Energy | 21 January, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Bulgaria joins OMV Petrom's Black Sea gas venture
Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) has entered the Han Asparuh offshore exploration joint venture in the Bulgarian Black Sea with a 10% interest.
Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) has entered the Han Asparuh offshore exploration joint venture in the Bulgarian Black Sea with a 10% interest.
Romania has the second-lowest consumer prices in the European Union, with costs 36% below the EU average in 2024, according to new Eurostat data released in December 2025.
Central Europe's commercial real estate sector is experiencing a transformation, with Hungary leading the recovery through an 86% year-on-year increase in investment driven by Asian capital from China and South Korea. The CATL factory in Debrecen and BYD in Szeged, along with the planned Volvo plant in Košice, Slovakia, are reshaping the region's industrial landscape and creating demand for logistics space.
In the East European region, the aggregated construction outlook for next year has remained positive, only the trajectory has changed a little, according to the winter report of the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association (EECFA).
Colliers has published a new report focusing on CEE, examining economic and real estate trends across Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The study shows that 2025 brought moderate economic recovery, easing inflation and rising focus on sustainability, while real estate markets were shaped by modernization, limited new office supply, strong logistics demand and retail park expansion.
Romania faces an economic maturity test, with the key question being whether it can transform current vulnerabilities into reforms and progress.
Oil major OMV Petrom has started preparations for exploration drilling in Bulgaria's Han Asparuh offshore block, which is operated together with NewMed Energy.
Samsung Electronics has announced the appointment of Jaesung (James) Kim as President of Samsung Electronics Romania and Bulgaria (SEROM).
GTC reported rental revenues of €152 million in the first nine months of 2025, up 9% from €139 million in the same period of 2024. The increase followed the acquisition of a residential portfolio in Germany, which contributed €18 million, partially offset by a €4 million decrease after the sale of the GTC X and Matrix C properties.
Confidence is returning across CEE real estate markets, with investor sentiment shifting from cautious optimism to execution, according to Colliers. The region continues to demonstrate resilience, supported by moderating inflation, solid household consumption, and strong employment levels.
CEE recorded a 38% increase in real estate investments in the first three quarters of 2025, reaching over €7 billion across six major markets, according to Colliers' latest report.
In 2023, the EU spent €1.72 trillion on healthcare expenditure, equivalent to 10.0% of the EU's gross domestic product, according to Eurostat.
Industrial developer CTP reported net rental income growth of 15.4% year-on-year to €549 million in the first nine months of 2025. The company achieved like-for-like rental growth of 4.5%, driven by indexation and lease renewals.
CEE economies have been delivering solid GDP growth, outpacing many Western European peers despite external trade uncertainties and recent inflationary pressures, according to Colliers' latest report.
AG Capital has appointed Pavlin Petkov as CEO. Petkov brings over 25 years of international experience across the US, Western and Eastern Europe in private equity, insurance, banking, and pension fund management.
Industrial developer CTP has announced a new partnership with Singu, the operator of a cloud-based Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) platform.
Industrial developer CTP said its gross rental income for H1 2025 reached €367.2 million, marking a 14.4% year-on-year increase, while signing 1 million sqm of new leases, an 11% increase compared to H1 2024.
Three out of four Romanians traveling abroad this summer have chosen Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, or Italy as their destination, finds a recent CEC Bank survey.
OMV Petrom has purchased a 50% stake in the Gabare photovoltaic project in Bulgaria from Enery, set to become one of the country's largest solar installations.
The study reveals that 83% of Romanians have a plan for their upcoming vacation season. Only 6% do not intend to go on holiday, while 12% have yet to finalize their arrangements.
Asset management platform Metawealth is entering Romania's battery energy storage system (BESS) market with grid-scale storage projects worth €110 million.
Romania's Ministry of Finance announced that the consolidated general budget execution for 2025 ended with a cash deficit of RON 146.03 billion (€28.65 billion), representing 7.65% of GDP, down one percentage point from the 8.67% deficit recorded in 2024.
Romanian FMCG distributor Aquila has completed a €5 million investment in an AI-based automation solution at its warehouse in Drăgomirești, Ilfov County.
VC fund GapMinder has led a €1.5 million investment round in Croatian startup InsiderCx, an AI-powered patient feedback platform that helps healthcare providers collect actionable insights and improve patient experience.
Shares of state-owned power producer Hidroelectrica reached a new historic high of RON 138.40 (€27.17) on 27 January 2026, marking the highest level since the company's listing on the Bucharest Stock Exchange on 12 July 2023.