Articles

The EU began negotiations with South America\'s Mercosur on a trade agreement in 1999. It is therefore easy to overlook how much progress has been made. In early January, the European Council authorized the signing of a partnership agreement with this South American trade bloc, whose members include Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

The January issue of the 4liberty.eu Newsletter provides an overview of the articles published on the 4liberty.eu website, serving as a starting point for further exploration.

Leszek Jażdżewski talks to Wolfgang Münchau about his latest book, “Kaput: The End Of The German Miracle,” translated into Polish by the Prześwity publishing house.

Bulgaria has adopted the euro. After more than 28 years under a currency board arrangement, the country is entering a new stage of its development. The bank failures and hyperinflation of 1996–1997 wiped out people’s savings and pushed Bulgaria to the bottom of Europe, below 30% of the EU average in GDP per capita in purchasing power parity by the end of the 1990s.

The first few weeks after the introduction of the euro have passed, and all indications suggest that the new currency is gradually becoming dominant in everyday circulation. Despite some attempts to stir up tension, the initial days went relatively smoothly—with the expected pressure on cashiers in retail outlets, but without any serious systemic problems.

In 2024, just over 10,000 people moved into the Plovdiv district from other parts of Bulgaria. The largest group, almost 5,000 people, changed their address within the province itself, while there was also a significant inflow (over 700 people) from the capital, a clear sign that Bulgaria’s second-largest city is becoming increasingly attractive.

By a narrow vote, the European Parliament has effectively blocked the entry into force of the partnership agreement with Mercosur. This is yet another failure by the EU to improve its prospects for prosperity and economic transformation. The agreement that was signed is a step in the right direction, but delaying it means accumulating lost benefits—at a time when growth in the core of the euro area is dangerously close to zero.

After recent years filled with tragic events, conflicts, and global pandemics, many of us are, above all, hoping for a breakthrough in the form of an ending. An end to populism, an end to war, or an end to the right-wing offensive launched by Trump in 2024; an offensive that has swept across Europe, both Americas, and is steadily pushing us toward an open war with Putin’s Russia.

The daring attack by U.S. forces on the Venezuelan regime and the arrest of dictator Nicolás Maduro sparked a wave of controversy around the world. In Poland, reactions were fairly predictable: from enthusiastic praise of Donald Trump by circles associated with the Law and Justice party (PiS), to reflexive, often complete criticism of the U.S. president’s actions from many left-liberal groups.

2025 became another year of war, resilience, and adaptation for Ukraine. Russia\'s full-scale war against Ukraine continued and resulted in territorial losses, destruction of energy facilities, and other critical infrastructure, including railways and seaports. Therefore, according to IER estimates, real GDP grew by approximately 2%.