Georgia Does Not Need Russian Market
Georgia’s goal should not be to fool Russian consumers to sell them Georgian low–quality products, but to improve their quality, so that we can find more demanding, but reliable, customers.
Economy
Maintaining Status Quo, Fostering Competition among Platforms Would Better Serve Platform Workers, Consumers
The fact that individuals themselves decide to engage in platform work suggests that they regard some conditions of platform work, such as remuneration and flexible timetables, as more advantageous, and thus more attractive.
Million-Dollar Question about Responsibility
The year 2021 brought to light what is otherwise invisible and unappreciated in normal times. Business people were unexpectedly commended for the growth of GDP. But what was the actual cost of growing it?
Universal Basic Income or Modern Repetition of Communist System
EU citizens are collecting signatures for a petition demanding a universal, unconditional income for everyone. What does this mean? Everyone will have a living wage, regardless of what type of work they do or what contribution they make to the society.
Protection or Harm? Look Out for New Regulations of Platform Workers
We are yet to find out what the nitty-gritty of the EC’s proposal will be, but the general idea is to make people operating via digital platforms, such as ride-hailing drivers and food delivery couriers, reclassify as workers.
Fed to Raise Interest Rates, Has No Choice
The US Federal Reserve System (Fed) has announced that it will raise interest rates. They have been at zero since the start of the pandemic and since the last recession in 2009, they hit their highest level in 2019. But even in 2019, they were very low, with an effective rate of about 2.5%.
Pandemic Has Plunged 100 Million People into Poverty Globally
While for the second year now we have been tracking new numbers of coronavirus-related cases and deaths several times a day, and estimates for the cost of the economic lockdown range between two and four billion CZK a day (for the Czech Republic), another crucial figure has escaped our attention.
Polish Tax System, Second Worst in OECD
In the latest edition of the International Tax Competitiveness Index, Poland was placed 36th out of 37th OECD countries. In the international ranking of tax systems’ competitiveness prepared by the American Tax Foundation, only Italy scored worse.
Cheap Chicken Meat Equals Cheap Election Victory in Hungary?
The inflation in Hungary is just as bad as it is in the rest of Europe: in 2021 the rate of the inflation was 7.4%, which was a 13-year-old record. It is a logical step from the government that they want to reduce its level and want to moderate the prices.
Competition Is Like Adidas Stripes, More Is Not Always Better
The European Commission is preparing a new regulation of internet companies called the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It is supposed to require or prohibit a number of activities from platforms, all under the slogan: “more fair, competitive and innovative business on the internet”.
