Insight Central Europe News

Hungary sets date for troops' departure from Iraq

Hungary's 300 troops in Iraq are to be withdrawn by the end of March next year, making the country the first of the new EU states with troops in Iraq to announce a formal departure date. The Hungarian Prime Minister, Ferenc Gyurcsany, said it was Hungary's duty to keep its troops in the country until the elections in January, but warned that the troops might leave at the end of this year, if he fails to persuade the opposition to back a longer deployment.

Czech parliament approves keeping military police in Basra during Iraq's elections

Meanwhile the Czech parliament has approved keeping the country's 80-strong military police contingent in Iraq for an extra two months, to help provide security during the January elections. The Czechs have been in southern Iraq since last December to train Iraqi police.

Hungarian EU commissioner to be given new brief

Hungary's proposed EU commissioner, Laszlo Kovacs, is to be switched from the energy brief to taxation. Mr Kovacs's unconvincing performance during his confirmation in the European Parliament had led to speculation that the incoming Commission chief, Jose Manuel Barroso, would try to have him replaced, along with the controversial Italian Rocco Buttiglione who eventually withdrew his candidacy. The commissioner for energy will now be the Latvian diplomat, Andris Piebalgs.

Polish PM and German Chancellor iron out tensions in Krakow

Ironing out recent tensions and the future EU budget topped the agenda in talks between Poland's Prime Minister Marek Belka and visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Krakow this week. Mr Belka said that Polish and German legal experts had agreed that property claims by Germans expelled after the Second World War had no legal basis. He said that he also considered the issue of wartime reparations to be closed.

Slovenian economy remains strong

Slovenia remains firmly the strongest economy among the new Central European EU members, according to a November report by the rating agency Dun and Bradstreet. The report suggests that the recent change of government is unlikely to have a significant impact on the economy, or lead to major policy changes. The government of the Slovenian Democrats has declared plans to decrease state involvement in the economy.