Articles

Think Tank News

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Michael F. Cannon, director of health policy research at the Cato Institute, will visit Poland on 5 and 6 June. His scholarly activities include public health issues, regulation of physicians, medical facilities, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, employer-sponsored and other private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, Veterans Health Administration, medical malpractice litigation, administrative law, international health systems, and much more.

Think Tank News

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Despite the efforts of various political parties in the European Parliament, the elections to the EP are first and foremost national elections, and as Enrico Letta remarked, they will be “a sum of national, domestic debates in a frame named European elections.” As such the EU member states also differ in the campaigns and the narratives mostly used before the June votes.

Politics

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The combined military spending of NATO members is 18 times that of Russia, with a massive advantage in all types of weaponry. Being this afraid in a situation like that seems a peculiar way of doing the right thing, Raul Rebane notes in Vikerraadio’s daily comment. Full-scale war has been raging for over two years in Ukraine, and fatigue is clearly setting in.

Economy

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At the opening of the annual conference on technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation on May 24 Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) said that it is important to seize the opportunity to invest in defense technology because it will strengthen security and boost the economy. In her speech she emphasized that “The changed security situation in Europe has clearly shown the need for increased investment in defense.

Politics

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In their election manifestos for the European Parliament, the political parties have paid a lot of attention to environmental issues; there is talk of steps towards climate neutrality, but also of issues that directly affect Estonian entrepreneurs and rural life. The Reform Party’s program links the environment with security. According to candidate Hanah Lahe, the party emphasizes restoring and preserving biodiversity.

Think Tank News

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On May 9, the Money Museum of the Bank of Lithuania hosted the awards ceremony for the National Economics Quiz winners. This event honored the teachers who attracted the most students and active teams. Organized by the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) in collaboration with the Bank of Lithuania and Lithuanian National Radio and Television, the event aims to promote financial and economic literacy among the general public.

Economy

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After joining the European Union, the Czech economy experienced rapid growth. Exports to EU countries soared from 25 billion euros to 188 billion euros in 2022. The growth rate of foreign direct investment increased fourfold after the Czech Republic joined the EU. GDP per capita rose by an impressive 46%. These figures speak clearly: being part of the European Single Market has become essentially vital for the Czech Republic.

Economy

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In the Czech Republic, there has been a long-standing discussion about the possibility of taxing still wine. This issue is particularly relevant during times of economic crisis when the state is looking for ways to increase tax revenues. However, the introduction of new taxes should be based on a thorough analysis of impacts and should consider the insights and interests of all stakeholders involved to ensure that the tax is neither unnecessarily costly nor ineffective.