Online shopping is rapidly transforming the buying habits of Central Europe, especially as the Christmas shopping season approaches: 62 percent of the population is already shopping online, with the most active buyers living in Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic. According to CEPER's latest research, Austrians (79%), Poles (78%), and Czechs (77%) are leading the way, while less than 40 percent of people in Montenegro and Serbia are taking advantage of online marketplaces.

CEPER’s latest study, the Fear Barometer 2024, reveals the greatest worries of Central Europe's population. The research was conducted in 12 countries across the region, with representative samples of 1,000 respondents per country. Participants were asked to evaluate 11 fears on a five-point scale, where 1 meant “not afraid at all” and 5 indicated “very afraid.” These scores were used to calculate the fear index, which measures the intensity of concerns.

A clear majority of respondents from Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Slovenia identified their countries as Central European in the surveyed region, located in between the borders of Germany and the former Soviet Union. Croats, Serbs, Romanians, and Bulgarians in majority do not consider themselves Central Europeans.

83% in the region want ceasefire or peace agreement in Ukraine

Russia's war against Ukraine has been going on for almost a year, with at least 100,000 casualties on both sides. All Western countries are united in condemning Russia's aggression, but they have different opinions on how to handle the conflict.

The growing exhaustion from the war, which has already been going on for a year, is increasing the anxiety among European leaders. Even in the Central European countries neighbouring or close to Ukraine, the overwhelming majority of the population want ceasefire or peace, and not the continuation of the war. In the twelve Central European states surveyed in January 2023, 25% of respondents were in favour of a ceasefire, 58% were in favour of peace, and only 9% were in favour of the continuation of the war.

Karol Wojtyła, or St. Pope John Paul II as the world knows him, was born over a hundred years ago on 18 May 1920. As the sole Polish pope of the Roman Catholic Church so far, he is the subject of unparalleled veneration in the region: even today at least three-quarters of the population of all four Visegrad states continue to hold him in high regard.