INESS

INESS, the Institute of Economic and Social Studies, began its activities in January 2006. As an independent think tank, INESS monitors the functioning and financing of the public sector, evaluates the effects of legislative changes on the economy and society and comments on current economic and social issues.

Society

Adult Education in Slovakia Has Not Grown Up Yet

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / May 31, 2021

In Slovakia, we have a long-term problem with adult education. On average, only 4.5% of adults are involved in the lifelong learning process, while the OECD average is around 11%. How to solve this problem?

Economy

Expensive Polystyrene and ECB

BY Martin Vlachynsky AND INESS / May 28, 2021

Polystyrene, wood, reinforcement steel, and other materials have not only become expensive, but their lack in warehouses indicates that the increase of prices will continue. It is similar with notebooks, bicycles, or maize.

Economy

Income Equality in Slovakia

BY Radovan Durana AND INESS / April 26, 2021

The financial wealth of Slovaks is calculated in about tens of thousands of euros, as a matter of fact, the wealth of Slovaks lies in the bricks of their houses. A house or a flat is a money-making property only for a very small number of Slovaks. Income from capital will push the inequality rate higher.

Economy

Paying for Results, Not Expenses

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / February 16, 2021

Large oil field, steel production capacity, or number of tractors produced do not make the company rich. The company grows rich thanks to skilled people in the right place, their excellent skills and ability to adapt to change. As Julian Simon used to say, the ultimate source of wealth is man.

Publications, Think Tank News

Next Generation EU: Growth, At What Cost?

BY INESS / February 12, 2021

The Slovak Institute of Economic and Social Studies (INESS) has just released its new study titled Next Generation EU: Why We Should Be Concerned about the Recovery Plan.

Economy

Will Tax Brake Protect Citizens’ Wealth in Slovakia?

BY Radovan Durana AND INESS / January 11, 2021

The next five years will be crucial. Public finances should come out of huge deficits, and the lesson from the previous crisis is clear. Tax increases will never be temporary. Pulling the tax brake can serve as an additional \"austerity\" argument in the discussion on lowering the deficit.

Economy

Dealing with the Gross Problem of the “Semi-Gross Wage”

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / November 11, 2020

When we talk about wages in Slovakia, we refer to gross wage. From an economic point of view, however, it is a fictitious value created by accountants. It represents an arbitrarily set point between the two key values: net wage and labor costs.

Economy

Real Solutions Instead of Self-Sufficiency for Slovak Agriculture

BY Monika Budzak AND INESS / November 11, 2020

The Slovak agricultural sector suffers from several problems that hinder the competitiveness of farmers: complicated land ownership, due to which (young) farmers cannot access fields, an unpredictable business environment and bureaucracy and, last but not least, lack of investment in capital equipment.

Economy

Blanket Pay Rise for Slovak Teachers Is Not a Solution

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / November 9, 2020

The Slovak education system has a number of problems but the generally low teacher salary is not one of them. Those who claim the opposite refer to an international comparison: the share of teachers\' wages in wages of university-educated people.

Economy

Politicians as Investors

BY Martin Vlachynsky AND INESS / November 6, 2020

How well would an average politician, clerk or analyst at a ministry perform as an investor? Recently, we have had several opportunities to witness it ourselves. In some public projects, the low return on investment is evident even to a random passer-by.