While much of Europe has struggled over the past few years, the Polish economy has remained resilient, maintaining a sound banking system and hitting its inflation targets. This is why the president of the National Bank of Poland, Marek Belka, is remaining cautious on the topic of eurozone membership, and has no intention of opting into the European banking union.
The previously bleak economic picture in Romania is improving, and with it the performance of the country's banks. But high non-performing loan ratios, underdeveloped financial markets and a slump in the credit market are making it difficult for the country's lenders to pick up much momentum.
Petar Chobanov spent little more than a year as Bulgaria's finance minister before the government resigned and he had to step down from his post. He describes the reforms that he started during his tenure and explains why it is important for the new government to continue this work.
Political tensions continue to dog Russia's capital markets. Following a difficult few months, the shoots of a recovery seemed to be appearing until the US imposed another round of sanctions on the country and a deadly attack on a commercial airliner flying over a disputed region of Ukraine sparked fresh hostilities, jeopardising the market's fragile rebound.
Since taking office as governor of the National Bank of Moldova in 2009, Dorin Drăguţanu has implemented the country’s first inflation-targeting policy, has seen interest rates on loans and deposits decline and has welcomed amendments to the law on financial institutions. He speaks to The Banker about challenges surrounding transparency in the banking sector and economic implications of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
The problems faced by Moldova's banking sector are not performance related, but instead are deeply rooted in a lack of transparency in banks’ shareholder structures. After opaque shareholder changes in the country's two largest banks in 2013, authorities are working on a resolution.