Features
Emerging Europe M&A soars by 55% to €94bn in 2021
Dealmaking returns to pre-pandemic levels as confidence recovers and low interest rates and big cash piles push up valuations.
Lithuania looks for quality, not quantity in fintech
The central bank is implementing tighter standards following Lithuanian fintech UAB Finolita Unio's involvement in the Wirecard scandal.
Who needs a war?
Russia increases its military presence in Belarus as tensions rise with Ukraine. But whose interests will guide the Belarusian regime’s actions?
Outbreak of calm grips Ukraine
The mood in the Ukrainian capital remains calm, despite the build up of Russian troops on the border, bomb threats in schools in Kyiv and the US and UK embassies evacuating their staff.
Primark to launch in Romania as it pursues CEE expansion
As pandemic's impact on retail sector recedes, Primark continues CEE expansion with plans to open new stores in Poland and Slovakia as well as Romania.
All eyes fall on Nazarbayev clan’s extraordinary wealth as Kazakhstan’s Tokayev asserts authority by targeting super rich
Across three decades fabulous riches were secured at home and offshore in oil, gas, metals, banking and luxury property.
UniCredit's hopes of acquiring Russia's Otkritie Bank marred by geopolitical tensions
UniCredit is considering a takeover of Russia's Otkritie Bank, but rising geopolitical tensions coupled with an increasingly competitive financial environment could jeopardise the plan.
Ukraine crisis: money becomes a weapon
Money has become a weapon in the expanding crisis over Russia’s demands for a halt to Nato’s eastern expansion. In the Cold War Russia and the West were ideologically opposed. Now both are capitalist, where money offers leverage over Russia.
OUTLOOK: 2022 Serbia
President Aleksandar Vucic and the ruling SNS to be put to the test in election year.
OUTLOOK: 2022 Albania
Construction and tourism support robust recovery from coronacrisis.
OUTLOOK: 2022 Bulgaria
A year of reform lies ahead after Bulgaria finally gets a new government.
BlackRock catches Turkish gaming fever as Dream and Spyke announce spectacular deals
Istanbul’s mobile games developer Dream Games raises $255mn in Series C funding round, which valued enterprise at $2.75bn. Largest asset manager in the world joined the investors.
OUTLOOK: 2022 North Macedonia
Another year of uncertainty lies ahead as Skopje continues quest to progress on EU accession while also grappling with corona and energy crises.
OUTLOOK: 2022 Romania
Coalition of rivals installed in Bucharest faces challenges of rising inflation and decline in industrial production.
Old challenges for new government in North Macedonia
Dimitar Kovacevski’s government inherited the challenges of solving divisions with Bulgaria that have blocked Skopje’s EU integration process, as well as dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis and rising inflation.
Mocked as the ‘Nebati Comet’, Turkey’s finance minister is accused of baffling the markets
Interviewer who asked Erdogan loyalist to put a number on an economic target is told, "Can you look into my eyes? What do you see?... The economy is the sparkle in the eyes."
OUTLOOK 2022: Central Europe and the Baltic states
Central Europe faces a critical year, with a key election in Hungary in April, while rumbling political instability in Poland and Slovakia could lead to early elections.
OUTLOOK: 2022 Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia entered 2022 with a gloomy outlook but there are now hopes the departure of Bosnian Serbs from state institutions — a move that threatened to lead to the breakup of the country — could be averted.
OUTLOOK 2022: POLAND
Poland is about to enter another election cycle amidst the apparently accelerating disintegration of the Law and Justice led government, which is fighting an increasing number of battles at home and abroad.
OUTLOOK: 2022 Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is taking its “opening up” policy to the next level. A wary eye will watch for more instability in both Afghanistan and Kazakhstan. Growth is bouncing back with the worst of the Covid crisis over.
