Belarus faces new sanctions by the EU and asset seizures by Ukraine

After statements made by European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen in early January, the EU’s new sanctions package against Belarus is starting to take form. The new package will make the existing sanctions hit even harder.

Orban sparks storm by saying Ukraine is a 'no man's land'

Orban also told foreign journalists that he did "definitely not" want to stay in the EU, but was forced to do so because of Hungary’s trade links with the bloc.

Babis pledges to continue fighting after election defeat

Billionaire populist could expand his electorate by squeezing far-right parties with his pledges to seek peace in Ukraine.

S&P downgrades Hungary's rating to 'BBB-'

Rating agency warns that a significant delay or shortfall in EU funding would significantly affect forecasts for economic growth, fiscal balances, and external metrics.

Ukraine official tweets ‘Did warn you’ after drone attack in Iran

Some reports say Israel behind mission. Kyiv has previously warned Tehran there could be payback for its provision of kamikaze drones to Russia.

Employees claim Bulgarian Facebook moderators controlled by Russia

Moscow is suspected of using multiple tools for hybrid attacks on democracy in Bulgaria, including spreading disinformation and financing political parties.

EWDN: A year in review – How Ukrainian tech resisted the war in 2022

Pictures of Serbian President Vucic isolated at Davos go viral on social media

Speculation that refusal to cut Russia ties led to Aleksandar Vucic being shunned by fellow Balkan leaders after pictures show him sitting alone at the back of a session at the World Economic Forum.

Russia to slash AI development support

Russia will slash its support for the development of AI technologies more than 10-fold after the fallout of the military invasion of Ukraine.

Romania’s Digitail raises €11mn to scale up software for vet clinics

Digitail digitises the administrative tasks of animal hospitals, from scheduling and record keeping to inventory management, billing and customer communication.

OPINION: Bulgaria sets itself a tough task with Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline revival

Bulgaria urgently needs non-Russian crude for its Black Sea refinery, but there are multiple challenges to reviving the Burgas-Alexandroupolis project.

NEMETHY: Is Ukraine War the beginning of World War III?

The conventional definition of a World War is that it involves the participation of multiple major powers in a global conflict. Yet one increasingly hears that the Ukrainian War signals the outbreak of World War III.

RIDDLE: The Russian army in 2023

More than 10 months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, looking back at 2022, the Kremlin is sparing no effort to at least partially restore the capability of its armed forces, which continue to shrink amidst heavy fighting.

‘Yesterday’s strategy won’t do’ in Europe’s approach to Iran says Carnegie analyst

Cornelius Adebahr point to signs of power struggle within Tehran’s elite. Several insiders have in recent weeks argued in favour of more substantial reforms to address protesters’ grievances.

PANNIER: You won’t catch Turkmenistan putting all its eggs in one (Russian) basket

Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s visit to Beijing may not have secured more gas sales, but it did serve to reaffirm ties with the country’s only stable major partner.

Hungary’s demographic slide continues in 2022

The figures are disappointing news for Viktor Orban's government, which has for long deemed halting depopulation a priority.

Slovenia’s retail sales growth slows to 2.8% y/y in December

Slovenia's retail sales went up by an annual 2.8% in December 2022, slowing significantly from the 7.4% y/y increase a month before.

Serbs overwhelmingly support EU reforms, less keen on membership

65% of Serbians believe the reforms needed for EU accession should be carried out, but just 43% actually want Serbia to join the bloc, a new survey shows.

Russians view Baltic States as a threat

Russia’s residents believe the Baltic states are a threat to Russia, the Levada Centre survey commissioned by the Estonian Foreign Ministry has found, LRT.lt, the website of public broadcaster LRT, reported on January 25.

EY says Romania’s M&A market up 10% y/y in 2022

Biggest deals were takeovers of ExxonMobil's Romanian assets, Ford Romania and CA Immo’s office buildings portfolio.

Belarus Corruption Watch: How one of Lukashenko’s 'wallets' evades sanctions

The Belarusian Investigative Centre (BIC) continues to unravel corruption and sanctions avoidance schemes by Belarusian businessmen. This time, they show how a Belarusian businessman continues to operate in Germany despite EU sanctions.

Russia forges ahead with gas ambitions in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan

Moscow is driving forward its energy ambitions in Central Asia as it seeks new markets for gas that Europe now shuns.

Mongolian government accused of rushing through veiled law that dismantles freedom of speech

Ministers say legislation will end much social media harassment. Critics reject that explanation. Say country’s young, fragile democracy will be hurt.

Davos climate change debates hindered by lack of Russian, Chinese delegates

The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was held in person this year for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of the meeting was “co-operation in a fragmented world," but Russia and China were a no show.

Constitutional Court battle begins over Albania’s top archaeological site

The opposition Democratic Party filed a lawsuit against the law granting a concession for the National Park of Butrint.

MOSCOW BLOG: Did Berlin just escalate the Ukraine war by promising to send tanks?

What just happened? Did the war in Ukraine just take a decisive turn? Did the West just change its tactics from helping Kyiv defend itself from the Russian aggressor to committing itself to offensive weapons and ensuring Russia’s defeat?

TEHRAN BLOG: Dizzying descent of rial gives rise to ‘Farzin & Khandoozi’

New central bank chief and economy minister are apparently grappling with a sinister “man in Istanbul” who’s pulling levers on Iran’s FX market.

BUCHAREST BLOG: What the Andrew Tate case says about corruption in Romania

Disgraced influencer said he wanted to live “where corruption is accessible”. Then he got caught.

MOSCOW BLOG: President Duda says Poland will send Ukraine Leopard tanks, but don’t hold your breath

More tank news. But this one is actually a bit confusing. Polish President Andrzej Duda was in Lviv yesterday for a summit and announced that Poland will send some of its 250 German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Will it happen?

VISEGRAD BLOG: Race for Prague Castle will be landmark for Czech democracy

If Andrej Babis were to be elected president, he could try to sabotage the government, and the country’s politics could become much more unstable ahead of the next general election in 2025.

bneGREEN: Floods turn Drina river in Bosnia into floating landfill

More than 10,000 cubic metres of waste including packaging, trees and discarded refrigerators cover sections of the Drina.

Central Asia’s shorter winters are whittling away glaciers

Glaciers are disappearing around the world. Here’s how it happens in Central Asia.

bneGREEN: River of waste clogs Serbia’s Lake Potpec after heavy rains

Packaging waste, household appliances, dead animals and other debris swept down Lim River to gather behind barrier protecting Potpec hydropower plant.

Bulgarian parliament orders caretaker government to renegotiate closure of coal-fired plants

Sofia wants to renegotiate recovery and resilience plan with European Commission after Russia cut off gas deliveries, prompting return to coal.

bneGREEN: Renewables to overtake coal in electricity generation soon

Hundreds of protesters currently trying to halt the continued development of a coal mine in Germany – which would involve the destruction of the now abandoned village of Lützerath – are putting pressure on the government to phase out coal use.