Slovakia
AI and cybersecurity to drive CEE tech sector
PwC and CEE Digital Coalition believe the Central and Eastern Europe region has the potential to create the EU’s Silicon Valley.
Czech tycoon Kretinsky’s £4.5bn bid for owner of Royal Mail rejected
IDS shares jumped by 29% on April 17 after it announced it had turned down an indicative offer at 320p per share from Kretinsky’s EP Group.
Slovak presidential campaign showed how populists can dominate the narrative to mobilise support
Government candidate Peter Pellegrini used trumped-up messages of fear channelled through social media networks.
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Slovak inflation eased further to 2.3% in March
Prices in the alcohol and tobacco sector increased by 19% y/y, including the 9.1% spike in tobacco prices as a result of the new consumption tax.
COMMENT: The Three Seas Initiative's digital imperative
While digital infrastructure in the region is growing, support infrastructure designed to handle the growth in demand is what requires investment.
IEA: Methane emissions at an all-time high need to be reduced by 75% by 2030 at a cost of $170bn
Methane emissions are 80 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. Rather than falling, they are currently at an all-time high and rising. The IEA says they need to fall by 75% by 2030 if the Paris Accord targets are going to be met.
The EU is preparing a new, fourteenth package of sanctions
The EU is preparing a new fourteenth package of sanctions that is slated for adoption in the coming months, but is unlikely to introduce any new products and will focus mostly on enforcing the existing thirteen rounds of sanctions.
Czechoslovak Group’s revenues rise 71% in 2023 as defence booms
Over 60% of the group’s revenues were generated in the CSG defence division, which specialises in production of ground military equipment and large-calibre ammunition.
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Slovak industry stagnates in February
Industrial production increased by 0.4% month-on-month.
Where Nato has an enhanced forward presence
On Monday, 8 April, Germany sent an advance team of 20 soldiers to Lithuania, laying the groundwork for the recently discussed establishment of a permanent brigade in the Nato country, Statista reports.
Europe exits the winter heating season with record gas stocks
The EU has exited the heating season with a record volume of gas in storage, following another mild winter and as a result of reduced industrial demand and a concerted effort by policymakers to boost stockpiles.
VISEGRAD BLOG: New Slovak President Peter Pelligrini will not just be Robert Fico's stooge
Pellegrini will face a serious dilemma over how to react to the populist government’s attempts to curb the independence of judges, public service media and NGOs, which risk provoking a rule of law battle with the next European Commission.
Grid bottlenecks on the way in Europe?
A new analysis by the energy think-tank Ember has found that several countries in Europe could soon face bottlenecks in their national transmission energy grids, as more solar and wind power will be generated than these networks have capacity for.
Summer starts as EU gas tanks start to fill again
Winter is over, as the EU gas tanks switch from withdrawals to filling mode again in preparation for next winter. Injection into the gas tanks started on April 1, a week earlier than in 2023 and started at an all-time high record level of 59.3% full.
Disaster season: heat waves sweep the world – in charts and maps
In the last week temperatures have soared, breaking monthly records in nearly half the countries on the planet. In much of Europe temperatures have reached those of mid-summer in the first week of April.
Slovak heritage institution co-operates with Russian counterpart headed by spy chief
Matica slovenska continues to cooperate with Russian Historical Society headed by Sergey Naryshkin, investigative website reports.
Pellegrini beats Korcok to become the next Slovak president
Parliamentary speaker's victory has raised fears that it will strengthen populist premier Robert Fico’s grip on the country’s institutions.
Favourite Pellegrini battles to overturn Korcok's first round lead in Slovak presidential run-off
Pellegrini’s balancing act appears to be backfiring, putting off moderate voters of his centre-left Hlas party, while failing to convince third placed candidate Harabin's nationalist electorate.
Czech spy agency says pro-Kremlin media ring targets European Parliament elections in several states
Far-right politicians across the EU have been promoted on the Voice of Europe media platform ahead of the European Parliament elections.
Where is green tech made in Europe?
Europe is home to more than 400 clean tech manufacturing plants, but the distribution is uneven and a few large countries dominate the business of making equipment needed to produce green energy sources.