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

Vienna Insurance Group Expands in Albania

The Acquisition of Interalbanian by the biggest Austrian Insurance company is successfully completed.

December 6, 2010

Strabag Receives Major Project in Poland

Construction of new railway and bus station of Katowice operated by the Austrian building company Strabag.

December 2, 2010

Austria's Position in the CEE Region Shakes

According to the Roland Berger consultancy agency, Austria receives not only competition in the CEE countries, but the importance of the region also decreases from a global viewpoint.

December 1, 2010

Kaufmann Group Builds for € 130 Million in Zagreb

The real estate Kaufmann group from Linz starts its second major project in the Croatian capital. The investment volume amounts to € 130 million.

November 30, 2010

bauMax Expands Further in Romania

On November 30, 2010 the Austrian DIY chain bauMax inaugurated its thirteenth Romanian market in Constanta.

November 30, 2010

Massive Lay Offs at Hypo Group

The still ailing Carinthian bank restructures the leasing division. 500 jobs are being cut.

November 30, 2010

Bank Austria: Growth Potential for Real Estate in Romania and Bulgaria

Despite the signs of economic revival, Bulgaria and Romania markets are still largely being ignored by international investors, says Bank Austria.

November 29, 2010

Vienna Insurance Group Takes a 100% Stake in TBIH

VIG now realizes an increased involvement in Turkey, Ukraine and Georgia.

November 26, 2010

Polbank: Intesa Bids, Raiffeisen Still in the Race

In the battle for the takeover of the Polish private bank Polbank, the Italian Intesa has already placed a bid. No comments are being made by Raiffeisen.

November 25, 2010

Solid Growth inTrade Between Austria and the Czech Republic

Exports between the two countries rise by around 20%. Cooperation is to be extended also to research.

November 22, 2010

UniCredit: Expansion to the Czech Republic, Poland and Turkey

UniCredit’s subsidiary Bank Austria functions as an Eastern Europe Holding. 40% of the net income of the group comes from the region by now.

November 19, 2010

OMV Sells 56 Gas Stations to PKN Orlen

56 gas stations in the German states of Thuringia and Saxony go to a subsidiary of the Polish oil group PKN Orlen.

November 19, 2010

Siemens Austria Participates in Construction of Zagreb’s Main Train Station

The consortium Siemens AG Österreich and Elektrokem d.o.o from Zagreb has been awarded the contract for the delivery of a modern electronic switch system

November 18, 2010

Immofinanz Expands into the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Immofinanz established a new retail concept: STOP.SHOP. has grown in both importance and size in recent years. The Czech Republic and Slovakia are the most important countries.

November 11, 2010

Erste Group: Job Reduction in Hungary

The Austrian bank plans to cut 250 jobs in Hungary. Reasons are the bad loans and the introduction of the bank tax.

November 11, 2010

Telekom Srbija: Sale is Resisted

The partially for sale Telekom Srbija which Telekom Austria is said to be interested in, raises passions in Serbia. Opposition to the sale is taking shape.

November 11, 2010

Strabag: Major Contract in Romania for 220 Million Euro

A consortium led by Austria's Strabag has won a contract to build a Romanian motorway for 220.6 million euro.

November 11, 2010

Erste Group: CEE Companies More Efficient than Western Counterparts

CEE companies are more efficient, more profitable and less indebted as Western companies. The German corporate sector is the only sector to compete with CEE companies.

November 10, 2010

Hypo Alpe Adria: Involvement in Southeastern Europe to be maintained

The Carinthian bank intends to continue operating in the Balkans. The active involvement is justified because the region is the one with most significant growth in Europe and Hypo has the status of a systemically important bank.

November 10, 2010

Nabucco: First Deliveries Before Year-End

While sharp criticism of the pipeline project is heard again from Moscow, there is optimism at Nabucco.

November 9, 2010

Raiffeisen CEO Stepic: CEE Continues Being Europe’s Growth Driver

The boss of Raiffeisen Bank International Bank (RBI), Herbert Stepic, sees the CEE region continuing as long-term growth driver for Europe.

November 8, 2010

Competition for Hungarian ÖBB Subsidiary

Rail Cargo Hungaria (RCH) is still fighting for restructuring success. Meanwhile, a new competitor has appeared in the freight business.

November 5, 2010

Strabag and Alpine Suspected of Cartelization

Damages for 2 billion euro (2.8 billion dollars) are said to be the result of forming a construction cartel for motorway construction in Slovenia.

November 3, 2010

Raiffeisen Participates in Bid for Polbank

Raiffeisen International Bank (RBI) tries to get into the act concerning the sale of Polbank. The eighth largest bank in Poland is currently owned by EFG Euro Bank, which is offering its Polish interest for sale.

November 3, 2010

Contract for Kapsch TrafficCom in Poland

The consortium led by Kapsch came out as the best bidder for the implementation of a toll system on Polish motorways. The contract has been signed now.

November 3, 2010

New Retail Project in Constanta for Immofinanz

A new center located in Constanta, Romania, offering international tenants business opportunities in 130 retail units, will be opened in 2011.

October 30, 2010

Wienerberger Plans Full Takeover of Semmelrock International

The purchase of the remaining 25% stake in Semmelrock International has been announced today. Wienerberger regards the acquisition as a “logical step”.

