Share the article
twitter-iconcopy-link-iconprint-icon
share-icon

Privatisation comes of age in central and eastern Europe

The south-eastern European states formerly associated with the Soviet Union have been slow to privatise state-owned assets when compared with their western European neighbours, but political reforms and softening attitudes mean fresh momentum is spurring a wave of long-delayed sell-offs in the region, particularly in Serbia and Slovenia.
Share the article
twitter-iconcopy-link-iconprint-icon
share-icon
Privatisation comes of age in central and eastern Europe

With the elapse of more than 25 years since the end of the Cold War and the beginning of the shift from Soviet to market economies across central and eastern Europe (CEE), one topic keeps creeping up: the privatisation of state assets.

While it seems the process has largely come to a close in some countries – in EU member states such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia – for others, the process is far from over. In the ex-Yugoslav countries of Serbia and Slovenia, privatisation is very much on the agenda, with a large list of sales having been drawn up. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the privatisation programme and making efforts to encourage equity investments into the region – but challenges still remain to make the process worthwhile for countries and investors. 

To continue reading, join our community and benefit from

  • In-depth coverage across key markets
  • Comments from financial leaders and policymakers worldwide
  • Regional/country bank rankings and awards
Activate your free trial