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Budget Deficit
Slovenia: First Budget Surplus in 2013
For the first time this year, Slovenia shows a budget surplus of € 15m. However, the deficit of the first eight months is as high as € 1.3bn, according to data by the Finance Ministry.
September 20, 2013
Slovenia: Privatization Program to Boost FDI?
The government of the financially ailing country is forced to privatize a substantial part of the publicly held companies. Prime Minister Bratusek hopes foreign direct investments to increase.
September 20, 2013
Wifo: Economy Remains Competitive Despite High Wages
Head of Wifo (Austrian Institute for Economic Research), Karl Aiginger, calls for a change of views in economic policy as competitiveness is more than just low costs.
September 18, 2013
Austria: ÖVP Rejects Tax Reforms by Social Democrats
Chancellor and Leader of the Social Democrats Werner Faymann is in favor of lower taxes on wages. His model includes reliefs of up to € 1,011 annually. However, coalition partner, the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) rejects the plans.
September 18, 2013
IHS/WIFO: Austrian Hypo Group Needs Bad Bank
Christian Keuschnigg and Karl Aiginger claim that the nationalized Austrian bank should be split into a “good” and a “bad” part. Austria´s public debt would increase substantially.
September 16, 2013
Slovenia: Bankruptcy Without ECB/ESM?
Without external aid, Slovenia will not manage its severe financial crisis, experts say. A bail-out becomes more likely.
September 15, 2013
Austria Must Implement Liquidation Mechanism for Banks
In order to minimize fiscal losses, Austrian problem banks should be liquidates soon, IMF claims. In this case, Austria would not reach its fiscal targets in the next years.
September 13, 2013
Austria: IMF Pushes for Tax Reform
The International Monetary Fund recommends re-considering the tax system. The Austrian wage taxes are too high, IMF criticizes.
September 13, 2013
Poland: Government Gives Green Light to Budget Draft
The Polish Government has approved the budget plan for 2014 with the deficit gap closing further after a refurbishment of the private pension system.
September 9, 2013
Poland: Re-Nationalization of Pension Scheme
Poland takes back the partial privatization of pension system. The re-nationalization does not affect Poland´s sovereign debt rating.
September 7, 2013
Faymann: “Banks Should Pay for Hypo”
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann does not consider a new austerity package necessary despite of the threatening billions of Euros for the selling and winding-up of the ailing bank.
September 5, 2013
Slovenia: Recession Goes On
In the second quarter, Slovenia´s GDP was down by 1.7% year on year. This year, Slovenia´s GDP will fall by 3.0%, economists say.
September 2, 2013
Poland: Economy Begins to Accelerate
In the third quarter of 2013, Poland´s economy will grow by 1.0% year on year.
August 31, 2013
Czech Republic: Early Vote No Danger for Sovereign Debt Rating
The current instable political situation is no significant risk factor for the Czech rating yet, the U.S. rating agency Fitch says.
August 25, 2013
Fitch Cuts Outlook for Poland
Due to the change in Poland´s fiscal policy, the U.S. rating agency lowers the rating outlook for Poland from „positive“ to „stable“.
August 25, 2013
Turkey: Capital Outflow Endangers Economic Stability
The monetary and economic stability is under enormous pressure. Turkey´s National Bank does not have sufficient reserve to support the Turkish lira.
August 24, 2013
Poland: Budget Amendment Passed in Parliament
In order to adapt to the slow economic growth the government has amended the budet by permitting this year’s budget deficit to increase to PLN 16bn as well as approving PLN in spending cut, as announced at a press conferenced on Tuesday.
August 21, 2013
Turkey Wants to Stop Capital Outflow
The Turkish government plans to attract more investors. By lower taxes, foreign capital of Turkish nationals should come back to Turkey.
August 17, 2013
Slovenian PM Convinced Agreement on 2014 Budget Will Be Reached
Slovenian Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek is convinced an agreement will be reached regarding changes to the 2014 budget
August 13, 2013
Romania: Significant Drop in Purchase Power
General consumption climate is unfavorable in Europe at the moment.
August 12, 2013
Poland: Amendmends in 2013 Budget
Upper house approves law suspending fiscal restraints at 50 percent debt threshold
August 12, 2013
Commerzbank: Austria to Miss Budget Goals
Without a new austerity package, Austria will run up more debts than calculated in the bugdet plan, German Commerzbank says. The country’s AAA ratings are likely to decrease.
August 12, 2013
Slovenia: Stakes of at Least 80 Enterprises
The Slovenian state owns shares in at least 80 companies directly or indirectly.
August 8, 2013
Serbia: Public Debt Grows Unstopped
At end-March 2013, public debt of the Republic of Serbia4 amounted to EUR 19.4 bln, up by EUR 1.7 bln on end-2012.
