Grafton Recruitment is to double the number of offices it operates in central and eastern Europe over the next two years.

The Belfast-based agency has been building up its brand in the region in anticipation of the entrance of 10 new member states to the European Union (EU) in May.

It already has a network of nine branches in central Europe, including offices in Prague, Budapest and Warsaw, and has recently opened a branch in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Over the next few weeks it will open a further two offices in Posna in Poland and Ostrava in the Czech Republic, and plans to open as many as eight more in the region by the end of 2005. Grafton is also researching opportunities in Russia and Turkey, which will be joining the EU in the next accession round.

“When we opened in Prague 10 years ago, it was as much by luck as by judgement that we succeeded,” said director Ken Belshaw. “But these aren’t speculative office openings any more.”