It is often said that more authoritarian regimes can fight the virus more effectively. At the same time independent media has been emphasised as an important factor in influencing both the choice of response strategies and the reporting of official numbers for infections and deaths. The responses to the COVID-19 pandemic vary greatly across Emerging Europe. To what extent does this variation reflect the diversity of political regimes in place across the region? What do we learn about the political economy of COVID-19? What has been the role of media? How has the EU’s handling of the crisis affected politics in the region? What is the role of China? Can we say something already about how the epidemic will affect incumbent regimes? Is the pandemic going to have a lasting impact on the varieties of capitalism in Emerging Europe?