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Austria and Serbia - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, investment, diplomacy, culture and tourism

Sale of Hypo Group: Small Number of Potential Buyers

In 2014, Hypo Group´s assets will be sold. It is not certain whether there will be a bad bank or not. Even a bankruptcy is not completely excluded.

December 7, 2013

Hypo Alleged of Having Hoarded Assets of Former Serbian Regime

A Serbian NGO suspects assets of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic at Hypo Group Alpe Adria. The Austrian bank strongly rejects this allegation.

December 6, 2013

Sevelda: „We Are Close to the Breaking Point“

In a guest comment published by the Austrian business magazine Format, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International Karl Sevelda refers to the high burden for Austrian banks.

November 29, 2013

„We Can Exclude a Bankruptcy of Hypo Group”

Ewald Nowotny, governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) and Klaus Liebscher, head of Hypo Group´s supervisory board argue that the nationalized bank will be downsized according to plan.

November 29, 2013

CESEE: Slight Growth Acceleration, but Uncertainties Persist

The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) has published the economic forecast for the CESEE region today. The economic performance varies substantially from country to country.

November 28, 2013

Serbia: Further Austerity Measures Probable

In October, Serbia´s government has resolved a drastic austerity package.

November 27, 2013

CESEE: Austrian Banks Face New Challenges

For Austrian banks, the assessment by the ECB may bring new difficulties. Non-performing loans in CESEE are said to be higher than officially known.

November 26, 2013

Serbia: Inflation Rate at Lowest Level in a Decade

The Western Balkan country is expected to reach the lowest inflation rate in ten years.

November 25, 2013

Wide Parts of CESEE Region Below Pre-Crisis Level

In terms of economic output, a large number of CESEE countries have not reached the level of 2008 yet. The growth outlook remains cautious.

November 25, 2013

Nowotny: Must Avoid Bubble in CESEE

In order to avoid another asset bubble like in 2008, loan growth has to be monitored, governor of Austrian National Bank Ewald Nowotny says.

November 19, 2013

Western Balkans Struggling with NPL

The high percentage of non-performing loans in the Western Balkan region is affecting the financial stability of the region’s countries.

November 11, 2013

CESEE: Growth Remains Below Potential

Today, the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) has published its economic outlook for the CESEE region. The reform pressure is growing, Anthony Willams at EBRD wrote.

November 11, 2013

UniCredit: Net Income Driven By CESEE

Italian UniCredit Group´s quarterly net income was down by 40%. Losses in Italy could be more than offset by the results in Poland and Bank Austria´s contributions.

November 11, 2013

Hypo Group: Urgent Need for Fresh Money

The ailing nationalized bank Austrian Hypo Group Alpe Adria has a capital shortfall of € 1.3bn. The gap must be closed before the end of the year.

November 11, 2013

Serbian Banking Sector: Weak Regulatory Environment

In the last years, Serbia´s banking industry did not record any significant growth impulses. Foreign-exchange loans were reduced substantially.

November 9, 2013

Serbia: Key Policy Rate Cut to 10 Percent

In its meeting on November 7, the NBS Executive Board voted to cut the key policy rate by half a percentage point, to 10 percent.

November 8, 2013

Serbia: Only Minor Growth Expected

In 2014 the Western Balkan state is expected to achieve only an insignificant economic growth rate.

November 6, 2013

Banking Sector Reduces Lending

Instead of offering loans to the corporate sector, banks tend to invest in sovereign bonds. The CESEE region is particularly affected by this.

November 6, 2013

CESEE Region: Booming Exports Prevent Recession

The underlying reason for the improving economic sentiment in the CESEE region is the expanding industrial sector. However, the region remains vulnerable to foreign trade and foreign investments.

November 5, 2013

Serbia: FDI as Driver for Economy

Further decline in FDI could affect economic growth in the Western Balkan state. The Serbian government announced to push forward with amendmends to improve business environment and boost economic growth.

November 4, 2013

Boost for Municipal Infrastructure in the Western Balkans

EBRD and KfW launch new €100 million fund

November 4, 2013

Slovak Banking Industry Records Growing Net Income

In the first nine months of 2013, Slovakia´s banking sector recorded a total net profit of € 449m.

November 1, 2013

Visegrad Countries Encourage Western Balkans to Join EU

Representatives from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary support the EU accession of Western Balkan countries.

October 31, 2013

Lopatka: EU Enlargement Process of Western Balkans Decisive for Austria

“Non-Enlargement” of Western Balkan states would be fatal for Austrian businesses operating in the region and the national economy.

October 31, 2013

Serbia: Privredna Banka to Face Bankruptcy Proceedings

National Bank of Serbia annuls the operating license from Privredna banka. Bankruptcy proceedings are ahead.

