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.

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.

<i>2020 Bureaucracy Index</i> and International Bureaucracy Day

Think Tank News

2020 Bureaucracy Index and International Bureaucracy Day

BY Martin Vlachynsky AND INESS / October 6, 2020

Institute of Economic and Social Studies (INESS) introduced the Bureaucracy Index in Slovakia in 2016 aiming to draw the attention to the amount of red tape a small entrepreneur has to comply with on a daily basis.

INESS Publishes <i>Health for Money</i> 2020

Publications, Think Tank News

INESS Publishes Health for Money 2020

BY INESS / September 15, 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, among others.

Economy

Economics Olympiad in Slovakia: 10 Key Findings

BY Monika Budzak AND INESS / July 21, 2020

Let’s look at the data – the results of this year’s Economics Olympiad organized by INESS, with over 6,500 high school students involved. We introduce 10 key findings concerning economic skills of the youth in Slovakia.

Society

If I Were Slovak Minister of Education

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / July 13, 2020

If I were the Minister of Education, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second when it comes to autonomous schools. They create a relatively small opposition among the interest groups in Education, they can achieve a lot in the long-term perspective.

Society

Pyrrhic Victory of Healthcare in Slovakia

BY Martin Vlachynsky AND INESS / July 9, 2020

Slovak government is celebrating. A lawsuit between the state and private health insurers that has been with us for two decades now, is finally over. What does it mean for Slovak citizens?

Society

What Slovak Education System Needs

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / April 13, 2020

The new Slovak government brings new hopes for an education reform. Previous governments were unable to manage the ministry. They typically came up with announcements of general changes, only to get suffocated by dealing with pointless details in the end.

Society

Starting New Life (in Slovakia) with Coronavirus

BY Juraj Karpis AND INESS / April 13, 2020

Slovakia is not Wuhan. Slovakia is not even Bratislava alone. The optimal solution for the capital is different from the one for Pribylina (a small village in Slovakia). Closing a country like ours, where half of the population lives in the countryside, is a comfortable waiver of responsibility by those in charge.