Latest Updates

BALKAN BLOG: Bulgaria’s two faces

The war in Ukraine has amplified the rift within Bulgaria between pro-Western liberals and illiberal pro-Russians.

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$Russia remaking EEU trade relations in an increasingly fractured world$

Russia remaking EEU trade relations in an increasingly fractured world

Russia took over the chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) at the start of this year and is looking to the trade club as one of the ways it can expand its trade after the Western world has increasingly cut ties due to sanctions.

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Poland has its own Swiss credit problem

The issue of the country's Swiss franc mortgages is coming to a head just as financial contagion is spreading in the wake of the collapse of SVB and the forced takeover of Credit Suisse.

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The first German Leopard 2, UK Challenger 2 tanks arrive in Ukraine

18 Leopard 2 tanks promised by the German government and the first Challenger 2 tanks pledged by the UK have arrived in Kyiv.

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HESS: Xi’s visit to Russia was a failure for Putin

The 20-21 March Moscow summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin has garnered significant attention and rightly so. It marks a significant change in the unfolding geopolitics.

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Masha Tsigal: Moscow’s 1990s it-girl on how war has changed fashion in Russia

Decades on from Russia’s wild 1990s, the country’s cultural landscape continues to be largely shaped by the enduring influence of the giants that hogged the limelight in the shadow of the former Soviet Union.

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Retail booms off the beaten track in Southeast Europe

Investment into new shopping centres is going strong in the smaller markets of the Western Balkans and outside the main cities in Southeast Europe's EU members where demand for new modern retail space is high.

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INTERVIEW: Ruben Vardanyan, ousted state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh

The status of the breakaway territory must be settled as part of any final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and this will require a joint effort of Russia and the West in the UNSC, says Armenian billionaire.

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Four Western Balkan countries pledge “100% compliance” with EU foreign policy

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Turkmenistan, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world for methane emissions

Slovakia in “information storm”, president warns as parliamentary chaos deepens

Four Western Balkan countries pledge “100% compliance” with EU foreign policy

Western Balkan QUAD countries stress commitment to democratic values and sanctions on Russia at Skopje meeting, but Serbia and Bosnia are conspicuously absent.

CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Turkmenistan, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world for methane emissions

Armed with evidence of “super-emitter” sites gathered by “satellite detectives”, climate change scientists will hope to persuade the Turkmens that measures to fix the leaks will pay for themselves.

Slovakia in “information storm”, president warns as parliamentary chaos deepens

Parliament passes resolution disagreeing with the European Parliament statement calling on Slovakia to do more to protect LGBTQ+ people.

News

Hungarian central bank ready to keep rates high for prolonged period

Monetary Council keeps base rate on hold at 13.00%.

Westinghouse, EDF to carry out pre-project studies on new nuclear units in Bulgaria

Initial steps taken towards construction of new nuclear power plants in country that currently has only two working reactors.

Tajikistan: Taliban take control of consulate

The embassy in Dushanbe, which is still run by the anti-Taliban opposition, is said to be considering its position.

New Czech president moves to Prague Castle following check for bugs

Petr Pavel had expressed concerns over possible wiretapping of the offices that his populist predecessor Milos Zeman had been using.

Hungary finally ratifies Finland's Nato accession

Some commentators see the ratification as a sign that Viktor Orban is preparing to loosen his ties to Russia and return Hungary to the European mainstream.

Hungarian central bank ready to keep rates high for prolonged period

17 hours ago

Westinghouse, EDF to carry out pre-project studies on new nuclear units in Bulgaria

1 day ago

Tajikistan: Taliban take control of consulate

1 day ago

New Czech president moves to Prague Castle following check for bugs

1 day ago

Hungary finally ratifies Finland's Nato accession

1 day ago

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Tech

Serbia to take business registrations online despite cyberattack

Belgrade announces company registrations to be taken online the day after DDoS attack hit business registry website.

Turkey clones Iran’s ‘kamikaze’ drones

Analysts say the Azab is a “replica” of the Shahed-136 that Russia uses to attack Ukraine.

Big Uzbek fintech Uzum to launch grocery delivery service, conduct IPO

Company says it is negotiating with some of the Middle East’s largest international investment funds, with plans to raise $300mn by the end of the year.

Central Asia ‘washing machine’ sales that help Russia repair tanks may spark EU crackdown

Bloc concerned Russian arms industry is stripping down imported household appliances and used cars for microchips and other spare parts.

