Four Slovak car plants—VW, Kia, Stellantis, and JLR—are protesting the EU’s planned ban on combustion engines  after 2035, proposing that plug-in hybrids be allowed beyond that date. They are also calling for combustion engines to be permitted to use synthetic fuels that are emission-neutral. Sales of EVs continue to lag behind expectations. Germany, Slovakia, and Czechia are pushing for a review of the ban, but the EU has not yet published its position. Volvo will produce on

Slovenské elektrárne , controlled by EPH, reported a record net profit of €815m last year and expects an annual profit of €700m after the launch of the fourth block of Mochovce next year. Despite increased power generation, profits will decline due to falling electricity prices in the region. SE reduced its debt from €4.2bn in 2022 to €3.2bn at the end of 2024. The debt now stands at 1.9 times annual EBITDA, leaving room for new loans. SE is working to extend the lifespan of

S&P affirmed Slovakia’s A+ rating  with a negative outlook. Last week, Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický expressed concern that the agency might downgrade the rating. The agency expects the public finance deficit to fall to 5% of GDP this year and to continue falling in the coming years. Slovakia has the fifth-best rating from S&P and the seventh-best from Fitch and Moody’s. ( hnonline.sk )

Railtrans  (Ján Sabol) acquired a 50% stake in Romania’s EP Rail . Railtrans is one of the largest rail carriers in the CEE region and operates in Germany, Austria, Czechia, and Hungary. EP Rail is one of the most dynamic rail operators in Romania, transporting 8m tons of goods annually. The remaining 50% stake will be retained by founder Radu Gheorghiu. ( teraz.sk ) Last year, the Slovak branch of Railtrans reported a 56% increase in net profit to €11.1m and a 4% increase in

Belgian group KBC, owner of ČSOB , acquired the Czech and Slovak branches of Business Lease , which focuses on operational leasing and fleet management. The deal was valued at €72m. The seller was Dutch AutoBinck Group. ČSOB already has leasing subsidiaries in both countries. Some 10,000 vehicles under operating leases in Slovakia will place it among the top three market players. Last year, Business Lease reported €46.3m in sales  in Slovakia, while ČSOB Leasing had €98.9m sa

The number of foreign workers  in Slovakia rose to a record 135,000 in 3Q, labor office ÚPSVR reported. The share of foreigners in total employment increased fivefold to 5.4% over the past ten years. More than 100,000 workers came from non-EU countries, mostly Ukraine, Serbia, and India. They filled jobs that companies were unable to staff with Slovaks. Over the past decade, the share of foreigners in higher-skilled positions such as managers and specialists has halved. ( for

US surgical kit manufacturer Medline  will build a new hall at its plant in Partizánske, which opened in 2022. The expansion will triple the plant’s area. Hundreds of new employees will be added to the current 600 after the hall opens next year. ( openiazoch.sk )

Some 715 new apartments were sold in Bratislava in 3Q, up 48% annually , according to BuiltMind. The number of apartments on the market rose 17% quarter-on-quarter to 3,800, the highest since 2018. New phases of projects such as Bory, Slnečnice, and Čerešne, along with new developments like Podunajky and Danubius, entered the market. Buyers responded to improved mortgage financing and stabilized prices. The average asking price held at €5,500 per sqm. BuiltMind expects annual

Ryanair  welcomed rival Wizz Air ’s move to establish a base in Bratislava with four aircraft by launching flights on the same routes. Starting in November, it is offering flights to destinations including Barcelona, Malaga and Naples from €15. Wizz Air typically starts at slightly higher prices, from €20. ( sme.sk )

TV group Joj (Richard Flimel) will stop airing its channels via free terrestrial digital DVB-T transmission  from January 1. It will remain available via cable and satellite operators. The largest TV group, Markíza, exited DVB-T in 2017. Like Joj, it failed to agree on pricing terms with operator Towercom. Each TV group reportedly paid millions of euros annually for signal distribution. Cable and satellite operators, by contrast, pay fees to the TV groups. Only public broadca