Former LFMI’s President and long-time fellow Remigijus Simasius won the Vilnius City mayor’s post in Lithuania’s first direct mayoral elections, beating incumbent Mayor Arturas Zuokas in the March 15th run-off thus securing 61% of the vote.
Georgia’s economic story after the collapse of the Soviet Union (SU) is important to be considered and analyzed in Georgia and in any developing and transition economy nations. There are several reasons why Georgia’s experience is interesting and valuable. First of all, it shows almost all the wrong sides of central planning and a centralized, bureaucratized and command economic system.
These local elections are historically the most successful, 9 city and district Mayors from Vilnius to Klaipėda will be liberals, – says The Chairman of Liberal Movement Eligijus Masiulis. Nine elected Mayors will govern Lithuanian cities and districts of municipalities in which, according to Department of Statistics, is located almost 883,500 of the population.
The new Greek government of the leftist party SYRIZA wanted to take back austerity reforms in order to, for example, “gradually restore salaries and pensions so as to increase consumption and demand”. But it seems that the only thing accepted by the European Commission and eurozone finance ministers is 4-month extension of the bailout in return for presenting a list of reforms that Greece had committed to undertake.
A survey conducted by the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) shows that a rise in the minimum wage negatively affects Lithuania’s businesses and hurts workers. Of the 181 companies questioned, every third said that the 2012 and 2013 increases in the minimum wage had a negative impact on their businesses
Slovak Labour Code that requires separation of the meal contribution for an employee from the salary of the employee created an artificial meal voucher market and ensured the voucher companies millions in revenue and generous profit margins, which are, at the end of the day, paid by the majority of workers, employers and restaurateurs in Slovakia.
The proponents of the limited access to savings caught savers into a trap. Take it or leave it. Fortunately, also thanks to INESS, which also commented on the law in Parliament, there is a sort of exit option for savers, who don’t like the offered annuities but need some money from their savings. They can keep their savings account and withdraw at least annual yield.
The Lithuanian Free Market Institute in partnership with Atlas Network organizes European Think Tank Startup training. A team of experts, among them Peter Botting, Dr. Tim Evans, Edita Maslauskaite and Zilvinas Silenas, will help you to become a better think-tanker.
Hungarian citizens can be more engaged and active in politics, though it is not certain, whether the Podemos-model as a whole can be simply copied. There are differences in the political culture as well as taste, not to mention that for many the radical rightist Jobbik is also an acceptable anti-regime alternative.
The 15th of March is a time of national celebration and pride in Hungary. In 1848 on this day, the Hungarian people rose up against Habsburg overlords and started a revolution to fight for liberties. This year, the country was divided between two main celebrations.
