editorial partner Liberte! Friedrich Naumann Foundation

featured

There Is No Such Thing as “Real Price”
Economy
There Is No Such Thing as “Real Price”
I often hear the phrases \'real price\' or \'justified price\', for example, in the question of ambulances or hospitals. They make my economic hair stand on end. It reminds me of how deeply embedded healthcare is in the price thinking of planned economics. Before 1989 in Slovakia, the whole economy was run on the principle of price. A manager in a company calculated the price of steel, plastic, and man-hours to produce one Škoda 120 car, for example.
Opportunity Cost of Learning: Is There Optimal Age to Graduate?
Economy
Opportunity Cost of Learning: Is There Optimal Age to Graduate?
The wonderful thing about economics is that it recognizes truths about the world that laypeople cannot intuitively grasp, based on simple statements about human action. Consider two concepts: opportunity costs and marginal decision-making based on marginal benefits and costs. If you really understand these two concepts, then it must seem normal to you that there is such a thing as optimal environmental pollution.
Bulgaria’s Budget Framework Risks Doubling Debt in 10 Years
Economy
Bulgaria’s Budget Framework Risks Doubling Debt in 10 Years
In 2024, Romania will break the 50% government debt limit, becoming the EU country with the largest increase in the debt-to-GDP ratio since the start of the pandemic. High budget deficits - levels of 6-9% of GDP - have pushed Romania\'s debt from 35% in 2019 to 52% in 2024, with a forecast of close to 60% in 2026. In just a few years, Romania will likely have a higher debt than Germany.
How and Why Status and Functions of Judges Should Differ from Those of Prosecutors?
Politics
How and Why Status and Functions of Judges Should Differ from Those of Prosecutors?
The notorious case of a prosecutor who tried to review a court act issued by a judge of the Sofia Regional Court once again raises the question of the functions and status of judges and prosecutors. This issue is of the utmost importance in a country like ours, where the uncontrolled and selective (in the sense of arbitrary) actions of the prosecutor\'s office leave citizens with the impression that prosecutors, not judges, administer justice.
Is Europe Changing Green Deal?
Economy
Is Europe Changing Green Deal?
Economic policy in Europe is visibly shifting towards prioritizing competitiveness over green objectives. Over the past year, former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta published an ambitious report in support of the EU single market, followed by Mario Draghi\'s widely quoted report on the future of European competitiveness.
Progress According to Trump
Politics
Progress According to Trump
Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election has understandably caused a stir worldwide. There is a prevailing fear of the radicalism and unpredictability of the new president’s actions as he has already shown his controversial nature while holding this office between 2016 and 2020. Even as president-elect, Trump expressed ownership aspirations toward the Panama Canal, Greenland, and Canada.
Europe Needs Economic Growth – Poland Shows Us How to Achieve It
Economy
Europe Needs Economic Growth – Poland Shows Us How to Achieve It
There is a \'vibe shift\' going on around economic growth and deregulation. With new governments in the US and UK making radical reforms to pare back the regulatory state and foster growth and investment, the EU risks being left behind. Poland is positioning itself as the driving force behind a revival of European economic growth.
Disinformation, Effectively in the Shadow of War
Society
Disinformation, Effectively in the Shadow of War
We know that disinformation as a tool of war is conducted in the shadow of war in the sense that it is a continuous, systematic, and diversified process, used not only during wartime but also—perhaps primarily—during \"peacetime.\" In modern armed conflict, disinformation is the strategic use of false or misleading information to influence perceptions of reality, behaviors, and military outcomes.
Ukraine’s Economic Resilience: Staying on Track with Reforms and International Support
Economy
Ukraine’s Economic Resilience: Staying on Track with Reforms and International Support
In 2024, Ukraine demonstrated a strong commitment to its economic obligations, meeting key conditions under the IMF and EU support programs. The country remained on track with its structural benchmarks, ensuring the flow of critical financing for non-defense expenditures. Entering 2025, risks persist, but Ukraine\'s focus on reforms and its urgent financing needs make staying the course essential.