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

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

Slovenia: Petition Against Real Estate Tax Initiated

On Monday, a petition against the planned real estate tax was initiated. In an attempt to reduce the massive fiscal shortfall, Slovenia is looking for new revenues. The property tax is supposed to bring about more than € 400m.

November 5, 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

Slovenia: Highest Contribution of GDP to ESM

As reported by Slovenia Times, the country has spent 2.8 percent of GDP for the Euro Stability Mechanism (ESM) last year.

November 4, 2013

Slovenia´s Government Hopes for More FDI

In order to promote more foreign direct investments, Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek plans to hold investment conferences across Europe.

November 1, 2013

Slovenia: Banking Act Approved

The Slovenian Parliament has voted for an amendment of the banking act. It is still unclear whether Slovenia is able to recapitalize the banking sector sufficiently.

November 1, 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

Slovenia on Top of Prosperous Countries in Emerging Europe

Slovenia is leading the list of prosperous countries in Emerging Europe. Bulgaria is on the last position.

October 30, 2013

Slovenia: Parliament Approves Amendmends to Banking Act

Measures were taken to reduce costs for winding up of two small Slovenian banks.

October 30, 2013

IMF on Slovenia: “Cleaning Up Banks is the Priority”

The IMF urges Slovenia to restructure its ailing banking sector. Slovenia faces expensive bank aid-programs.

October 29, 2013

Banking Sector: Pressure on Slovenia Grows

The IMF calls Slovenia to re-capitalize the banking sector immediately. However, Slovenia´s financial situation is already more than tense.

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

Slovenia: Significant Decline in Business Confidence

Sentiment indicator lower than in the previous month In October 2013 (-13 percentage points) the sentiment indicator was 1 percentage point lower than in September 2013 (-12 percentage points).

October 28, 2013

Slovenia: Bailout Comes Closer

The ailing country is not expected to manage the financial crisis on its own. Calling for support from Brussels seems to be the last remaining alternative.

October 28, 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

Bank Asset Review: Slovenia´s Government Satisfied

According to Slovenia´s Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek, Slovenia´s government has received full support for the bank asset review. ECB´s point of view is more critical, however.

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

Slovenia: NPC Increase to Above 17 Percent

The percentage of NPCs increased from 16.3 percent in June to 17.1 percent in July 2013.

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

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

Slovenia: Govenor of National Bank demands “Change of Mentality”

At a lecture planned by the Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), Bostjan Jazbec, govenor of Banka Slovenije, pointed out that the country could only blame itself for the current state it was in.

October 23, 2013

Slovenia: Real Estate Tax Wobbles

The ruling parties could not agree on a common standpoint yet. The controversial real estate tax may fail.

October 22, 2013

Slovenia: Banka Sparkasse Provided with Loan by EIB

EIB continues to support SME and mid-cap projects in Slovenia.

October 22, 2013

EBRD Analyzes Slovenia´s Difficulties

From October 21 to 25, a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will visit the ailing country.

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

Slovenia: Massive Concerns Against Real Estate Tax

The Slovenian government plans to introduce property taxes in order to reduce the budget deficit. The opposition warns that the tax may be “highly counterproductive”.

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

Slovenia Introduces Property Tax

In order to reduce the massive fiscal shortfall, Slovenia is looking for new revenues. The property tax may bring more than € 400m.

October 17, 2013

Slovenia: Income Falls Persistently

Average monthly earnings for August 2013 lower than in the previous month both in nominal and in real terms. Annual earnings were down by 2.5% in real terms.

October 17, 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

Calculated Optimism in Slovenia

Slovenia´s Ministry of Economics expects a return to growth in the course of next year. According ot economists, this forecast is leading to doubt.

October 15, 2013

Slovenia Does Not Fully Draw EU Funds

As the Slovenian projects will not be finished in time, the financially stricken country will fail drawing all funds.

October 12, 2013

IMF: „Banks and Companies in a Vicious Circle“

Not only Greece, Spain or Portugal are struggling with a financially stricken banking sector. In Southeastern Europe, the situation is quite similar.

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

Austria Remains Main Investor in Slovenia

Last year, almost the half of the foreign direct investments in Slovenia came from Austria.

October 11, 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

Slovenia Cannot Escape the Vicious Circle

Slovenia still aims to manage its banking crisis on its own. After the new economic forecast issued by Slovenia´s National Bank, this aim suffers another setback.

October 10, 2013

Bratusek: “We Are Paying for Your Debts”

On Tuesday Slovenian Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek presented the budget draft for 2014 and 2015 to the members of parliament.

October 9, 2013

Latest Edition of the SWOT Report of Raiffeisen Bank International has been Published

FriedlResearch has announced the publication of the latest edition of the "Raiffeisen Bank International AG - SWOT Analysis & Company Report". This report contains in depth information and data about RBI and its operations and markets.

October 8, 2013

Political Crisis in Slovenia to Sharpen Further

The power struggle between Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek and Ljubljana´s mayor Zoran Jankovic escalates. Jankovic is said to receive more support from his party.

October 5, 2013

UK: Growth Potential in CESEE

According to the IMF, the UK economy is not diversified sufficiently. Now, UK promotes exports to the CESEE region.

October 5, 2013

CESEE: Recovery Slow, but Stable

Corporate sentiment improving in major CEE countries as well, as the economic recovery begins to take root. Low point in interest rates has essentially been reached, rises in yields to follow trends in the developed markets, RZB says.

October 4, 2013

World Bank Supports Financial Reporting in CESEE

The World Bank launched a new program to strengthen corporate financial reporting in the countries of the EU’s Eastern Partnership.

October 3, 2013

Pecik to Buy Hypo Group´s SEE-Affiliates?

The Austrian investor Ronny Pecik is said to be interested in acquiring the Southeast European subsidiaries of nationalized Hypo Group.

October 2, 2013

Slovenia: Asset Quality Deteriorates Rapidly

The government of the financially stricken country comes more and more under pressure. In meantime, about 17% of the Slovenian loans are classified as “risky”.

October 1, 2013

Slovenia to Decide about Selling of Telekom Slovenije

The Slovenian government will decide upon the fate of Telekom Slovenije on Thursday, October 3.

October 1, 2013

Slovenian Government to Approve Adjusted Budget

The Slovenian government today plans on implementing the revised budget for next year and the draft for the 2015 budget.

September 30, 2013

Hypo Group: Sale of Assets in SEE to Take Forms

The nationalized Austrian bank Hypo Group sells its assets in Southeastern Europe. The SEE-holding company will be established until the beginning of October.

September 29, 2013

CESEE: Consumer Loans Decline Considerably

Since 2008, Austrian consumers tend to refrain from consumer credits. In the CESEE countries, the downward trend is even more obvious.

September 29, 2013

Austria: Fitch Confirms Triple A

Austria´s main weak point is the banking sector, the rating agency criticizes.

September 28, 2013