October 29, 2010

Hungarian Railway Workers Strike Against Rail Cargo

Due to employee layoffs at Rail Cargo Hungaria, the employees threaten to go on strike. Rail Cargo suffers losses both in Austria and in Hungary

October 27, 2010

Vienna International Airport: Business With Low-Cost Carriers booms.

A significant portion of Vienna International Airport’s sales are achieved with low-cost airlines. The airport's boss wishes a more extensive partnership with the Bratislava location.

October 21, 2010

Vienna Insurance Group in Albania

Further growth achieved with the acquisition of Interalbanian.

October 21, 2010

Serbian Telekom: Entry of Telekom Austria?

The Serbian government expects to reach a price of 1.4 billion euro for its 51% share of Telekom. Participation of Telekom Austria is expected.

October 19, 2010

Strabag Expands its Competence in Bridge Building – New Order in Poland

Strabag SE, a large construction company in Central and Eastern Europe, signed an agreement to build a new bridge complex in Toruń, Poland.

October 18, 2010

EVN's Subsidiary RAG Increased Gas Capacities

New capacities are created, gas and oil exploration in Poland and Hungary to be intensified

October 17, 2010

Coface CEE Top 500 - Poland Largest Number of Companies in CEE

Poland has the largest number of companies in the Central and Eastern Europe Top 500 with 28.4%. Hungary ranks second with 16.6%, overtaking the Czech Republic, which is home for 13.8% of the CEE Top 500.

October 12, 2010

Slovakia: Changes in Automobile Production Trend

Manufacturers operating in Slovakia invest again. Total production in 2010 may reach over half a million vehicles. An opportunity for foreign suppliers.

October 12, 2010

RZB Group Tatra banka among Lead Managers for Slovak Republic EUR 2 Billion Benchmark Bond

Tatra Banka (RZB Group), HSBC, SG CIB and UniCredit Bank Slovakia placed a Slovak Republic issue with a maturity of fifteen years.

October 11, 2010

Vienna Stock Exchange - Agreement with Macedonian Stock Exchange on Joint Dissemination of Data

In the future, the price data of the stock exchange of Macedonia will be disseminated in real time via the datafeed Alliance Data Highway (ADH) of the Vienna Stock Exchange.

October 8, 2010

Postponed: Decision on Nabucco Not Before 2011

Because the talks with the main supplying country Azerbaijan are proceeding with exceeding slowness, the decision about the construction of the pipeline will not be possible this year.

October 8, 2010

Bratislava: Investment in Slovak 'Las Vegas' in Danger

Bratislava might lose the planned amusement park "Metropolis", with an investment amount of 1.5 billion euro, if the Slovak government revokes the already approved tax concessions.

October 7, 2010

Telekom Austria: Interest in the Serbian Telekom Srbija

Following the acquisition of Velcom in Belarus, Telekom Austria (TA) is showing interest in other telcos in the Balkans. Currently, ihe favorite target is Telekom Srbija.

October 6, 2010

Hypo Alpe-Adria: 25% of the Slovenian Merkur DIY Chain Put Up for Sale

Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank International has put up for sale a 25% share of Merkur, the insolvent Slovenian DIY and home improvement products chain, in the daily newspaper "Delo”

October 5, 2010

Alpine: New 140 Million Euro Motorway Contract in Poland

The construction company from Salzburg is to build an 18-kilometer motorway section for almost 140 million euro.

October 5, 2010

Kapsch TrafficCom: Polish 1.24 Billion Euro Contract for Truck and Bus Toll System

The company listed in the Vienna Stock Exchange will build up the entire toll system for trucks and buses weighing over 3.5 tons on Poland's roads for July 2011.

October 4, 2010

Brokerjet intends to expand into Poland

The Austrian online broker Brokerjet, a subsidiary of ecetra Central European e-finance AG (ecetra means Erste Bank Central European Trading), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Erste Bank Group, is already active in the Czech Republic and Slovenia.

October 1, 2010

Bogner Edelstahl Continues to Grow

Austrian stainless steel specialist Bogner is pursuing an ambitious expansion plan in spite of the sales drop.

September 30, 2010

Demmers Teehaus Seeks Entry into New CEE Markets

The Austrian tea specialist Demmer, who is expanding into CEE with a franchising strategy, wants to enter new markets.

September 30, 2010

Raiffeisen Invests in New Branches in the Czech Republic

Raiffeisenbank a.s., the fifth largest bank in the Czech Republic, expands its network of branches in the neighboring country.

September 29, 2010

EU: Austria's Actual Net Contribution has Risen to 342 Million Euro

The net contribution to the EU rose again last year. Poland, with 6.5 billion euro is for the first time the biggest net recipient. Germany remains the biggest net payer with 8.1 billion euro.

September 28, 2010

Humanomed Takes Over Management of Private Clinics in the CEE Region

The know-how of the private clinic operator is to be exported. The objective is not to only give advice, but also to take over the management of private clinics in the CEE region.

September 28, 2010

CEE Real Estate: Outlook is brightening

CEE real estate stocks are currently in a phase of brisk corporate action. Financially sound companies with attractive assets are interesting takeover targets, while other companies are being taken over.

September 27, 2010