Sistemma launches Russian analogue to ChatGPT

Russian data analysis, modelling and data processing company Sistemma has launched an AI called SistemmaGPT, which is a functional analogue of Elon Musk’s ChatGPT, the company said in a statement on March 26.

Serbia to take business registrations online despite cyberattack

16 hours ago

Turkey clones Iran’s ‘kamikaze’ drones

1 day ago

Big Uzbek fintech Uzum to launch grocery delivery service, conduct IPO

1 day ago

Central Asia ‘washing machine’ sales that help Russia repair tanks may spark EU crackdown

2 days ago

Sistemma launches Russian analogue to ChatGPT

2 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

IMF: Volatile commodity prices reduce growth and amplify swings in inflation

Food and energy prices surged to near historic highs in recent years amid the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which prompted major supply disruptions. This was accompanied by a sharp rise in the volatility of commodity prices as well.

McFAUL: “Deliverables” vs nice words – reflections on the Xi-Putin summit

This summit was very short on tangible outcomes but huge on symbolism of this allegedly “no-limit” friendship.

Turkey’s banks in very different place to few years ago but weak spots remain says Capital Economics

Country’s banking system assessed as in strongest position it has been in for many years, but vulnerabilities “could be exposed if concerns about the global banking system were to escalate”.

NEMETHY: The Fed will prioritise financial stability over the fight against inflation

For the past six months, the US Fed has been fighting inflation by jacking up interest rates and tightening money supply to fight inflation. This author, and others, predicted that “something will break”. Something did break: SVB

ASH: What Xi really wants in Moscow

First, as I have previously argued on this blog, I think ideally Xi would want to call an end to the war in Ukraine. It may initially have served a purpose for China, but I think Beijing now sees a real prospect of a catastrophic defeat for Moscow.

IMF: Volatile commodity prices reduce growth and amplify swings in inflation

13 hours ago

McFAUL: “Deliverables” vs nice words – reflections on the Xi-Putin summit

3 days ago

Turkey’s banks in very different place to few years ago but weak spots remain says Capital Economics

6 days ago

NEMETHY: The Fed will prioritise financial stability over the fight against inflation

8 days ago

ASH: What Xi really wants in Moscow

8 days ago

More Opinion

Data

Foreigners selling Russian assets to pay 10% to the state, but foreign bond holdings falling

Foreign companies that want to exit Russia will have to pay 5%-10% of their value to the state budget as a form of “exit tax,” said MinFin, as the share of foreigner holding of federal treasury bonds has fallen by over RUB1 trillion.

Major companies listed on Bucharest exchange boast 66% stronger profits in 2022

The 20 companies in the BVB's main BET index reported a cumulative net profit of RON25.4bn in 2022.

Bosnia posts annual CPI inflation of 12.9% y/y in February

Slowdown in inflation continues for the fourth month in a row after price hikes in 2022.

Russia’s Economic Development Ministry upgrades its economic growth forecast from a fall to slight growth in 2023

Russia’s Economic Development Ministry upgrades its economic growth forecast for 2023 from a fall of 0.8% to some small growth of between 0.1% and 0.2%, Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said March 24.

Romania’s GDP per capita growth outstrips CEE countries

Romania’s GDP per capita soars to 77% of EU average, up from just 57% in 2012.

Foreigners selling Russian assets to pay 10% to the state, but foreign bond holdings falling

1 day ago

Major companies listed on Bucharest exchange boast 66% stronger profits in 2022

1 day ago

Bosnia posts annual CPI inflation of 12.9% y/y in February

2 days ago

Russia’s Economic Development Ministry upgrades its economic growth forecast from a fall to slight growth in 2023

5 days ago

Romania’s GDP per capita growth outstrips CEE countries

5 days ago

More Data

Features

Eurasian Development Bank to invest at least $400mn in Central Asian water, energy projects

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) plans to invest at least $400mn in water and energy infrastructure in Central Asia over the next three years in an effort to boost economic growth and improve food security.

Trafigura sees copper surging to $12,000 per tonne amid energy transition

Trafigura, one of the world’s largest commodity traders, expects copper prices to rise by a third from its current levels due to a global shortage and hit $12,000 per tonne within the next 12 months.

