poland amounted to 70,521 units, an increase by 63,24% (27,319 units) compared to August 2011 reported the Samar Institute.

October 12, 2011

OMV Promotes Nabucco Project Abroad

The Austrian oil corporation OMV pushes the gas pipeline project Nabucco in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

October 11, 2011

Skoda’s Domination in Poland

According to research conducted by Samar, Skoda has been the unquestionable leader of the Polish car market during last 30 months.

October 11, 2011

Gloom Over Clothing Industry in Poland

In the first half of this year over 13 thousand of clothing shops disappeared from the Polish market.

October 11, 2011

Santander Close to Become a Leading Player in Poland

According to the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita, Santander, the Euro zone’s top lender, made a binding offer for Polish Kredyt Bank.

October 11, 2011

Vienna Airport to Cooperate Closer With Bratislava

The Vienna International Airport (VIA) is looking for potential synergetic effects in Bratislava, which should bring further passenger growth.

October 10, 2011

Surprising Write-Offs at Erste Group

Due to write-offs in Hungary and Romania, Austrian Erste Group reports a net loss of about € 920 - 970m in the first three quarters of 2011.

October 10, 2011

RBI: Capital Injection for Hungarian Subsidiary Likely

The Austrian bank’s losses from the conversion of foreign currency loans will amount to approximately € 100m.

October 7, 2011

OMV’s Petrom Opens Wind Park in Romania

The subsidiary of the Austrian energy group invested a total of € 90m. The park has an installed capacity of 45 MW.

October 7, 2011

Penta Bids for A-Tec Again

The Czech-Slovak group is still interested in an acquisition of the insolvent Austrian conglomerate and has now submitted a new offer.

October 7, 2011

New Board Member for Slovak Subsidiary of VIG

Erik Nikmon was appointed to the Managing Board of Kooperativa. He will take up his position on 1 November.

October 6, 2011

New Record in Agricultural Foreign Trade

The first half of 2011 brought double-digit growth rates in all product categories. Exports to Hungary increased by 43%, making it the number three buyer country.

October 6, 2011

Personnel Changes in the Managing Board of Czech VIG Subsidiary

The Austrian Vienna Insurance Group reshuffles the board of the Czech Kooperativa.

October 5, 2011

Ukraine Guarantees Gas Supply to Austria

The Ukraine invites Austrian companies to construct liquefied gas terminal.

October 5, 2011

Vienna Insurance Group Merges Bulgarian Subsidiaries

The Austrian insurance corporation intends to strengthen its market presence via the merger of Bulstrad and Bulgarski Imoti,

October 5, 2011

Kovats Blames Creditors and Penta

Mirko Kovats, CEO of the A-Tec group, makes the Czech investment group Penta and the banks responsible for the failed restructuring plan

October 4, 2011