Political Risk

When Jiri Paroubek was appointed the new Czech prime minister, replacing Stanislav Gross after the financial scandal that ultimately forced his resignation, little was expected of... 2005-07-05

Poland's two main centre-right opposition parties have claimed that they are capable of lowering the 2006 budget deficit below the PLN30bn (equivalent to 3% of GDP) envisaged by the... 2005-07-05

With the recent rejections of the new EU constitution by French and Dutch voters, the EU 'project' is experiencing a debilitating crisis just a year after its largest-ever enlargement.... 2005-07-05

Yet the situation that Hungary now finds itself in is not novel: in February 2004, Tibors Draskovics replaced Csaba Laszlo as head of the finance ministry, in a move that that was... 2005-07-05

The recent trouble was triggered by the decision in May of one of the junior coalition members, the New Civic Alliance (ANO), to oppose a university education reform championed by... 2005-06-10

Hungary has emerged as a strong advocate of further enlargement of the EU in recent years. The government has been especially vocal in its support of the EU aspirations of neighbouring... 2005-06-10

The ratification of the EU constitution, widely considered the so-called 'caretaker government's' primary objective, has the potential to destabilise domestic politics in the Czech... 2005-06-10

Poland's bilateral relations with neighbouring Belarus have deteriorated appreciably in the light of the expulsion of a Polish diplomat from the Belarussian capital, Minsk. The broader... 2005-06-10

The Democrat Party is gaining ground ahead of elections that will now take place in September 2005. BMI View: The PO remains on course to become the largest party, but the PD would... 2005-05-12

A cabinet reorganisation in April has seen the appointment of new Hungarian finance and agriculture ministers. BMI View: Although Prime Minister Gyurcsany has presented the replacement... 2005-05-12