#emergingeurope

[gereportscee]

How Technology Can Ensure Emerging Europe’s Energy Mix Remains Economically Viable

Michael Keroulle, Chief Commercial Officer at GE Steam Power, was interviewed by Emerging Europe, a think tank headquartered in London, whose mission is to foster the economic and social development of the CEE region, about the apparently competing energy policy objectives in CEE: security of supply, affordable energy and increased use of renewables.

Having one of the broadest energy solution portfolios in the industry and being longstanding business partner to the Eastern European energy industry, GE is in a position to evaluate better than anyone else which technologies should definitely be part of an energy infrastructure which meets the above preconditions. 

Power generation                                                        Source: Emerging Europe

As the region moves towards an increased use of renewable energy, the need to ensure a steady supply of cheap, reliable energy to fuel growth remains. Emerging Europe talks to Michael Keroulle about how the region can ensure the right balance.

Michael Keroulle, CCO at GE Steam Power  source: Emerging Europe

But please read the whole interview at Emerging Europe here:

[ferenckuminblog]

The Wall Street Journal Interview with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sat for an interview this week with the Wall Street Journal. It's a fascinating conversation, covering topics ranging from economic policy during crisis, the parliamentary supermajority, the European Union and the eurozone, debt and deficit, the opening to the East, and much more. Here's a brief excerpt from the interview that was just published today:

The WSJ: With three years at the helm of the government and tackling the crisis, what’s your response to the critics of Hungary’s economic policy, who have often termed it as unorthodox?

Prime Minister Orbán: ...We had a clear-cut vision of how to get out of the crisis, how to make Hungary competitive. In 2002, we were in the vanguard of Central Europe. In 2010, we were the weakest. We are closer now to where we want to be. We will catch up with Central Europe again. That is important. The future of Europe is Central Europe. Without us, there would be no growth at all in the European Union. If we want to have growth in the future in the European economy, it will come from Central Europe. Now we are once again part of the powerhouse.

In 2010, there were a lot of bad trends. Debt was rising. Now we are one of the few countries where debt is falling. In terms of the budget deficit, we are now out of the EU’s excessive deficit procedure. Foreign trade is rocketing, so our external account is in surplus. That is very valuable in these times of crisis. In 2010, Hungary wasn’t able to stand on its own feet. It needed other people’s money. That damages national pride and self-esteem. Three years ago we were depending on money from the IMF and the EU. Now, we are able to finance ourselves from the market. Hungarians are buying bonds. Unemployment is falling and workforce participation is rising. We had 1.8 million taxpayers when I took office. Now we are close to 4 million. Income is rising, in real terms. Pensions are cautiously increasing, too...

When you are in trouble, when your neighbors are also hit with crisis, just following standard, generalized economic policies doesn’t work. You need to take targeted action. People say such policies are unorthodox. If you have a more positive view, they are innovative.

Read more of the interview at the Wall Street Journal's Emerging Europe.