Southeast Europe / Tech

Albania's PM signals possible shift on TikTok ban

Aidą Kadyrzhanova in Prague January 24, 2025

Year-long ban followed a violent incident in Tirana, where a 14-year-old student was killed and another injured in a fight linked to an online dispute.

Serbian President Vucic wants to introduce flying cars by 2027

Tatyana Kekic in Belgrade January 22, 2025

Announcement met with derision, with media outlets dismissing the plan as “science fiction”.

Bulgaria’s consumer protection body seeks to revoke local telcos' licences

bne IntelliNews January 20, 2025

CPC will ask to remove three main telecoms operators' licences over “systematic violations” and multiple consumer complaints.

NEO: Why pick-up points for online orders are gaining popularity vs. home delivery

NEO January 14, 2025

The share of European consumers preferring home delivery for online orders dropped from 73% to 64% over the past year, according to a Last Mile Experts study.

Seoul-listed DoubleU acquires 60% stake in Turkey’s Paxie Games for $27mn

Akin Nazli in Belgrade January 8, 2025

Seoul-listed DoubleU acquires 60% stake in Turkey’s Paxie Games for $27mn. Some 844 active gaming studios recorded in Turkey by end of 2024.

Albania imposes one-year TikTok ban

bne IntelliNews December 23, 2024

Decision follows killing of a 14-year-old student, but opposition claims it is pre-election move.

TikTok says it has stepped up moderation ahead of Croatian presidential election

bne IntelliNews December 18, 2024

Statement issued after cancellation of Romanian presidential election prompts European Commission investigation into how the hugely popular platform manages election interference risks.

Amnesty accuses Serbia of spying on journalists and activists

bne IntelliNews December 16, 2024

Human rights group says Serbian authorities conducted covert surveillance on journalists, activists and civil society members using advanced spyware and digital forensic tools.

Novi Robot tops Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Turkey 2024 ranking

Akin Nazli in Belgrade December 15, 2024

Developer of robotic automation systems for manufacturing plants is country's fastest growing tech startup.

BCR’s venture capital company invests in SaaS platform FieldOS

bne IntelliNews December 11, 2024

BCR Seed Starter investment to help FieldOS finance product development, accelerate growth in the local market and expand its operations in North America.

Poland's PragmaGO acquires Romanian digital factoring company Telecredit

bne IntelliNews December 10, 2024

Telecredit’s operations to be significantly expanded after takeover by private equity-backed PragmaGO.

Investigation shows Russian money channeled to Romanian media and conspiracy theorists

Iulian Ernst in Bucharest December 3, 2024

Snoop investigation finds Kremlin-linked digital advertising firm AdNow channelled at least €2mn to Romanian media and influencers promoting conspiracy theories and far-right content.

Chinese innovation park plans business centre in Serbia

Tatyana Kekic in Belgrade November 29, 2024

Plan to launch business centre is part of increase in economic ties between Serbia and China after Free Trade Agreement came into effect in July.

Romania urges European Commission to take steps against TikTok after far-right candidate took shock presidential election lead

Iulian Ernst in Bucharest November 27, 2024

Calin Georgescu's unexpected lead is partly attributed to his successful campaigns on TikTok and other social networks.

Bulgaria's Ampeco raises $26mn in Revaia-led Series B funding

Denitsa Koseva in Sofia November 27, 2024

Electric vehicle charging software developer to use funds for international expansion.

Albania considers TikTok, Snapchat ban after fatal school stabbing

bne IntelliNews November 22, 2024

PM Edi Rama considers "drastic" measure after dispute that started on social media ended with stabbing.

Alibaba's Trendyol opens regional logistics hub in Romania

Iulian Ernst in Bucharest November 21, 2024

Trendyol entered the Romanian market earlier this year to strengthen its position in Southeast Europe’s burgeoning e-commerce market.

Bulgaria’s INSAIT launches three new AI models

bne IntelliNews November 20, 2024

Institute develops new Bulgarian-language AI models it says deliver "unprecedented performance".

Serbia to launch Tesla Venture studio in January 2025

Tatyana Kekic in Belgrade November 13, 2024

Startup “factory” intended to position Belgrade as a regional centre for entrepreneurship and start-up growth, says Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Romanian intelligence service says bot farms active ahead of presidential election

Iulian Ernst in Bucharest November 13, 2024

SRI rules out role of “hostile foreign actors” after speculation Russia was behind disinformation campaigns.

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