Sponsored Content
Vienna International Community - People in the News - Latest Headlines
Read updated news about key players in Vienna's international community, such as expats, executives, politicians, diplomats, investors, artists and others.
Poland: PKO BP Bond Rated A2
Rating agency Moody’s gave an “A2” with a negative outlook on the € 500m bond by Polish key lender PKO BP.
January 23, 2014
Hypo Group: Decision Within First Quarter of 2014
The long-awaited meeting between the government and Hypo Group’s taskforce has been fixed to find a solution of the Austrian problem bank. The option of a bank participation is still on top of the list.
January 23, 2014
Austria: Savings to Shrink Further
According to Erste Group, the amount to be saved continues to shrink substantially. What is more, average loan amounts are declining moderately.
January 22, 2014
Uniqa Growing Faster Than Czech Insurance Market
Insurance group Uniqa reveals a significant increase in premiums in the first three quarter in 2013. Moreover, Uniqa showed an increase of CZK 3.3bn in the sector non-life insurance and CZK 877m in life insurances.
January 22, 2014
Bank Dispute between Croatia and Slovenia Reappears
Last year Slovenia was ordered in the first instance to pay back the foreign currency deposits of LB’s former affiliate in Sarajevo.
January 22, 2014
Austria: Debt Rate Rises Unstoppably
In the third quarter last year the Austrian public debt rate increased significantly compared to the previous quarter.
January 22, 2014
Croatia Supports Albania in EU Accession Course
Albania hopes that EU Accession Negotiations will take place in June 2014.
January 22, 2014
Austrian Bank Levy: “Penalty Gone Wild”
On the basis of a new method of calculation around € 90m more in bank levy should be generated compared to the previous year.
January 22, 2014
Vienna Congress comsult 2014: "Europe - Setting Directions"
Distinguished participants from industry, politics and the business community such as the former German Minister of Finance and Member of the German Bundestag Peer Steinbrück, the former President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus, Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein Thomas Zwiefelhofer, Mastermind of David Cameron, Phillip Blond, Member of the European Parliament Paul Rübig, economist and co-founder of AfD Bernd Lucke and Iain Begg, professorial research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science are currently dicussing this issue in Vienna.
January 21, 2014
Czech Economy to Grow Not Sooner than 2016
The Czech economy will struggle to show economic growth both this and next year, according to the Czech Federation of Trade Unions CMKOS.
January 21, 2014
Austria: Nowotny Calls for Fast Decision on Hypo Group
The Governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) presses the government to act quickly and avoid further straining the budget and burdening the taxpayers.
January 21, 2014
Erste to Maintain Business in Hungary
According to CEO of Erste Group’s Hungarian affiliate, the bank will remain in the country to expand business activity.
January 21, 2014
Serbia: "Kosovo Part of Whole Package"
Serbia hopes to join the union until the year 2020. The solving of the issue with Kosovo remains a key condition. Austrian Foreign Minister Kurz stresses the importance of the region becoming a part of the European Union.
January 21, 2014
Czech Republic: New Government Facing Bumpy Road
The first obstacles for forming a new government seem to have been surmounted – for the time being.
January 21, 2014
Spindelegger Met Almunia: „Bank Aids Were No Issue“
Today, Austrian Minister of Finance Michael Spindelegger has met Commissioner for competition Joaquin Almunia.
January 20, 2014
Austria: Fischer Calls Upon Respect of Human Rights
At the New Year Reception for the diplomatic corps in Austria, President Heinz Fischer called upon the strict compliance to human rights.
January 20, 2014
Poland to Do without Further Bond Issues
Poland will abstain from issuing new US-Dollar or Eurobonds.
January 20, 2014
Kotian: “Growth in CEE is Accelerating“
In an interview with Austrian daily “Wirtschafts-Blatt”, CEE expert at Erste Group, Juraj Kotian, points out that the bond market is expected to see growth supported by the successful reduction of debts and high economic growth.
January 20, 2014
Austrian Banks to Resist Further Burdens?
Podium discussion at Viennese law firm Binder Grösswang.
January 20, 2014
Austrian Office Market: Boom is Over
The increase in new construction has reached a new low. According to Bernhard Reikersdorfer (CEO of Remax Austria), the price situation will remain stable.
January 20, 2014
Mitterlehner: „Hypo Group Must Not Burden State Budget“
Austria´s Minister of Economics underlined that the Austrian government is looking for an effective and cost-saving solution for the nationalized Lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria.
January 20, 2014
Austria Far from Reaching Fiscal Targets
Josef Moser, President of the Austrian Audit Court fears that the zero deficit cannot be achieved until 2016.
January 18, 2014
„Hungarian Economy Must be Rearranged“
István Töröcskei thinks that the Hungarian banking sector is highly interesting. In general, the financial sector must help to develop the Hungarian economy, Töröcskei argues.
