Update January 2000: Central and Eastern European Countries

During the last quarter there have been a certain number of new contacts and organisations regarding the Information Society field. The knowledge of these new contacts is very useful for public institutions, private investors, journalists or any other individuals interested in the Central and Eastern European Information Technologies markets.

We present below the main changes in several countries.

• In Bulgaria, the new Minister of Telecommunications and Transport is Mr. Antoni Slavinski.
  
• In the Czech Republic, the public telecommunication operator, SPT Telecom, changed its name to Cesky Telecom as of January 1, 2000. This is one of the preliminary events before the privatisation of the remaining 51% shares held by the State. The licence for the third mobile network in the Czech Republic has been awarded to Cesky Mobil.
  
• In Estonia, the Managing Director of TV3 (one of Estonia's leading private television stations) Andres Joesaar will start to work in the Internet company Viasat Internet. Mr. Tõnis Laasik started to work as the IT Director of Microlink, one of the biggest IT companies in the Baltic States.
  
  The former Director General of the Estonian Privatisation Agency Väino Sarnet started work as the head of the Public Administration Reform Bureau of the State Chancellery in November. The new acting Director General of the Privatisation Agency is Jaan Liivik.
  
  One of main Estonian banks, Hansabank's, created an Internet Commerce Department. It will be headed by Tiit Pekk.
  
  AS Pennu Computer Technology Group (PCT Group) changed its name to AS XXL.EE. Kinex Infosüsteemid and Tammeraja & Co, two Estonian business software companies, will merge into Kinex Ärisüsteemid (Kinex Business Solutions).
  
  The Estonian Academy of Sciences re-elected Jüri Engelbrecht as their President for the next five years

• In Hungary, Mr Ferenc Bánhidi is now vice-president of the market regulation branch of the Communication Authority. The leader of the new telecommunication directorate is György Takács. Géza Gosztony performs the duties of the new number management office for the Authority.
  
• In Lithuania, in November, the Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius was confirmed. The new Minister of Finances is Mr. Vytautas Dudenas and the Minister of Economy is Mr. Valentinas Milaknis. The Minister of Public Administration Reforms and Local Authorities is Mr. Jonas Rudalevicius.
  
• In Latvia, the State Information Network Agency (VITA) has a new director general, Dr. Rihards Balodis. On the 26^th November two companies: Latvian Parks LvNet and Estonian MicroLink announced the establishment of the new Baltic Internet company Delfi.
  
• Some of the ministers in Macedonia changed. on December 27^th 1999. For the Ministry of Science, new contacts are : Mr. Nenad Novkovski, Mr. Marku Fisnik, assistant to the minister. For the Ministry of Economy,the Bureau of Standardisation and Metrology is responsible for implementing Information Technology standards. The contacts are: Mr. Borko Andreev, minister, Mr. Risto Josifovski, Director. The Ministry of Transports and Communications is in charge of telecommunications. Contacts: Mr. Bobi Spirkovski, Minister, and Mr. Mile Veljanov, assistant of the minister, Mr. Dimce Camurovski, assistant Minister for Post and Telecommunications. The Ministry of Education manages the usage of information technology in education. Mr. Gale Galev is the Minister.

• In Romania, the new president of the Advisory Board of RomTelecom is George Karaplis.

• In Slovenia, the Government re-appointed Mr Tomaz Banovec as Director of the Statistical Office. Mr Banovec is also a Vice-President of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia’s Council for the use of information technology in state bodies and public institutions.