As the eurozone crisis continues to unfold, lending from international financial institutions to the banking sector must be held to the task of supporting the most vulnerable - especially the SMEs in CEE - or it will continue to perform largely unsuccessful and unchecked as it has during the crisis to date.
The proper financial management of EU funds is important to avoid fraud and illegitimate spending. Yet more important is the quality of the funded projects.
Why is it that when we advocate for something to the international financial institutions (IFIs) they often manage to give it a peculiar twist of their own?
The European Financial Stability Facility is a crucial element of eurozone leaders’ proposed solution to the debt crisis. But behind the shining EUR 1 trillion armour of the EFSF lurks an institution that could bring further mayhem as a closer look by Bankwatch’s alternative economics coordinator Roman Havlicek reveals.
By requesting a number of changes at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Parliament has confirmed at least some of Bankwatch's criticism of the bank's mode of operation and (in a subtle way) also its overall approach.
Ahead of a meeting next week that offers a unique chance for discussion with the EIB's Board of Directors, Bankwatch's EIB team leader Anna Roggenbuck gives an overview over some of the issues to which she'd like to hear some comments by the bank's enigmatic leadership.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has become a stakeholder in a company that is involved in gold mining in a UNESCO World Heritage site in Russia. Not only does this violate its own Environmental and Social Policy, but it also tells me a lot about the bank's assessment of partner companies.
The European Union's internal and external ambitions for green economies are being countered by the activities of European international financial institutions. EU Commissioner for the Environment Potocnik can see that also in his home country Slovenia.
The European Commission this week published its ideas on how to build a resource efficient economy in Europe. Bankwatch's resource efficiency expert Marijan Galovic thinks the roadmap's focus is not wide enough yet.
Upgrades of hydro power plants in Ukraine are a prime example for greenwashing nuclear expansion with renewable energy. Alena Miskun from Bankwatch member group National Environmental Centre of Ukraine gives details on the thickening plot that European public banks are involved in.
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