News from Eastern Europe

Czech Republic - Botas' Sales in 2002 The Botas leather sports shoe manufacturer in the Czech Republic expected to record a profit of Kc3 million (US$1 = Kc31) on sales worth around Kc220 million in 2002, according to the CTK news agency's Business News. Exports comprised 60% of sales. Yugoslavia - sale of Inex 29 Novembar The Serbian government's website reports that the Belgrade-based Inex 29 Novembar leathergoods manufacturer was sold to Milo Draskovic for YUM106 million (US$1 = YUM60.0) at a public auction on December 21. The initial sales price of the company was YUM2.8 million. The buyer reportedly has considerable experience in the manufacture of leather shoes. Yugoslavia - Boreli's production in 2002 The Boreli footwear manufacturer in Sombor in Yugoslavia produced 609,000 pairs of footwear in 2002, according to the Tanjug news agency. Footwear exports totalled 347,000 pairs worth euro1.7 million. Main export markets included Italy, Germany and Greece. Hungarian foreign trade Hungary's Central Statistical Office has reported that Hungary exported leather and leather products worth US$76.7 million in the first eleven months of 2002, a year-on-year increase of 20.6%. Hungarian imports of the same types of commodities increased by 2.6% year-on-year to $289 million. Slovak Republic leather production Slovakia's Statistical Office reports that the production of leather and leather products in the Slovak Republic in the first eleven months of 2002 was 14% higher than in the same period the previous year. Production in November 2002 was 4.3% lower year-on-year. In comparison, the annual increase in industrial output in the January to November 2002 period was 6.1%. Lithuania foreign trade Lithuania's Statistics Department has reported that Lithuania exported livestock and livestock products worth US$217 million in the first eleven months of 2002, a year-on-year fall of 8.1%. Lithuanian imports of the same types of commodities were 23.8% lower year-on-year at $127 million. Latvian foreign trade Latvia's Central Statistical Bureau reports that Latvia exported raw hides and leather worth US$12 million in the first eleven months of 2002, compared with $13.5 million in the same period the previous year. Latvian imports of the same types of commodities were worth $13.2 million, as against $11.6 million in the same period in 2001.