4liberty.eu N E W S L E T T E R [SEPTEMBER 2020]

The September 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.

FOR:
Report: Rule of Law in Poland in 2020
A new report titled Rule of Law in Poland 2020: A Diagnosis of the Deterioration of the Rule of Law From a Comparative Perspective published by the Civil Development Forum (FOR) summarizes the state of the rule of law in Poland after five years of the Law and Justice (PiS) party’s rule and analyzes the current situation from a comparative perspective of the EU countries.

Martin Panek (Liberalni Institute):
President of Czech Senate Visits Taiwan, Sparks Outrage
It is not very often that the Liberální Institut can praise a politician for something. The happier I am that I can do so today, because an entourage of Czech senators – headed by the President of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, – went in their official capacity to the Republic of China – the country generally known as Taiwan.

Mate Hajba (Free Market Foundation):
Importance of Human Relations during Pandemic: Lessons Friends TV Series Taught Us
The popularity of the Friends TV series couldn’t be illustrated better than by looking at Netflix statistics, according to which 16 years after the end of the show, it is still one of the most popular content. Now, in the times of social isolation and distancing imposed by COVID-19, the lessons the sit-com teaches us can provide some welcome solace.

Toni Skoric (FNF):
Lithuania Takes a Clear Stand on the Belarus Crisis
In light of the serious political crisis in Belarus, Lithuania is positioning itself as a strong advocate of EU-wide sanctions against members of the Lukashenko regime, responsible for election fraud and police violence. The Western EU member states, on the other hand, are usually cautious not to provoke Russian intervention.

Keit Pentus-Rosimannus (Academy of Liberalism):
Energy Sector in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Decide, Act, Move Fast
Recent decades have been a good reminder that whenever you think things cannot get any more complicated on the international level, they will. Old conflicts, conventional threats, and crises have not disappeared, nor have they been solved, while new dimensions with more complex problems are added and reach new depths. What to do?

Prague Pride:
COVID-19 Is Not the Biggest Issue Pride Organizers Face in CEE
In 2020, Prague Pride festival was supposed to celebrate its 10th year of existence. When COVID-19 stroke, the festival team was working hard on the program, booking international guests and signing partnerships with sponsors.

INESS Publishes Health for Money 2020
After a successful first run in 2019, the INESS Institute published the 2020 international healthcare ranking Health for Money. The rankings follow 23 various indicators including life expectancy, maternal mortality, the consumption of antibiotics, the number of cancer-related deaths, the number of medical employees, and the average length of hospital stays.

Adrian Nikolov (IME):
Bulgaria’s March Against Corruption
The protests in Bulgaria have been going for almost two months now. As the government has failed to provide a meaningful alternative that could satisfy the demands of the demonstrators and thus solve the ongoing political crisis, let us examine the root causes that have driven it, and attempt to shed some light on the immediate political future in the country.