January 18, 2014
Croatia: “Loose Monetary Policy Shows First Signs of Success”
Boris Vujcic, governor of HNB (Croatian National Bank) thinks that the quantitative easing policy works.
January 17, 2014
Czech Republic: Sobotka Sworn in as PM
Head of the Czech Social Democrats (CSSD), Bohuslav Sobotka, was sworn in as new Prime Minister by President Milos Zeman on Friday afternoon.
January 17, 2014
Slovenia: Controversies over Ambassador’s Statements
Joseph Mussomeli, US ambassador to Slovenia, needs to justify himself to the Slovenian Foreign Ministry over his statements about the country’s independence.
January 17, 2014
Hungary: Forex Loan Problem to be Solved
According to the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), the problem of the foreign-exchange loans could be solved in the next half year.
January 17, 2014
Audit Court Criticizes Austrian Government Sharply
Josef Moser, president of the Austrian Audit Court, has sharply criticized the government’s resolution.
January 17, 2014
WSE to Become Regional Leader?
The Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) hopes to take over a “dominant” role in trading in Central Europe, as announced by GPW, the bourse’s operator, on Thursday.
January 17, 2014
Bank Levy: Austrian Regional Banks Under High Pressure
The Austrian government will raise the bank levy significantly. Smaller banks have to perform disproportionately high taxes, Oberbank´s CEO Franz Gasselsberger says.
January 16, 2014
BayernLB Bought Hypo Group Alpe Adria above Value
Apparently former member of BayernLB’s supervisory board acquired Hypo Group Alpe Adria above its value.
January 16, 2014
Immofinanz: Good Prospects for 2014
Immofinanz is one of the major real estate enterprises in both Austria and Europe.
January 16, 2014
Austria: What Happened to the Budget Gap?
The question remains even after the government was confirmed and the first tax package presented.
January 16, 2014
Bulgaria: Loan Portfolios Expected to Increase
The increase in industrial production will have a positive effect on the number of loans taken out.
January 16, 2014
Causa Aliyev: Austrian Justice Minister under Pressure
Austrian Justice Minister Brandstetter has registered more former members of the Kazakh secret service than was previously known.
January 16, 2014
Austria Inflation Rate Dropped in 2013
Last year the overall annual inflation rate dropped to 2.0 percent after 2.4 percent in the previous year.
January 16, 2014
Expansion Course of Austrian Banks Slowed Down
After the financial crisis cooled down the expansion course of Austrian banks in CESEE countries was dampened down.
January 16, 2014
S&P: Polish Banks to Remain “Strongly Profitable”
In 2014’s outlook on Polish banks rating agency Standard&Poor; announced that Polish banks are expected to benefit from an ongoing economic recovery and remain “strongly profitable”.
January 15, 2014
Sajdik New Chairman of UN ECOSOC
The Austrian diplomat Martin Sajdik became President of the Economic and Social Council, which is one of the most important bodies of the UN.
January 15, 2014
Property Market: Vienna More Attractive than Berlin or Munich
Compared to German metropolises, the Viennese property market has still a significant upside potential. Nevertheless, the office market in Vienna is expected to stagnate in the next few years.
January 15, 2014
Bank Austria Declines Selling Plans in Ukraine
CEO of Bank Austria, Gianni Franco Papa, rejects rumors about Bank Austria intending to leave the Ukraine.
January 14, 2014
CA Immo: Operating Performance above Expectations
CA Immo: Strong performance in 2013 boosts profitability and share price development.
January 14, 2014
Nowotny Sees Growth Potential in Eurozone and CEE
According to Ewald Nowotny, governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB), the outlooks for economic upturn in the Eurozone and Central/Eastern Europe have improved significantly compared to only a year ago.
January 14, 2014
Bank Austria Generates Fresh Capital
On Monday, January 13, UniCredit Bank Austria issued its first mortgage bond for 2014 to strengthen its capital base.
January 14, 2014
CESEE: Lack in FDI Causes Modest Economic Growth
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is cautiously optimistic about economic growth in CESEE.
January 14, 2014
Austria: Expert Paper for Hypo Group’s Bad Bank
An expert paper about possible downsizing options for state-controlled problem bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria is expected to be handed in to the government until the middle of the week.
January 13, 2014
Serbia Facing Testing Year
The Serbian government is currently working on a plan to improve the competitiveness of domestic enterprises.
January 13, 2014
Austrian Budget Planning to be Completed in May
The six groups in the National Assembley have agreed to the parliamentary plan for the first half year of 2014.
January 13, 2014
Austria: VBAG Not to Receive Further Aids
Ailing banking institute VBAG of the Austrian Volksbanken Group will not be granted further state aids.
January 13, 2014
Poland: Finance Minister Optimistic About Growth
According to Finance Minister Mateusz Szczurek, economic growth in Poland could exceed three percent year-on-year in 2015.
January 10, 2014