The European Central Bank has helped assuage fears of an imminent eurozone breakup, but sovereign, supranational and agency debt management officials must still contend with ratings downgrades and difficult political and fiscal situations in a number of countries. The Banker hears from a range of EU issuers both inside and outside the eurozone.
Central & eastern Europe
Latest articles from Romania
Bonds come in from the cold in eastern Europe
March 1, 2013Although foreign banks may be reining in finance for their subsidiaries in central and eastern Europe, any transition to local currency bond financing looks likely to be gradual.
The euro: a path worth taking?
January 2, 2013The eurozone's troubles of the past few years have meant that the headlines have been dominated by those countries deemed likely to leave the currency union. However, there are EU members that still wish to sign up to euro membership. The question is, why?
Terrible timing thwarts Romania's path to economic development
December 3, 2012Romania's entrance into the EU was met not with the domestic economic development many had predicted, but with a global recession, which sent the country's economy into decline and severely narrowed its banking sector's avenues of growth. Now, the country must overcome a series of challenges if it is to achieve the economic maturity it had envisaged.
Governor vows to maintain flexibility of Romania's central bank
December 3, 2012Mugur Isarescu, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, discusses Romania's tumultuous economic past, the health of its financial sector and pathways to future growth.
Will listings of state-owned shares energise Bucharest market?
May 1, 2012An ambitious privatisation programme could revitalise the Bucharest Stock Exchange, but there are still many hurdles in place preventing a boost in activity.
Recovery eludes Romania’s banks
May 1, 2012With private sector credit growth negligible and non-performing loans still high, foreign-owned banks may need to rethink their strategies in Romania.
Romania's hard road to fiscal adjustment
August 1, 2011Hit hard during the financial crisis, the Romanian government was the first in the EU to successfully complete an International Monetary Fund loan programme, without even needing to draw the whole loan. Secretary of state for finance Bogdan Dragoi explains his government’s strategy.
Eastern Europe gives Asia a run for its money
February 16, 2011Erste Group CEO Andreas Treichl is comfortable that his Austrian bank represents a call option on prospects in central and eastern Europe.
Bulgaria and Romania defy Eurozone woes
July 28, 2010Greek banks control at least a fifth of the banking markets in Bulgaria and Romania but, despite this exposure to one of Europe's more troubled economies, bankers in the two countries believe there will still be a sufficient supply of credit to meet demand. Writer Philip Alexander