INESS Policy Note 2/2012: Real Sense of Stricter PTIs Missing
While some of new regulations can be easily overlooked by a common mortal, there is a group of them that strikes almost every citizen. This is
Society
The Latvian Way: How to Increase the Effective Retirement Age?
Since regaining independence some twenty years ago Latvia, a small, open economy has been tormented by three economic crises: first one resulting from the economic transition (institutional change from centrally planned to free market economy), second, in 1998, being transmitted from Russia, and the last one being part of the recent global recession. Despite these circumstances, Latvia has successfully conducted reforms aimed at elicitation of the labour force (i.e. increasing the labour force participation rate…
Public Statistics Must Be Available to the Public
The National Statistical Office of Poland (GUS) is financed by tax-payers money and it should extend the range of publicly available statistical data:
Family Policy: Facts, Myths, Solutions
There is a great wave of discussion on pension reform being implemented by the government in Poland. The essential reform, forced by sad demographic factors.
Euro Bill Updated
The Euro Bill is project run by Slovak think tank INESS, which tracks all guarantees and expenses related to euro zone rescue efforts. The May update includes several changes, related mainly to the spring default of Greece. Paradoxically, the overall sum of guarantees dropped slightly to EUR 1860 per capita (in Slovakia). This is due to casino online “accounting” changes. The buy cheap cialis online old IMF program, which granted Greece EUR 30 billion together…
The Revolt of Self-Centered Society
ACTA will not enter into force. Thousands of demonstrators opposed it. Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage – Bogdan Zdrojewski – discussed Polish drive for liberty and assumed that “we may also take pride in the protests of Internet users”. Nevertheless, everyone wonders why people started to demonstrate against the agreement. If nothing unexpected happens, the problem with the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement will be solved in the middle of the current year. The agreement…
Pál Schmitt’s Doctorate Withdrawn
As The Budapest Times writes it was announced on Thursday March 29 that Budapest’s Semmelweis Medical University decided to withdraw the doctorate awarded to the president Pal Schmitt because of plagiarism schandal that broke out at the beginning of the year. It was established that majority of Pál Schmitt’s dissertation was copied directly from other academic works – including those by Klaus Heinemann and Niklay Georgiev. More about the plagiarism scandal here.
PM Boiko Borissov Most Influential Bulgarian
The Sofia Echo writes about a ranking of the most influential people in Bulgaria presented by the local edition of Forbes magazine. The first place was granted to the Prime Minister (GERB) Boiko Borissov, second was Tsvetan Vassilev – Corporate Commercial Bank majority shareholder. Among 30 people there was only one woman – Tsvetelina Borislavova, majority shareholder of Bulgarian American Credit Bank. More about the ranking here.
Trade Unions’ Protests in Poland
As The Warsaw Voice writes on Monday, March 26, there were protests of Solidarity trade union members against governmental plans to increase the retirement age. Several hundreds of protesters gathered in Warsaw, in front of the prime minister’s office. Trade unionists announced that protests would be held throughout whole week, on Wednesday they would move demonstrations to the front of the parliament. Meanwhile talks between two parties of the ruling coalition – Civic Platform (PO)…
Polish Protests in Vilnius
According to The Lithuania Tribune 3,000-3,500 people participated in the protest against new rules concerning education in the minority schools held in Vilnius on March 17, 2012. Demonstration started in front of the parliament and then moved on to the government’s offices where rally took place. Protests were of a peaceful character, no serious incidents were observed. Protests concern a new Law on Education, adopted a year ago, which extends the use of Lithuanian language…
