Bosnia and Herzegovina is not an easy country to govern, something that prevents its economy from reaching its full potential. No overview of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s economy can begin in earnest without a look at the country’s achingly complicated political landscape, not least … | Continue reading
Catch up quickly with the stories from Central and Eastern Europe that matter. Russia’s war on Ukraine Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and its second-largest city, Kharkiv, came under heavy Russian missile attacks on Tuesday, killing at least five people, a day after Vladimir Putin warn … | Continue reading
MELP, a start-up developing and growing a digital employee well-being management platform, has attracted investment of 635,000 euros to expand internationally. Hardly had the new year begun when news broke on January 3 of the first major funding announcement of 2024 in emerging E … | Continue reading
When selecting a creative suite, it’s important to understand that while these will typically be designed by those with editing knowledge, not all will incorporate the same features. As a result, users will need to look for not only standard video editing tools, but also addition … | Continue reading
Amidst rapid technological advancements and evolving customer expectations, businesses across the globe are racing to harness the transformative power of generative AI. This surge in reliance upon AI technologies, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), is revolutionising oper … | Continue reading
Moldova faces a presidential election and a referendum on EU integration in 2024. Victory for the incumbent Maia Sandu and the pro-EU camp will be crucial to supporting the country’s growth. It’s difficult not to view the recent trajectory of Moldova as one of the most impressive … | Continue reading
What does 2024 hold for the emerging Europe region? We’ve put together a handy primer. While 2024 is unquestionably a year of immense potential for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), it remains to be seen if the region will be able to fully grasp the opportunities with which it h … | Continue reading
From Ukraine’s ongoing resilience in the face of Russia’s brutal aggression to Hungary’s intransigence and a changing of the guard in Poland, this is our review of 2023 in Central and Eastern Europe. Ukraine resists. Russia made few—if any—territorial gains in its neighbour duri … | Continue reading
From the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia and Moldova to the beaches of Albania and the sumptuous dining cars of the Orient Express, these are the ten Emerging Europe stories that grabbed your attention the most in 2023. It’s not just Ukraine. Russia occupies territory in othe … | Continue reading
State-supported demand boosters could potentially revolutionise the energy markets of Poland, Romania, Czechia, Slovakia, and Bulgaria, turning them into a global launch pad for SMR deployment. COP 28’s failure to agree a timetable for phasing out fossil fuels this year is extrem … | Continue reading
As the ESG landscape evolves, board members must adapt to new responsibilities, understand the legal implications of non-compliance, and develop strategies to manage ESG risks effectively. In the contemporary business landscape, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) conside … | Continue reading
Catch up quickly with the stories from Central and Eastern Europe that matter. Russia’s war on Ukraine Ukraine’s military wants to mobilise up to 500,000 extra people, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday, as the war with Russia nears a two-year mark. At a news conference … | Continue reading
Bulgaria’s slow pace of European integration stems from Russia taking full advantage of its failure to make a clean break from communism in 1989. Almost two decades have passed since Bulgaria became a member state of the European Union. And yet, the country is still the poorest i … | Continue reading
As environmental awareness among consumers continues to grow, there is a pressing need to transition away from the current linear “take-make-waste” economic model. Among the most promising solutions, the circular economy is a transformative approach that decouples economic growth … | Continue reading
Visa Foundation and Village Capital have announced their latest equity-free investment of 125,000 US dollars into 11 women-led sustainability as part of the Greentech Europe 2023 programme. Now in its second year, the programme has supported over 135 women-led ventures dedicated … | Continue reading
Personal finance is an area that undergoes changes more than any other. For example, we in Ukraine are so used to the massive digitalisation of this sphere that we are unlikely to go to banking branches and are often surprised by the international payment experience. But what els … | Continue reading
NovaPay is the first among Ukrainian non-banks to present its mobile application, in which Ukrainians can instantly open a payment account, issue a virtual card, and immediately start using it. It became possible due to the extended license of the National Bank of Ukraine; curren … | Continue reading
Azerbaijan will host next year’s COP 29. The EU should seize the moment and make it a game changing event, ushering in a new era of European-Turkish-Central Asian energy and trade co-operation. After COP 28 in the United Arab Emirates, next year’s COP 29 is set to take place in a … | Continue reading
It could be a pivotal year for North Macedonia. Parliamentary and presidential elections await, while economically—after a period of moderate growth, the landlocked Balkan nation is gearing up for a year that could potentially mark a significant upturn in its fortunes. In 2022, … | Continue reading
By bringing together the potential of nature and the power of tech, Estonian start-up Arbonics is making forest carbon removal projects transparent, accurate, verifiable and scalable. Launched in late 2022, Estonian naturetech firm Arbonics already works with 4,000 landowners, pl … | Continue reading
Montenegro began EU membership talks in June 2012. Since then, it has opened 33 out of 35 negotiation chapters, of which only three have been completed—and those only provisionally. A short scene from the Ukrainian comedy series Servant of the People, in which Volodymyr Zelensky … | Continue reading
Catch up quickly with the stories from Central and Eastern Europe that matter. Russia’s war on Ukraine The European Council agreed to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, Council President Charles Michel announced on Thursday evening. Michel made the announcement during … | Continue reading
Romania’s government appears ready accept partial Schengen membership, it’s Bulgarian counterpart less so. Reports on December 9 that Austria was ready to soften its stance over the entry of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union’s border-free Schengen zone provoked very diff … | Continue reading
In the long term, Ukraine’s effective integration with the EU will be the main factor influencing the pace and quality of post-war reconstruction. EU leaders will on December 15 decide whether to start accession negotiations with Ukraine—currently unlikely, given Hungary’s curren … | Continue reading
