Robert Chovanculiak

An INESS analyst. He holds the Ph.D. degree from the Matej Bel University, Slovakia, where he did his research at the Department of Public Economics and Regional Development at the Faculty of Economics. He worked for Slovak Business Agency prior to joining INESS. Robert’s field of professional interest is public finance, economic policy, regulation, and education.

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

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.

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

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.

Think Tank News

New Book by INESS: Progress without Permission

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / December 19, 2019

If you are one of those fascinated by the Internet and its influence on the society, this is the book for you. Progress without Permission is a complete guide to the world where Airbnb rescues the dead capital and it competes with the state in the regulation making process.

Economy

Minimum Wage in Slovakia Going Wild

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / September 18, 2019

In Slovakia, the minimum wage has become a political evergreen of every autumn. However, its growth has been rapidly increasing in recent years. Moreover, the former Slovak prime minister has proposed a new law, which will set the minimum wage at 60% of an average wage of the previous year.

Economy

Slovak Massacre by Minimum Wage

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / April 2, 2019

The ruling politicians are unfortunately going in the opposite direction. While a person working for a minimum wage in 2015 paid 29% in taxes and levies, with the planned minimum wage, they will pay more than 40% next year.

Society

Let’s Get Rid Of Free Lunch Program and Actually Help Poor Kids

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / February 15, 2019

It was late 2018, when the Slovak government approved the free lunch program for all children attending elementary schools. The supporting argument was that this measure is outreaching to poor kids who had not been targeted by previous lunch subsidies.

Economy

Lighthouse: The Most Thrilling Case in Economics

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / October 26, 2018

The history of ship navigation on the shores of England shows us that when explaining events we need to take a look not only on the market failures, but also on the state failures. These played a bigger role than the textbooks\' authors might expect.

Economy

Two Faces of, and a single Punch for, Slovak Labor Market

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / July 31, 2018

The most important figure of the Slovak economy in the last 5 years has been the trend in unemployment. This rate had been decreasing since the first quarter of 2013 and had dropped to almost a half in the first quarter of 2018. The unemployment rate fell from more than 14% to nearly 7%.