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

CEE Banking Sector Report: Still More Credit Losses in the East

The number of bad loans is expected to increase considerably in some Eastern European countries, a Raiffeisen-analysis shows.

September 21, 2010

Wolford opened a production facility in Slovenia

The Bregenz based and stock exchange listed producer of lingerie and hosiery opened its plant in Murska Sobota, Slovenia.

September 20, 2010

Strabag acquires property und facility management service provider in the Czech Republic

The acquisition of 100% of ECM Facility a.s., Prague garantes the number 5 position in property & facility management in the the Czech Republic.

September 20, 2010

Martin Schlaff: Acquisition of Several Latvian Oil Transport Companies Planned

After four years of delay Schlaff is reported to be planning the takeover of several Latvian transport companies.

September 20, 2010

Liquefied Natural Gas: Plans for a Route from Georgia to Romania

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is to be shipped from the Georgian port of Kulevi in the direction of Constanta.

September 17, 2010

Telekom Austria Buys Two Bulgarian Cable Operators

Telekom Austria buys two cable operators in Bulgaria: Megalan Network and Spectrum Net. The two companies are worth 83 million euro free of debt; Telekom will pay about 72 million through Mobiltel.

September 15, 2010

CEE Companies in a Turmoil

According to a study by Deloitte, last year Eastern Europe’s top 500 companies showed a clear decline in sales.

September 14, 2010

EVN building cogeneration plant in Plovdiv/Bulgaria

Today, Prime Minister Bokyo Borissov, Provincial Governor Erwin Pröll and EVN's CEO Burkhard Hofer oversaw the ceremony for the construction of a highly efficient cogeneration plant in the city of Plovdiv.

September 13, 2010

OMV targets a 20% market share in Serbia

Important changes are foreseen for 2011 in the Serbian oil industry. Because, effective from January 1, the energy company NIS will lose, albeit theoretically, its artificially upheld monopoly position…

September 13, 2010

Austria stays among the top three foreign investors of the Czech Republic

After the deep slump of the Austrian-Czech foreign trade during the crisis year 2009 by approximately 20%, things are going up steeply again.

September 13, 2010

XXXLutz takes over Slovenia's largest furniture retailer

The furniture store XXXLutz recently took over Slovenia’s largest furniture retailer Lesnina.

September 10, 2010

Bauhaus arrives in Bulgaria via Vienna

The German do-it-yourself group Bauhaus, which controls all its CEE business from Austria, has ambitious plans for Bulgaria.

September 10, 2010

Slovakia increases VAT temporarily

As soon as the budget is back on its feet, the tax will be 19 percent again, according to Prime Minister Iveta Radicova. A deficit of up to eight percent is forecast for 2010.

September 9, 2010

Putin: Gas pipeline Nabucco with "little chance of success"

Putin gives the competition project of the South Stream gas pipeline little chance of being realized, because as of now, Nabucco has no suppliers.

September 8, 2010

Horváth & Partners Study - CEE remains attractive

A new study of the Horváth & Partners Management Consultants studied the success factors for setting up the subsidiaries of production sites in CEE.

September 8, 2010

CA Immo International completes first phase of DIY store OBI in Romania

Construction phase one of the retail development project in Sibiu has been concluded - DIY store OBI opens with 9,700 sqm of usable space.

September 2, 2010

UBM with slightly improved results

Focus on hotels and housing, regional focus remains on Poland and Germany.

August 31, 2010

Raiffeisen Centrobank AG - Interim Financial Report released

Raiffeisen Centrobank made the biggest contribution to the result of the group with a profit after tax of EUR 14.401 mn.

August 31, 2010

OMV to cover 9 percent of Romanian energy demand

The gas-fuelled power plant Brazi in Romania of Austrian energy group OMV is going to be ready by autumn 2011 and will then produce enough energy to cover 9 percent of the Romanian energy demand.

August 30, 2010

Austrian Banks in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe

According to a recent comparative study from the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), the long-term commitment of Austrian banks in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) offers good prospects.

August 27, 2010

Albania - Green light for new power plant of Verbund and EVN

The EU's competition authorities have approved a joint power plant project of Verbund and EVN in Albania.

August 20, 2010

Vienna Insurance Group: increase the proportion of TBIH to 100 percent

After taking the lead in the TBIH Financial Services Group NV (TBIH), the Vienna Insurance Group agreed with Kardan Financial Services BV to acquire its minority stake of 40 percent.

July 23, 2010

Hungary gives bank tax its blessing

The new Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will not abandon the highly controversial tax, as decided in Parliament.