More than 5.5mn Ukrainian refugees have fled to Russia from Ukraine, survey finds half of refugees with no intention of going home

More than 5.5mn Ukrainian refugees have fled to Russia from Ukraine and Donbas since February 2022, and half of all Ukrainians now living abroad have no intention of returning home.

High representative urged to remove Bosnian Serb leader Dodik or risk war

Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik takes cue from Putin’s Russia as he clamps down on NGOs, journalists and LGBT activists in challenge to Sarajevo’s authority.

Why Kazakhs are growing less satisfied with life, and Kyrgyz more

Every unhappy country is unhappy in its own way.

Eurasian Development Bank to invest at least $400mn in Central Asian water, energy projects

11 hours ago

Trafigura sees copper surging to $12,000 per tonne amid energy transition

15 hours ago

More than 5.5mn Ukrainian refugees have fled to Russia from Ukraine, survey finds half of refugees with no intention of going home

16 hours ago

High representative urged to remove Bosnian Serb leader Dodik or risk war

3 days ago

Why Kazakhs are growing less satisfied with life, and Kyrgyz more

5 days ago

More Features

Blogs

KYIV BLOG: the West has no goal in the Russo-Ukraine war.

The West has been increasingly supplying Ukraine with more and more powerful weapons, but always in insufficient amounts and always with a delay that does not change the tide of the conflict to Kyiv’s advantage.

CAUCASUS BLOG: Where next for Georgian Dream?

Two days of mass protest have forced the ruling Georgian Dream party to back down and withdraw a proposed “foreign agents” law, which would brand NGOs and media that receive more than 20% of their income from abroad.

Turkmenistan: Welcome to the ombuds office, or no trespassing

Israel is imminently poised to open a permanent mission in Ashgabat, 20 kilometres from the Iranian border. Eurasianet’s weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

BALKAN BLOG: Is Serbia’s far right an authentic opposition movement?

Serbia’s violent pro-Russian far right makes President Aleksandar Vucic look like a moderate in comparison, and gives him more room to manoeuvre internationally.

Turkmenistan: A shore bet

Tightening internet controls as families desperately try to reach loved ones in Turkey, bogus economic performance figures, and Berdimuhamedov the elder visits the Gulf. Eurasianet’s weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

KYIV BLOG: the West has no goal in the Russo-Ukraine war.

15 days ago

CAUCASUS BLOG: Where next for Georgian Dream?

20 days ago

Turkmenistan: Welcome to the ombuds office, or no trespassing

21 days ago

BALKAN BLOG: Is Serbia’s far right an authentic opposition movement?

1 month ago

Turkmenistan: A shore bet

1 month ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

bneGREEN: Renewables investment of $35 trillion needed by 2030 for energy transition - IRENA

The global energy transition is “off-track”, aggravated by the effects of world-wide crises, says the International Renewable Energy Agency in a new report. A renewables investment of $35 trillion by 2030 is needed for the energy transition.

bneGREEN: Slovenian central bank hikes investments in green bonds

Central bank raised the share of investments in green, social and sustainability bonds to 7% or almost €280mn in the last five years, and plans further increase.

bneGREEN: Kosovo to raise share of renewable electricity to 35% in 2031

Pristina aims to hike share of electricity from renewable resources from just 6.3% currently under new 2022-2031 energy strategy.

bneGREEN: Pace, scale of climate change action has been insufficient – IPCC

The pace and scale of what has been done so far to combat climate change, and current plans, are insufficient to tackle the problem, said scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

bneGREEN: World faces 40% fresh water shortage by 2030 warns UN summit co-hosted by Tajikistan

Landmark report urges nations to urgently start fixing water waste and start managing water as a common good with neighbours.

bneGREEN: Renewables investment of $35 trillion needed by 2030 for energy transition - IRENA

13 hours ago

bneGREEN: Slovenian central bank hikes investments in green bonds

2 days ago

bneGREEN: Kosovo to raise share of renewable electricity to 35% in 2031

2 days ago

bneGREEN: Pace, scale of climate change action has been insufficient – IPCC

7 days ago

bneGREEN: World faces 40% fresh water shortage by 2030 warns UN summit co-hosted by Tajikistan

7 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

Monetary Council keeps base rate on hold at 13.00%.

Initial steps taken towards construction of new nuclear power plants in country that currently has only two working reactors.

The embassy in Dushanbe, which is still run by the anti-Taliban opposition, is said to be considering its position.

