Authors: John Szabo, Csaba Weiner, András Deák

In: Post-Communist Economies, 2026, 1–28.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14631377.2025.2607994

Abstract

The European Commission proposed to accelerate the EU’s energy transition and phase out Russian gas in response to Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, prompting different reactions from Central and Eastern European Member States. This paper explores the responses from these countries by tracing the institution-altering effects of politicisation and securitisation. It proposes a taxonomy based on state actions: ‘accelerationists’ align with the Commission’s ambition to hasten the green transition and reduce the role of Russian natural gas; ‘pivoters’ acknowledge the security threat and have eliminated Russian imports but seek to retain natural gas as a transition fuel by turning to alternative suppliers; and ‘the unwavering’ do not securitise the issue and thus resist change. The paper draws on the comparison of original National Energy and Climate Plans published in 2019 and their post-invasion updates to explore how the energy transition interacts with external shocks.

A Szabo, J., Weiner, C., Deák, A.: Split between accelerationists, pivoters, and the unwavering: CEE energy policy responses to Russia’s 2022 invasion bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Authors: Andrea Szalavetz, Agnieszka Skala

In: Geoforum, 154, 104074

Abstract

Some of the best technology startups born in CEE moved their headquarters to a foreign jurisdiction before scaling. These ventures became ‘foreign’ companies but kept the principal business functions in the countries of origin. We theorize about this phenomenon, referred to as virtual relocation, and consider what it conveys for the asserted reduced relevance of location-bound advantages and constraints in the digital era. We take a process approach and investigate the cases of 34 technology startups from Poland, Hungary, and Romania. We find that CEE startups’ choice of a ‘virtual’ type of relocation can be traced back to the tension between the retention factors and the push/pull factors influencing their locational decision. We show that the factors that push CEE startups away from their home countries, pull them to the destination country, and make them retain specific business functions in their home countries are equally location bound. If virtually relocated startups manage to seize the assumed opportunities in the destination country and scale, the virtualness of the HQ office will gradually fade: employment starts growing also at the HQ location.

A Szalavetz, A., Skala, A.: An empty shell? Relocation of central and eastern European startups, virtual headquarters and beyond bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.