The last three years brought an accelerated rhythm of change, and significant changes that are yet to be fully assimilated in terms of business impact. High stakes decision making, a process much dreaded for its energy and nerve consuming profile, is becoming more ubiquitous in o … | Continue reading
Poland’s Silesia region, in the past identified with heavy industry and mining, is today increasingly promoting its innovative economy, based on knowledge and modern technologies. As a result, the region has in recent years seen an economic transformation in which new solutions a … | Continue reading
Serbia’s united opposition may not win the country’s upcoming parliamentary election but its emergence bodes well for the future—if it can stay together in defeat. As Serbia heads to the polls for a snap parliamentary election on December 17, the nation finds itself at a critica … | Continue reading
In an exceptional move reverberating through the corridors of technology and governance, the European Union has provisionally adopted the Artificial Intelligence Act, heralding a new era of digital ethics and innovation. This groundbreaking framework is not just a set of regulati … | Continue reading
In an era where technology dictates economic prowess, Moldova is stepping up in the global tech arena. The nation is making a significant mark, boasting a tech sector that contributes a remarkable 7.4 per cent to its GDP. This is a testament to Moldova’s growing strength in IT, a … | Continue reading
Activists from Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia are hopeful that the EU accession process will improve LBGT+ rights in their countries, and are calling on the EU itself to make sure it delivers on its promises. LGBT+ activists from European Union hopefuls Ukraine, Moldova and Georgi … | Continue reading
Romania. It’s come a long way these past 30 years, but can still often be the victim of awful, outdated stereotypes, from Dracula to stray dogs and abandoned orphans. Make your own mind up about Romania by taking a literary journey through the country’s history, culture, politics … | Continue reading
Improving the business environment remains a priority for the country, while improving productivity and global competitiveness will require urgent investments in infrastructure. Romania has made impressive strides in its economic performance over the last decades, but the country … | Continue reading
Catch up quickly with the stories from Central and Eastern Europe that matter. Russia’s war on Ukraine Senate Republicans this week blocked a move to pass an aid bill for Ukraine after failing to secure border compromises they sought in exchange. The 110 billion US dollars packag … | Continue reading
The financial services sector has undergone significant transformation over the last year, particularly in light of fintech innovation, regulatory changes, and the advancement of AI. What should the region’s firms be looking out for next year? The financial services sector contin … | Continue reading
In the drive towards a carbon-neutral economy, energy storage plays a vital role. By facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources and shifting energy supply to the times when it is most needed, energy storage weakens the grip of gas and other fossil fuel plants on the … | Continue reading
By incentivising physical activity, Tukas EV says its HR Bank encourages customers to engage in fitness routines that simultaneously generate energy. Amidst a world grappling with the growing concerns of the escalating impact of climate change, energy efficiency and the negative … | Continue reading
IBA Group implemented in Nigeria its payment solution tapXphone based on the SoftPOS technology. The solution transforms an ordinary smartphone into a payment terminal. Nigeria, the world’s sixth-most populous country, became the first in Africa to experience the benefits of payi … | Continue reading
These may be tough times for Ukraine, but negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow cannot take place until Moscow’s forces have withdrawn from Ukraine—all of it. A summit last week of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Skopje, North Macedonia, descen … | Continue reading
Aside from continuing to withhold funds, the EU is short on options to bring Hungary onside. That’s bad news for Ukraine. Ukraine and Moldova’s bid to join the European Union received a boost in November when the European Commission recommended that the two countries should begi … | Continue reading
A 32 million US dollars investment in Keboola is the biggest Series A round in the Central Europe region so far in 2023. It’s one of the biggest funding rounds in emerging Europe this year, and confirmation that Keboola, a Czech firm whose mission is to connect and integrate all … | Continue reading
An event in London brings the potential of Uzbekistan’s IT sector to the attention of the UK’s buyers and investors. Ever since I returned from the Uzbek ICT Week in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in October, I have been taking a closer look at the country’s IT sector. I have previously … | Continue reading
Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world, known best perhaps for being the first nation to officially adopt Christianity as its religion, in 301 AD. Beyond that, few people outside of the Caucasus can claim to have anything resembling a deep knowledge and understanding … | Continue reading
Urgent action on climate can help Azerbaijan minimise the risks emerging from the global low-carbon transition and protect the living standards of its people. With existing oil reserves dwindling, comprehensive and effective decarbonisation efforts could play a key role in divers … | Continue reading
Catch up quickly with the stories from Central and Eastern Europe that matter. Russia’s war on Ukraine Russia has built up a large stockpile of missiles and intends to use them in a bid to destroy Ukraine’s power and heating infrastructure in the coming months, NATO’s secretary-g … | Continue reading
New projections from ComplexDiscovery point toward steady expansion ahead for the worldwide electronic discovery (eDiscovery) software and services market. According to the latest forecast analysis, spending on solutions facilitating investigation and litigation of digital inform … | Continue reading
The Western Balkans’ energy transition is finally starting to pick up pace. But false solutions such as fossil gas threaten to divert resources and create new fossil-fuel lock-in. So why do the EU and US continue to push such projects in the region and what can be done about it? … | Continue reading
How can emerging Europe’s firms increase productivity and competitiveness in a challenging economic environment? In today’s challenging economic environment, companies throughout emerging Europe are faced with the pressing need to increase productivity and enhance their competiti … | Continue reading
How to raise the bar on compliance and security without sacrificing user convenience? A Lithuanian start-up, which this week announced a new collaboration with a Polish fintech, thinks it has the answer. A Lithuanian RegTech firm offering end-to-end identity verification and anti … | Continue reading