Tim Gosling in Prague
Wed, 2nd May -- The integration of the Czech and Polish gas pipeline networks is to be deepened under the auspices of the wider EU drive to reduce reliance on Russian imports, with a new inter-connector planned to boost the capacity of gas flows. At the same time, Polish gas transit system operator Gaz-System suggested it may bid for its Czech counterpart Net4Gas, which is currently up for grabs, local media reported on April 30.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Wed, 2nd May -- China agreed to hand Hungary a €1bn development loan on May 1, and announced several investment deals including agreements on infrastructure and finance.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Mon, 30th Apr -- The Czech governing coalition survived a confidence vote on April 27, clinging onto power for dear life with 105 votes in the 200-seat parliament. However, the coalition's majority is slim and informal, and although it immediately promised to continue its wildly unpopular programme of austerity measures, that looks a tall order if it wants to survive the next two years.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Fri, 27th Apr -- Beijing plans to open a $10bn fund to finance joint projects in infrastructure, high-tech and green energy in CEE, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said. The Chinese leader also promised to redress the imbalance in trade between his country and the region as part of a plan to boost total trade volumes to $100bn by 2015.

David O'Byrne in Istanbul
Fri, 27th Apr -- Turkey's state oil company TPAO has started drilling for oil in the internationally unrecognized Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. The chances of striking oil are slim, making the move more a riposte to the Greek half of the island, which last year allowed Noble Energy to start drilling to the south of the island despite protests by Turkey.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Thu, 26th Apr -- Polish state-controlled refiner PKN Orlen has officially announced the (long-suspected) news that it is abandoning attempts to sell off its struggling Lithuanian plant Mazeikiu, and says it will now invest in upgrading the plant.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Wed, 25th Apr -- Confirming intense market speculation following meetings a day previously, the European Commission gave the green light for Hungary to open talks on a loan programme with the International Monetary Fund and the EU on April 25.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Tue, 24th Apr -- A week after bestowing on the Russian gas pipeline South Stream the status of "strategic" project, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban drove another nail into the coffin of the EU's rival pipeline Nabucco, describing that project as "in trouble" and claiming the Hungarian state-controlled energy firm Mol would pull out of it.

bne
Tue, 24th Apr -- State-owned China Ocean Shipping Company (Cosco) is in talks over investing in Croatia's Adriatic port of Rijeka and building a rail link to Hungary, as it seeks a gateway to Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), the two sides said after meetings in Zagreb on April 23.

Ben Seeder in Riga
Mon, 23rd Apr -- As Vilnius firms up plans to construct a floating gas terminal at the port of Klaipeda, its relations with Riga on energy matters appear to be worsening.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Fri, 20th Apr -- Bucking the trend for industrial slowdown in Europe thanks to rising demand from emerging markets, Slovak car production is set to rise to record numbers in 2012, the country's Car Industry Association has forecast.

Tim Gosling in Prague
Fri, 20th Apr -- Lietuvos bankas refused permission for Russia's Investtorgbank to open a representative office in Lithuania, it announced in a statement on April 19. The move suggests that the Lithuanian authorities are wary of getting involved with the Russian "banking mafia" tangles that appear to be following in the wake of the collapse of Snoras in November.