Page 6 - BNE_magazine_02_2020

6 I The Month That Was bne February 2020
Politics
Eastern Europe
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the entire government
after announcing changes to the constitution. The new government under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is a technocratic one that has been charged with implementing the 12 national projects.
Central Europe
Lithuanian hauliers are threatening the government they will move their businesses abroad if new regulations considering per-diem rates for drivers enter force, local media reported. The government has reacted by announcing plans for an “exit tax” for companies that decide to relocate.
Slovenia ranks first in Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe and
is placed in 13th position globally according to the first Social Mobility Report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) during the Davos summit.
The US government has filed an official protest against the planned 7% digital tax in the Czech Republic, according to Foreign Minister Tomas
Petricek. The tax is aimed at online giants like Google and Facebook.
A second Chinese airline has cancelled flights to Prague, as relations between China and the Czech Republic deteriorate The decision by China Eastern Airlines comes amid a deepening dispute between the authorities in the Czech Republic and in China.
The Czech Republic slipped six
spots year on year in Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index 2019 to 44th place, together with Romania recording the most significant drop, TI Czech Republic published on January 23. The country achieved 56 points, equal with Costa Rica, Georgia and Latvia.
Hungary slipped 6 notches to 70th place in Transparency International's 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranking and remained the second most corrupt country in the EU, according to the report published in January.
Southeast Europe
Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Sarec announced on January 27 that he is resigning to open the way for early
general elections, as he has been unable to implement substantial reforms with the current minority government.
Slovenia will try to achieve EU-required carbon neutrality by 2050 by reducing the use of fossil fuel and by adopting sustainable solutions for transport, housing and industry, according to a government document quoted by local media on January 14. Although Slovenia is still below its targets for energy generation from renewable sources and will not reach the 25% target this year, it is still above the EU average.
Bulgaria will reduce its imports of natural gas from Russia to 50% of its total consumption by the end
of 2020, Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said. Currently, the country
is completely dependent on Moscow for its gas, which gives Russia a strong tool with which to influence the country’s politics.
Bulgaria’s foreign affairs ministry said on January 24 it has declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata and a technical staff member unacceptable over alleged espionage. The two were given 48 hours to leave the country.
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