Central Europe caught in the EU crossfire

It's not just the tragic events in Kosovo that are hitting the economies and financial assets of central Europe. The current state of the European Union isn't helping either. It's ironic that, just as central Europe's reorientation towards the EU once underpinned its post-communist revival, it's now proving to be its nemesis. Slow growth in the EU this year means big external financing gaps for Poland and Hungary. Germany, which accounts for around 30% of the region's exports, is crucial. But the collapse of demand from Russia, which accounts for another 5% to 8% of exports, doesn't help.