Slovakia in Austria | Slovaks in Vienna | Bilateral Relations

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

Austria Remains One of the Biggest CESEE Investors

Austria is still an important net investor in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. However, the global importance of the region did not increase.

July 6, 2012

Energochemica Enters the Prague Stock Exchnage

Energochemcia SE officially announced its intention to enter the Prague Stock Exchange (PSE). The company wants to focus on acquisitions of key energy and chemical industry companies.

June 29, 2012

Treichl: „Europe Does Not Need the Euro“

Andreas Treichl, CEO of Austrian Erste Group thinks that the European Union would work very well without the common currency. A common army would be more important.

June 25, 2012

Austria Pushes for Danube Strategy

Together with Germany, Slovakia and Bulgaria, Austria wants to implement a common transport strategy for the Danube.

June 21, 2012

Fischer Has Understanding for Bank Tax in Slovakia

Slovakia wants to introduce bank taxes. Austria´s Federal President Heinz Fischer, who met his Slovakian counterpart Ivan Gasparovic, does not have objections.

June 9, 2012

Massive Gap in Purchasing Power

Purchasing Power Parities 2012: Higher travel costs for overseas destinations; Austrians' purchasing power 40–70% above the level in Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary.

May 21, 2012

Vienna Airport Considers Entering at Bratislava Airport

Bratislava Airport starts a request of proposal for airport operations. Vienna International Airport is interested. In Vienna, the third rope will be built in 2016 at the earliest.

April 25, 2012

Alpine: Best Bidder in Slovakia

The Austrian construction company has good prospects to receive a major contract in Slovakia. The contract volume is € 126.3m.

April 18, 2012

Lutz Continues Expansion Program

The world´s second largest furniture house intends to grow in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

April 7, 2012

FDI: Cautious Optimism in Slovakia

Austrian and German investors are still optimistic concerning Slovakia´s economy. The majority expects a slight acceleration of Slovakia´s economy growth.

April 3, 2012

Frauenthal Expands into Slovakia

The Austrian conglomerate acquires a Slovak sanitary retailer. The automotive segment recovers, CEO Moser says.

April 2, 2012

EStAG Reports Moderate Rise in Earnings

The Styrian energy supplier Energie Steiermark AG could raise revenues by 9.0% to 1.37bn. Operating profits were down, though.

March 30, 2012

RBI Optimizes Its Structure of Participations

EBA decides not to recognize privately placed participation capital. RZB Group will nevertheless meet the EBA target, the bank argues.

March 8, 2012

Uniqa Aims for Growth in CESEE Region

The Austrian insurance group wants to sell stakes by the minority shareholders of subsidiaries in Eastern Europe. The capital increase is scheduled for 2013.

March 5, 2012

Eder: „Environmental Policy Endangers Economy“

Voestalpine´s CEO criticizes environmental specifications made by EU and domestic politics. Eder sees the danger of a de-industrialization.

March 5, 2012

Gigasport Withdraws from Czech Republic and Slovakia

The Austrian sports brand closes twelve branches in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 280 workers are affected.

March 1, 2012

Polytec Aims For Expanding in Asia

Friedrich Huemer, CEO of the Austrian automotive supplier, wants to start investments in China and India.

February 27, 2012

CSC Establishes its CEE Headquarters in Vienna

The U.S. IT service supplier CSC upgrades the Viennese subsidiary as regional headquarters for ten countries.

February 22, 2012

Sberbank Upgrades VBI´s Headquarter in Vienna

After the acquisition of the Austrian VBI, the Russian bank wants to expand massively in Europe.

February 20, 2012

A-Tec´s Quota to Reach 30%

In July, the insolvency quota of A-Tec will be paid to creditors. The quota will range from 30% to 35%.

February 10, 2012

CEE Countries with Bigger Space for Higher Bond Yields

Romania, Czech Republic and Slovakia with biggest room for manoeuvre in case yields would spike; Hungary should avoid financing at +6%, says Erste Group.

February 6, 2012

3E Group Grows in Eastern Europe

The Austrian building material company´s revenues were up by 3.2% in 2011. Total sales reached € 546m.

January 30, 2012

Lutz Enters Croatia

The Austrian furniture store group opens its largest center in the SEE region. Market leader Ikea follows in autumn 2012.

January 26, 2012

Austrian Banks Hold € 18bn in Foreign Sovereign Bonds

At the end of October 2011, the exposure of Austrian banks in foreign sovereign bonds was € 18.1bn. The largest volumes are invested in Poland and Italy.

January 19, 2012

Oberbank Satisfied with 2011 Results

The Austrian Oberbank achieved “excellent“ results last year, CEO Gasselsberger stated. Profits were up by 5.5%.

January 17, 2012

Treichl Does Not Expect Hungarian National Insolvency

In spite of a large exposure in Hungary, Andreas Treichl, Erste Group´s CEO is optimistic. By 2014, Erste Group Hungary should be profitable again.

January 14, 2012

DiTech Raises Sales by 9.0%

The Vienna-based computer retailer recorded sales of € 105m in 2011.

January 14, 2012

RZB Issued Participation Capital

The Austrian banking group optimizes its structure by acquiring shareholdings in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

December 30, 2011

Vienna Airport – Decline in Net Profit Due to Special Effects

Results were burdened by impairment charges and non-recurring effects relating to the Skylink terminal extension and the investment in Košice Airport. Net profit amounted to € 20.2m.

November 24, 2011

OMV to Sell Petrol Stations to Slovak Slovnaft

The Austrian oil and gas group OMV has already announced its downsizing strategy in the petrol station business. Slovnaft, a Slovak subsidiary of the Hungarian MOL, shows interest.

November 22, 2011

Conference on European Economic Integration

“European Integration in a Global Economic Setting – CESEE, China and Russia“. Conference jointly organized by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and Suomen Pankki – Finlands Bank.

November 18, 2011

Vienna Airport Issues Profit Warning

Non-recurring effects and impairment charges of € 74m have a negative effect on results for the first nine months of 2011; preliminary net profit for the period falls to € 20m.

November 18, 2011

Vienna Insurance Group Reports Moderate Rise in Profits

Profit (before taxes) went up by about 10 percent to € 414.1m. Group premiums rose by 4.0 percent to € 6.8bn.

November 15, 2011

Growth Potential in CEE Banking Sector

The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International has a very favourable growth outlook for six CEE banking markets representing 80 per cent of the region's total banking assets

November 8, 2011

Germans Are Savings Champions Followed by Austrians

Erste Group Savings Study: Germans save most (€ 180 per month), followed by Austrians (€ 168) and Britons (€ 160). In CEE, the Czechs and Slovaks (€ 90) are the tireless savers.

October 27, 2011

Rabmer Building Opens a New Subsidiary in Poland

Rabmer Building has established a Polish subsidiary. Already since last year the Polish market has been managed by eleven employees from Bydgoszcz.

October 24, 2011

Negative Results for S&T

The Austrian IT service provider S&T had to report losses in the third quarter of 2011. Sales were below expectations.

October 22, 2011

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

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

Austrian Railways to be Widened

The EU Commission declares the Austrian South Axis to be strategically important.

October 19, 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

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

Slovakia Approved EFSF

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

October 13, 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

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

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