There are private solutions, for healthcare, schools, and transport. They are popular or at least coveted. Yet, there is a catch. The state always lurks beneath the surface. Many taxi companies are owned by cronies and have a huge lobbying power. There is a fixed rate and no competition in Budapest.
In 2021, public expenditure per capita in Poland for the first time exceeded the amount of PLN 30,000. It accounted for 44.2% of GDP – less than the year before when the pandemic hit, but still much more than in 2019. Since 2015, public spending in Poland has increased in real terms by over 35%.
In times of galloping inflation, the Polish government creates another inflation impulse – the “Coal allowance”, the payment of which is expected to cost as much as PLN 11.5 billion.
The role of the media is more important in politics than it was 20-30 years ago. Political parties and politicians are using the media all around the world to promote themselves, their ideology, and their aims. These actions made media post objective, which means that almost every media outlet is close to a political party, which, of course, doesn’t mean that they’re making propaganda.
Estonia has witnessed several changes of government in the last few years. In July 18, there has been another one. However, Estonia’s success story as the most economically and technologically developed country in transition has not stopped yet. The previous Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, has now retaken his position as the new Prime Minister, thus ensuring that his country manages well under transition.
There are undoubtedly many factors that determine how individual governments dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, one of the main aspects that has determined the success of mitigating the health impacts of the pandemic is the level of public trust in government institutions, as noted in numerous scientific publications.
Of course, everyone would be delighted if the supermarkets were full of quality Slovak fruit, vegetables, meat, and other products. However, this ideal cannot be achieved by a policy of self-sufficiency, but by a policy of cooperation.
In this episode, Leszek Jażdżewski hosts Gabor Halmai, Professor and the Chair of Comparative Constitutional Law at the Law Department at the European University Institute about the rule of law, EU funds, and the socio-political situation in Poland and Hungary.
On April 24, a parliamentary election took place in Slovenia. The results reflect a clear message from voters that the government needs to change. In mature liberal democracies, a change in government is a time for reflection for all involved in the politics of a country.
In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Polish Law and Justice government began to work on creating two new funds in the state-owned Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego to finance “systemic aid” and additional military spending.
