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Central and Southeast European Update Summary

Core Content Overview

This summary provides an overview of recent political, economic, and diplomatic developments in Central and Southeast European countries, focusing on international relations, trade agreements, and domestic policy changes.

Central Europe

Czech Republic

• Diplomatic Tensions: Following the expulsion of a Czech diplomat from Havana, Prague reciprocated by expelling the Cuban embassy attaché. The EU has expressed concern over Cuba's visa refusal for a Czech diplomat.
• EU Relations: Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda aims to push the EU to apply more pressure on Cuba regarding human rights.
• Economic Engagement: Energo-pro, a Czech company, signed a USD 30 million contract to build two hydroelectric power plants in Turkey. The project was announced at the Czech-Turkish Business Forum in Ankara, attended by President Vaclav Klaus and other officials.

Hungary

• Gold Trading: Hungary introduced gold as a tradable commodity on its stock exchange in early April, joining London, Zurich, and Istanbul. The tax-free capital gains policy is expected to boost its appeal as a financial hub.
• Economic Strategy: The Hungarian government is seeking to position Budapest as the Central European capital of gold trading, with hopes of attracting more international investors.

Poland

• Political Engagement: Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz discussed EU accession support with Bulgarian officials during his visit to Sofia.
• Investment: Japanese automotive parts producer Nifco received approval to build a plant in the Walbrzych Special Economic Zone (WSEZ), set to begin construction in August 2006 and start production in early 2007.
• Energy Expansion: CEZ, a Czech state-owned power company, plans to expand its shares in Poland, following the purchase of two Polish power plants in January. This move is driven by the potential of Poland's capital market and investor interest.

Slovakia

• Election Polls: Smer, led by Robert Fico, is leading in the opinion polls ahead of the parliamentary elections, with a projected 32.4% of the vote.
• ODA Performance: Slovakia's ODA in 2005 was USD 57.5 million (0.12% of GDP), falling short of the EU target of 0.17% by 2010 and 0.33% by 2015. ODA includes debt waivers, EU budget contributions, and aid to other countries.

Baltic States

Estonia

• EU Constitution: The Estonian parliament's constitutional committee will vote on the EU constitutional treaty on 9 May. The decision has been positively received by EU states.
• Memorial Project: Estonia allocated financial support for a planned memorial to communism victims in Washington D.C., aligning with its foreign policy values and supported by Latvia and Baltic exiles.

Latvia

• Russian Oil Transit: Russian Ambassador Viktor Kalyuzhny suggested that Transnefteprodukt might stop using Latvian pipelines for Russian oil exports, potentially redirecting to Russian ports. Analysts speculate this could be politically motivated.
• Energy Policy: The potential reduction in transit of other goods like coal is also under consideration.

Lithuania

• Belarus Conference: Lithuania hosted an international conference in Vilnius to discuss the aftermath of Belarus's presidential elections and ways to support democratic reforms and freedom of speech.
• Mazeikiu Nafta: Negotiations are ongoing for the sale of the majority stake in Mazeikiu Nafta, with courts set to rule on Yukos's ability to sell its holding by 21 April.
• U.S. Summit: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is set to visit Vilnius on 4 May to address the democratic transformation of the Baltic and Black Sea regions.

Southeast Europe

Bulgaria

• Gas Transit Agreement: Bulgaria and Russia aim to finalize a 20-year gas transit agreement by July 2006. Under the new proposal, Russia would pay transfer fees in cash, which could reach USD 100 million annually.
• Government Stability: The trilateral coalition government survived a no-confidence vote, despite opposition claims of corruption and inefficiency. Bulgaria is still recovering from severe flooding in 2005.

Croatia

• Bosnia Relations: Croatian President Stjepan Mesic met with his Bosnian counterpart in Sarajevo to strengthen bilateral ties. Discussions included the joint use of the Ploce port and a proposed bridge over Bosnian waters.
• Regional Summit: The upcoming summit of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia-Montenegro in Dubrovnik is seen as a key event for regional cooperation.

Romania

• Montenegro Relations: Romanian President Traian Basescu met with Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, urging Mladic to surrender and expressing support for the Montenegrin referendum.
• Nuclear Development: The Romanian government is considering building reactors 3 and 4 at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, with potential investment from Nuclearelectrica SA.
• Infrastructure Projects: The contract for the Brasov-Bors highway with U.S. company Bechtel was made public, following multiple renegotiations due to cost irregularities.

Slovenia

• Energy Pipeline: Russia is negotiating a gas pipeline project through Slovenia, linking Austria and Italy. Slovenian officials plan to meet with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller in summer 2006.
• Electricity Export: Slovenia is exploring re-exporting Russian electricity to northern Italy, with ongoing talks with Russian officials.
• Economic Conference: The Capital 2006 conference in Ljubljana focused on euro adoption and capital markets, offering a major platform for Slovenian companies to engage with foreign investors.

Key Takeaways

• Diplomatic Relations: Several countries are strengthening ties with the EU and other international partners, while also managing tensions with Russia.
• Economic Development: Foreign investment and infrastructure projects are key areas of focus, with countries like Poland and Hungary offering favorable conditions for investors.
• Energy Strategy: Energy remains a central issue, particularly in the context of gas transit agreements and potential diversification of energy routes.
• Political Dynamics: Upcoming elections and government stability are critical for political and economic direction in the region.