4liberty.eu N E W S L E T T E R [JANUARY 2021]

The January issue of the 4liberty.eu Newsletter provides an overview of the articles published on the 4liberty.eu website, serving as a starting point for further exploration.

Detmar Doering & Natalie Marakova (FNF):
The COVID-19 pandemic often seems to be used as an excuse to allow those in power to do things they would not normally be allowed to do. The Czech Chamber of Deputies’ decision to introduce a high quota for domestically produced food in large shops from 2022 also belongs in these ranks: especially in times of crisis like these, more self-sufficiency must be achieved in the long term.

Martin Reguli (F.A. Hayek Foundation):
Result of Brexit and Future of EU

One of the key topics of the past nearly four years has been the future face of the relations between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) in the post-transition period era. Not many people expected that within the given time frame and in the reality dominated by the COVID-19 response there would be sufficient time and willingness to reach a mutually acceptable deal.
Radovan Durana (INESS):
One of the basic economic lessons is that the first slice of bread will bring you the highest utility. Definitely, you will be better off than with the second slice, or the third which is rather more likely to bring costs. The law of diminishing marginal utility applies generally to all human action, including the public administration.
FOR:
Civil Development Forum (FOR) presents the fourth report on the crisis of the rule of law in Poland. This part deals with the restoration of the rule of law, reversal of Law and Justice’s policies and reforms of the justice system that are needed in the future.
Artem Remizov (IER):
The local elections in Ukraine that started on October 25, 2020, are not officially over yet. While the majority of mayors and local councils were sworn in, the Central Election Commission is still finalizing the results in some districts. Moreover, in several communities, elections were rescheduled for early 2021. Nevertheless, it is already possible to assess available results of the voting and its implications for the political landscape of Ukraine.
Piotr Beniuszys (Liberte! Foundation):
In December 2019, it seemed that 2020 would be the key year for Poland, and that the events of the next year, 2021, would be a simple consequence of the last important political verdict of a closed election cycle – the election of the President of Poland.

Eszter Nova:
Outlook for Hungary for 2021

2020 has been spent in the spirit of punishing opposition cities for voting against Orbán in the October 2019 municipal elections. Most of the pandemic has been used for that. The only mitigating factor was that Orbán had his wars to fight in Brussels. Those being out of the way, 2021 will be the year when the financial crackdown on opposition cities will gain momentum. No self-restraint can be expected in this regard.
Gaspar Shabad (Academy of Liberalism) for Liberal Voices Syndicated:
In what a few years ago would have seemed an unfathomable turn of events, the current Estonian government is set to hold a nonbinding referendum in the spring of 2021 to solidify the definition of marriage as being between a man and woman.
LFMI:
The Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) ranks the sixth best think tank in Central and Eastern Europe in 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report released by the University of Pennsylvania. LFMI is also among top 1 percent organizations in the world, ranked in the 126th place. According to the report data, over 11,100 think tanks are operating globally.
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