July 22, 2010

East-Europe Bank - "Hungary carries risks of infection"

The proposed bank tax against the wishes of the IMF is not a good sign, says the head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

July 20, 2010

EVN - Majority of Bulgarian Gorna Arda is sought

Lower Austrian electricity company plans to acquire 70 percent of a hydroelectric project.

July 20, 2010

Hungary rejects additional austerity measures

Hardened front between the Hungarian government on the one hand and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the EU on the other side: highly-indebted Hungary has ruled out further austerity measures.

July 19, 2010

Vienna Stock Exchange buys 16.5 percent stake of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange

The Vienna stock exchange holding company, CEE Stock Exchange Group (CEESEG AG), has made some arrangements with minority shareholders of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange to purchase the remaining shares of its Slovenian subsidiary.

July 15, 2010

Hungarian burden for Austro-banks

Raiffeisen International (RI) CEO Herbert Stepic expressed his concerns during a general conference.

July 9, 2010

Siemens - Major contract in the Czech Republic

Siemens to build a photovoltaic system for about €10m

July 8, 2010

Hungary rejects amendments to bank levy

At the start of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Hungarian government ruled out an amendment of the introduction of the controversial bank tax.

July 7, 2010

Strabag loses job over €3b ($3,7b) in Bosnia

Strabag will terminate its order for a highway bypass in Bosnia. The project was not advertised, which is why the EBRD did not participate in the financing. The Austrian construction group Strabag is negotiating the resolution of a €3b motorway contra

July 5, 2010

Antitrust accusations against Polish subsidiary

The Polish Strabag subsidiary is under investigation for cartel collusion in public tenders.

July 2, 2010

Unemployment in euro countries unchanged

Lowest rate in Austria - Spain and Latvia, most affected Unemployment in the 16 euro countries will remain unchanged at high levels. In May the rate was ten percent, as the European statistics agency Eurostat announced on Friday in Luxembourg.

July 2, 2010

Nowotny strongly criticizes the Hungarian bank tax

The Austrian central bank chief Ewald Nowotny has practiced unusually sharp criticism of the Hungarian government, more specifically at the proposed Hungarian bank tax.

June 30, 2010

Liquid-gas-project in Croatia delayed

The liquid-gas-project in Croatia, Adria LNG, in which OMV is involved with about one third will be postponed for at least three years.

June 21, 2010

Gazprom plans to enter Slovakian market

The gas company will take over the subsidiary Energo Vemex in Slovakia.

June 16, 2010

Hungary - Orbán's crusade has what it takes for an export success

Viktor Orbán could have used his appearance at the IIF conference in Vienna to refurbish the image of his bankrupt government.

June 15, 2010

SW Umwelttechnik - Order intake - First Bulgarian and Moldovan projects

A new canalisation system consisting of a sewer drain and a wastewater treatment plant is being constructed in Rousse with the help of EU aid programmes.

June 10, 2010

Raiffeisen launching Zuno

Raiffeisen International is starting a direct bank with the pretty name Zuno, which will start this year in Slovakia.

June 8, 2010

EVN scores a gas deal in Croatia

A new gas pipeline built by Austrian energy provider EVN will provide thousands of Croats.

June 2, 2010

STRABAG wins new large orders worth € 156 million in Romania and Abu Dhabi

STRABAG, Central and Eastern Europe’s largest construction company, has won two new large orders in Romania and Abu Dhabi.

June 2, 2010

Telekom Austria AG - Results for the First Quarter 2010

Revenues decline by 5.9% to EUR 1,126.0 million primarily driven by lower revenues in domestic operations and Bulgaria.

May 27, 2010

Strabag to team up with Lafarage

Strabag boss Hans Peter Haselsteiner said today his company wanted to protect itself from volatile cement market prices as the firm is set to cooperate with the cement production’s world market leader.

May 26, 2010

Lafarge and Strabag to create a common company in cement in CEE

Lafarge, the world leader in building materials, and STRABAG, Central and Eastern Europe´s largest construction company, are combining their cement activities in several countries of Central Europe.

May 25, 2010

CEE oil & gas - MOL releases Q1 2010 financial results

The Hungarian-based MOL, one of the largest integrated oil and gas companies in Central and Eastern Europe, today posted its Q1 2010 unaudited financial results.

May 21, 2010

CEESEG - Institutional Investors’ Demand Increasing Again

The institutional investors’ demand for the companies listed on the member exchanges of CEESEG is growing again after the difficult market situation following the financial crisis.

May 19, 2010

Romania - BRD Groupe Société Générale to overtake the largest bank Banca Comercială Română (BRC)

Ambitious goals for the Development Bank Romania (BRD): The second-largest institute of the country that belongs to the French Societe Generale (SG) wishes to ascend to the largest bank in Romania by 2015 - and thus pass “Erste” subsidiary BCR.

May 18, 2010