Petr Pavel had expressed concerns over possible wiretapping of the offices that his populist predecessor Milos Zeman had been using.

Some commentators see the ratification as a sign that Viktor Orban is preparing to loosen his ties to Russia and return Hungary to the European mainstream.

Tech

Belgrade announces company registrations to be taken online the day after DDoS attack hit business registry website.

Analysts say the Azab is a “replica” of the Shahed-136 that Russia uses to attack Ukraine.

Company says it is negotiating with some of the Middle East’s largest international investment funds, with plans to raise $300mn by the end of the year.

Bloc concerned Russian arms industry is stripping down imported household appliances and used cars for microchips and other spare parts.

Russian data analysis, modelling and data processing company Sistemma has launched an AI called SistemmaGPT, which is a functional analogue of Elon Musk’s ChatGPT, the company said in a statement on March 26.

Opinion

Food and energy prices surged to near historic highs in recent years amid the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which prompted major supply disruptions. This was accompanied by a sharp rise in the volatility of commodity prices as well.

This summit was very short on tangible outcomes but huge on symbolism of this allegedly “no-limit” friendship.

Country’s banking system assessed as in strongest position it has been in for many years, but vulnerabilities “could be exposed if concerns about the global banking system were to escalate”.

For the past six months, the US Fed has been fighting inflation by jacking up interest rates and tightening money supply to fight inflation. This author, and others, predicted that “something will break”. Something did break: SVB

First, as I have previously argued on this blog, I think ideally Xi would want to call an end to the war in Ukraine. It may initially have served a purpose for China, but I think Beijing now sees a real prospect of a catastrophic defeat for Moscow.

Data

Foreign companies that want to exit Russia will have to pay 5%-10% of their value to the state budget as a form of “exit tax,” said MinFin, as the share of foreigner holding of federal treasury bonds has fallen by over RUB1 trillion.

The 20 companies in the BVB's main BET index reported a cumulative net profit of RON25.4bn in 2022.

Slowdown in inflation continues for the fourth month in a row after price hikes in 2022.

Russia’s Economic Development Ministry upgrades its economic growth forecast for 2023 from a fall of 0.8% to some small growth of between 0.1% and 0.2%, Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said March 24.

Romania’s GDP per capita soars to 77% of EU average, up from just 57% in 2012.

Features

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) plans to invest at least $400mn in water and energy infrastructure in Central Asia over the next three years in an effort to boost economic growth and improve food security.

Trafigura, one of the world’s largest commodity traders, expects copper prices to rise by a third from its current levels due to a global shortage and hit $12,000 per tonne within the next 12 months.

More than 5.5mn Ukrainian refugees have fled to Russia from Ukraine and Donbas since February 2022, and half of all Ukrainians now living abroad have no intention of returning home.

Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik takes cue from Putin’s Russia as he clamps down on NGOs, journalists and LGBT activists in challenge to Sarajevo’s authority.

Every unhappy country is unhappy in its own way.

Blogs

The West has been increasingly supplying Ukraine with more and more powerful weapons, but always in insufficient amounts and always with a delay that does not change the tide of the conflict to Kyiv’s advantage.

Two days of mass protest have forced the ruling Georgian Dream party to back down and withdraw a proposed “foreign agents” law, which would brand NGOs and media that receive more than 20% of their income from abroad.

Israel is imminently poised to open a permanent mission in Ashgabat, 20 kilometres from the Iranian border. Eurasianet’s weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

Serbia’s violent pro-Russian far right makes President Aleksandar Vucic look like a moderate in comparison, and gives him more room to manoeuvre internationally.

Tightening internet controls as families desperately try to reach loved ones in Turkey, bogus economic performance figures, and Berdimuhamedov the elder visits the Gulf. Eurasianet’s weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

bneGREEN

The global energy transition is “off-track”, aggravated by the effects of world-wide crises, says the International Renewable Energy Agency in a new report. A renewables investment of $35 trillion by 2030 is needed for the energy transition.

Central bank raised the share of investments in green, social and sustainability bonds to 7% or almost €280mn in the last five years, and plans further increase.

Pristina aims to hike share of electricity from renewable resources from just 6.3% currently under new 2022-2031 energy strategy.

The pace and scale of what has been done so far to combat climate change, and current plans, are insufficient to tackle the problem, said scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

Landmark report urges nations to urgently start fixing water waste and start managing water as a common good with neighbours.

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