October 29, 2013

CESEE: „The Growth Model Was not Sustainable“

Franz Seiringer, economist at EBRD, underlines that the CESEE countries are on the right track. The region is working on a new growth model, he told “Wirtschaftsblatt”.

October 29, 2013

Hypo Group to Create Bad Bank

After months of considerations, the Austrian government will decide for the bad bank. The nationalized banking group will be a major burden for the state.

October 26, 2013

Southeastern Europe Initiates Common Economic Strategy

In Croatia´s capital Zagreb, the Southeast European countries agreed on putting more common effort into innovation based growth strategies.

October 26, 2013

Hypo Group: Worst Expectations May be Exceeded

For the Austrian state, the ailing nationalized banking group may become a financial GSA. The legal dispute with the former owner BayernLB bears enormous dangers for Austria´s public finance.

October 25, 2013

Telekom Austria: Massive Capital Increase Ahead

In order to implement its expansion strategy, the Austrian telecommunication group will carry out a capital increase next year. In total, the capital requirement comes at € 1.0bn.

October 25, 2013

Serbia: Komercijalna Banka Supported by EFSE

Serbian Komercijalna Banka received a credit line of € 20m from the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE).

October 24, 2013

Serbia Wants to Become Full EU Member Asap

The Western Balkan is serious in building a relationship with the European Union.

October 23, 2013

Public Debt: CESEE Countries Below EU Average

At the end of the first half of 2013, the EU public debt quota reached 86.8% of GDP. Western Europe´s public debt level is significantly higher than in Eastern Europe.

October 23, 2013

Uniqa to Aquire Western Balkan Insurance Companies

Listed insurance company Uniqa will take over Croatian and Serbian affiliates of Swiss insurance group Baloise (Basler) to strengthen its market position in the Western Balkan states.

October 22, 2013

Serbia Cuts Interest Rate

The executive board of the Serbian National Bank decided to lower the key policy rate by half a percentage point, to 10.5 percent.

October 21, 2013

“Problems in the CESEE Region Are Mainly Fundamental”

In an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, Reza Moghadam, director of the IMF´s European Department, says that the weakness of the CESEE region is not only cyclical.

October 18, 2013

IMF Warns of Financial Instability in CESEE

Due to the high non-performing loan quota and the deleveraging of Western banks, the countries of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe are still far from financial stability.

October 18, 2013

Serbia: EU Candidacy to Accelerate Reforms

On the occasion of a meeting with head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Serbia´s Prime Minister Ivica Dacic expressed his willingness to deepen the reform process.

October 17, 2013

EU Enlargement: Commission Recommends to Take Up Albania and Macedonia

In a set of annual reports adopted, the European Commission recommends granting EU candidate status to Albania and for the fifth time in a row, the opening of accession negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

October 17, 2013

Bulgaria Supports Trans Adriatic Pipeline

During yesterday’s world media meeting, on behalf of his country Bulgarian President Rosen Plevniev expressed his support of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project (TAP).

October 16, 2013

Austrians Opposed to EU Enlargement

According to a survey, the majority of Austrians are opposed to an EU Accession of Turkey and Western Balkan States.

October 16, 2013

Albania: Economic Growth below Potential

Structural reforms are needed to boost productivity and competitiveness and avoid weaknesses, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

October 15, 2013

Austria: Purchasing Power Grows Slightly

According to a study published by RegioData Research, Austria could improve its level of purchasing power in the years from 2008 to 2012.

October 15, 2013

Experts Urge Serbia to Accelerate Austerity Measures

It is still questionable whether the austerity measures announced by the Serbian government are sufficient.

October 15, 2013

Serbia’s Participation in South Stream Not at Risk

According to Petar Skundic, Serbian energy advisor to the Prime Minister, the gas pipeline project is not imperiled by the government’s austerity measures.

October 14, 2013

Serbia: FX Reserves Shrink

NBS FX reserves amounted to EUR 10,444.5 million at end-September, covering M1 by 333 percent and more than seven months of imports of goods and services. Inflation remains stable.

October 11, 2013

Erste Observes SEE Region Intensively

Vienna-listed Erste Group, which is the third-biggest lender in the CESEE region, wants to expand into Southeastern Europe.

October 11, 2013

Telekom Austria: No Expansion into Serbia

For Telekom Austria, the entry in Serbia fails for the second time. The Austrian telecommunication group will not submit an offer for Serbia Broadband (SBB).

October 10, 2013

Southeastern Europe: Property Market Clashes

Since mid-2012, the property market in Southeastern Europe shrinks drastically. In Croatia, house prices fell by 20%.

October 10, 2013

IMF: Serbia´s Reforms are Not Sufficient

On the occasion of a visit in Serbia, the IMF commented the efforts of the Serbian government to cut the budget gap. The austerity cuts are right, but the country needs further reforms, IMF´s team said.

October 10, 2013