North Macedonia
CONFERENCE CALL: Losing the Western Balkans
The EU’s slow and sometimes confusing response to the coronacrisis in the Western Balkans made room for China to increase its influence.
Commissioner Varhelyi brings first EU-donated vaccines on Western Balkans tour
Tour of the region is also aimed at supporting the Western Balkans countries’ EU integration processes.
North Macedonia’s industrial production turns to growth in March
Industrial production increased in the key manufacturing sector and in utilities, while the decline in mining output narrowed.
Subdued recovery expected in Western Balkans after pandemic ended a decade of progress
The Western Balkans countries can expect only moderate growth between 2021 and 2023 as the damage caused by coronavirus pandemic will continue to depress investments and employment, a World Bank report warned.
Climate change to amplify border tensions in Southeast Europe
OSCE report identifies border hotspots across the region where rising temperatures and more extreme weather events risk adding to border tensions.
COVID-infected MPs join North Macedonia parliament session to push through stimulus package
Vote ends two-month deadlock that left pandemic-hit businesses and workers without support.
M&A hits €8.5bn in CEE in Q1, says Mergermarket
Trend towards bigger deals and more fund investment continues, as deal value rises by half to give best Q1 since 2013.
wiiw raises 2021 CEE growth forecast to 3.8%
But pandemic has delayed restart of convergence with Western Europe until 2023.
Slovenian PM denies Bosnian media reports on ‘non-paper’ about dividing Bosnia
Populist premier, who will take over EU rotating presidency in July, is accused of proposing "final disintegration of former Yugoslavia".
COVID cabin fever creates a middle class Balkan jetset
With most of Europe under lockdown, holidaymakers from the Western Balkans are jetting off to exotic long haul destinations.
CEE reels as third wave of COVID-19 breaks
A third wave of the coronavirus pandemic is sweeping through Emerging Europe. While Russia is expecting to reach herd immunity in the next two months, most other countries of the region have only just started their mass immunisation programmes.
Vaccination campaigns launched across Western Balkans
After months of delays, all of the Western Balkans countries have embarked on the vaccination of their populations against coronavirus.
Conservative German MP who lobbied for North Macedonia’s fugitive ex-PM resigns
Tobias Zech stepped down following media reports that he took cash for lobbying for North Macedonia’s former prime minister Nikola Gruevski in 2016.
E-commerce rising stars of the Western Balkans
Despite numerous challenges, there are a growing number of successful e-commerce platforms in the Western Balkans region.
MITTELEUROPEAN INSIGHTS: Central and Southeastern Europe head for a V-shaped recovery
The moderate GDP setbacks in 2020 imply that for some CEE countries there will not be such drastic recovery and rebound effects in 2021 as in hard-hit countries in Western Europe.
Bulgaria the latest to announce lockdown as new COVID-19 wave descends on Southeast Europe
Over 4,000 COVID-19 cases daily are being reported in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia, putting hospitals under strain.
Rising inflation in Emerging Europe poses dilemma for central banks
With economies primed to rebound as pandemic restrictions are loosened, consumer prices could rise even further, reawakening an issue that has long been ignored.
Free economic zones accounted for 48% of North Macedonia's exports in February
North Macedonia has 14 free zones where companies employ over 14,000 people.
North Macedonia edits video for Eurovision entry after controversy over Bulgarian flag image
Vasil Garvanliev’s video included a triptych in the colours of the Bulgarian flag, seen as a deliberate provocation amid the diplomatic rift between Skopje and Sofia.
COMMENT: The EIB supports the long-term recovery of the Western Balkans
The region’s economy needs to be more sustainable and connected, which can only be achieved through the digital and green transformation, writes EIB vice-president Lilyana Pavlova.