August 7, 2013
Serbia: Moderate Upward Trend
In the first three months, Serbia´s GDP was up by 0.5%. However, domestic demand is still declining.
August 6, 2013
Slovenia: Economic Sentiment Stabilizes
This year, Slovenia will not be able to leave the recession behind. However, the economic sentiment begins to improve in some sectors.
August 5, 2013
Romania Initiates Structural Reforms
In order to receive a precautionary loan from the IMF, Romania´s government will implement a series of reform steps. Above all, Romania starts privatizations again. Romania´s economic outlook continues to brighten.
August 3, 2013
S&P: Croatia Downgraded Again
The rating agency puts the outlook on Croatia from „stable“ to „negative“. The rating remains unchanged.
August 2, 2013
Russia: Consumer Debt Grows Persistently
Russia´s Central Bank wants to stop the increasing debt servicing costs for Russian households.
August 2, 2013
Romania’s Economic Recovery Expected to Strengthen.
Staff teams from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission (EC), and the World Bank visited Bucharest Romania during July 17–31.
August 1, 2013
Serbia: No Early Elections Despite of Break of Coalition
Dismissal of Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic. URS is leaving the governmental alliance. Despite of a break of the coalition, there will be no early elections in Serbia.
July 31, 2013
Czech Republic: Unwilling to Join Eurozone?
In 2012, the country missed two out of four criteria for the introduction of the single currency. According to the statistical office it was the worst result in five years. It is not yet clear when the Czech Republic is ready to join the Eurozone.
July 31, 2013
Bulgaria: Danger of Policy Drifting
Bulgaria's fundamentals are strong but politics suggest policy drift.
July 31, 2013
Czech Republic to Remain in Recession
The Czech economy will, according to the Finance Ministry in Prague, shrink by 1.5 percent and only start growing again in 2014 by 0.8 percent.
July 26, 2013
Fekter: Debt reduction and tax reform are our absolute priorities
"We are on the right track"
July 25, 2013
Bulgarian Protests As Sign of New Understanding of Values
The great wave of protests in Bulgaria continues to sweep the country. Experts regard the demonstrations as a sign of a new understanding of values.
July 25, 2013
Poland: Opposition Calls for Parliamentary Inquiry
PiS chief opposition calls for parliamentary inquiry into public finances.
July 24, 2013
Austria: Economists Predict Rosy Days
The Austrian economy will be growing by 1.7 percent on an annual basis and is developing much better than the rest of the Eurozone, the Austrian Institute for Higher Studies (IHS) predicts.
July 24, 2013
Poland: Dispute Between NBP and Finance Ministry
Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski and Governor of Polish National Bank Marek Belka are blaming each other for the poor performance of Poland´s economy.
July 23, 2013
Orban: Not Joining Eurozone in the Next Ten Years
Hungary´s Prime Minister thinks that his country should not become a member of the euro area in the medium term.
July 23, 2013
Poland: Economic Trend Reversal Likely
In the 1st half of 2013, together with still unfavourable business tendencies on global markets, the economic slowdown maintained in Poland. However, forecasts give reason for cautious optimism..
July 23, 2013
Poland to Enter the Eurozone in the Medium Term
The biggest new EU member country will become a member of the Eurozone, political observers say unanimously. The only question is when.
July 23, 2013
Poland: Budget Deficit to Peak in 2013
This year, Poland´s budget deficit is expected to reach 4.4% of GDP. The country still has a stable public sector, Moody´s comments.
July 22, 2013
CESEE Countries Show More Fiscal Discipline
Euro area government debt up to 92.2% of GDP. EU27 debt up to 85.9%. The debt increase in Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic countries was very decent or even negative.
July 22, 2013
Hypo Group Needs Even More Money
The nationalized Austrian bank needs fresh funds of more than € 700m. For the Austrian taxpayers, the banking package becomes more and more costly.
July 21, 2013
Poland Tries to Manage Fiscal Balancing Act
On the one hand, Poland´s government wants to keep an eye on the Maastricht Criteria. On the other hand, the economic growth would shrink even more without a fiscal stimulus.
July 18, 2013
Turkey Considers Economic Re-Orientation
The Turkish government wants to shift its economic focus from Europe to Asia.
July 18, 2013
IMF to Leave Hungary
Hungary´s National Bank MNB has called the IMF to close its representative office. Hungary wants to repay the loan facility provided by the IMF soon.
July 16, 2013
Czech Republic: Gloomy Prospects for Economy
The Czech economy is shrinking. According to experts, new Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok will not be able to change much. Enterprises have started to cut back on investments.
July 12, 2013
Fekter: Capital Aids for Hypo Included in Next Budgets
Finance Minister Maria Fekter sticks to it: „We will reach a zero deficit in 2016 and have a slight surplus in 2017,”she announced during the presentation of the economic report 2013 on Wednesday.
July 11, 2013