Finance Minister

Britain's finance minister has said that 'fiscal discipline' will form the core of the upcoming budget. The pledge signals the government intends to prioritise responsible management of public finances, and it comes ahead of a budget statement being closely watched by markets, businesses and households for decisions on taxes and spending.

Ukraine's government is freezing budget expenditures across all line items except priority spending, Prime Minister Koretsky said. The reason, he explained, is that part of the international financing planned for the state budget has not yet arrived. The cabinet has therefore set priorities for which expenses will be funded first while awaiting the missing foreign funds.

Swedish Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson has given up her attempt to form a new government, leaving Sweden in political deadlock after November's election failed to produce a clear majority. The announcement deepens uncertainty over who will govern the country, with prolonged negotiations or fresh elections now possible.

The European Union is set to remove Panama and Vietnam from its tax haven blacklist, which lists jurisdictions the bloc considers non-cooperative on tax matters. The move means both countries will no longer face the EU's monitoring and potential restrictive measures tied to the list, which is periodically updated by EU finance ministers.

Moldova's finance minister has warned that the country must not waste European Union funds allocated for reforms, urging that the money be used effectively. The remarks come as Moldova continues its push toward closer EU integration and implements reforms required to benefit from EU financial support.