Latest Articles about Europe

Will Lukashenka Be Welcomed in Prague?

Since last October, the European Union, through an Eastern Partnership Program originally initiated last summer by Poland and Sweden, has taken several steps to normalize relations with Belarus. For some members of the opposition, the maneuvers appear to abandon the EU's former insistence on democratization... MORE

The Russian-Central European Gas Conflict Continues

While the Ukrainian-Russian gas conflict appears to have been resolved, its fallout is still reverberating throughout Central Europe. In Poland, RosUkrEnergo (RUE), the Swiss based middleman that was dropped from the Ukrainian-Russian-Central Asian gas trade on January 20, has failed to meet its contractual obligations... MORE

Who Owns the Gas in Ukraine’s Underground Reservoirs?

The gas dispute that left half of Europe without gas in early January was officially settled by accords signed by Gazprom and Naftohaz Ukrainy in Moscow on January 19 and 20. The clash, however, is apparently not over. Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash, who owns the... MORE

Chancellor Merkel’s Letter Perturbs EU’s Energy Debate

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reacted negatively to the high-level meeting in Budapest, which improved the prospects for European Union funding of the Nabucco gas transport project (see EDM, January 29, 30). Merkel has taken a contrary position in a confidential letter to EU Commission... MORE

Slovak Government Invites Gazprom into the Country

On January 23 in Bratislava, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Gazprom Vice-President Aleksandr Medvedev announced the intention to create a Slovak-Gazprom joint enterprise. Fico stated specifically that he wanted such an enterprise to compete against SPP (Slovensky plynarensky priemysel--Slovak Gas Industry), the joint company... MORE

Gazprom to Reduce Gas Transit to Europe on Ukraine-Slovakia Route

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Gazprom Vice-President Aleksandr Medvedev have launched talks about creating a Slovak-Gazprom joint enterprise. They announced on January 23 in Bratislava that the proposed new entity would compete against SPP, a company that is owned jointly by the Slovak state... MORE

Ukrainian Chief Banker in Legal Limbo

The Ukrainian parliament has exacerbated both the political and economic crises in Ukraine by voting to dismiss National Bank (NBU) head Volodymyr Stelmakh. Consequently, it is not clear who is running the central bank in a country that has been among the hardest hit by... MORE