business

Is there a difference between a starting entrepreneur and a disabled person? Yes, there is, and it\'s a big one. A disabled person has much fewer options if he or she wants to get a government aid compared to a starting entrepreneur. I remembered this joke when I was reading one of the government strategies. But the joke may soon become a reality if the government decides to implement it. And that\'s not funny at all.

Low demand and unfavorable political situation are the major obstacles for the development of industrial enterprises in Ukraine as of early 2015. Such were the results of the quarterly business survey in which Ukrainian businesses assessed the 4th quarter of 2014 conducted by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.

From 2012 to 2014 Lithuania increased its minimum monthly wage by almost one third (from 800 Litas in 2012 to 1,035 Litas in 2014). There are suggestions to increase the minimum wage in 2015 even more the supporters of the idea claim that companies would adapt. But is it all that simple? According to the survey conducted by LFMI, minimum wage increases come at a cost and they eventually bring several negative consequences.

We can find examples of negative interest rates in countries throughout history. But these are geographically or time-isolated cases. However, today we live in a world where more and more things are turning upside down. And one of such things is the fact that negative interest rates are shifting from a deviation to a norm (for the time being only within the financial system).

This year the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) has launched a new initiative “Let’s Agree” which is aimed at promoting a better-informed, constructive dialogue and peaceful agreement within local communities on issues relating to investment promotion and environment protection in Lithuania.

A survey conducted by the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) shows that a rise in the minimum wage negatively affects Lithuania’s businesses and hurts workers. Of the 181 companies questioned, every third said that the 2012 and 2013 increases in the minimum wage had a negative impact on their businesses

Ukraine is now in a completely new environment – military operations in the east and military invasion and aggression of the Russian Federation have left a significant mark on the processes taking place in the country, including the reform of the business environment.

The survey showed that 42.3% of managers reported no change when comparing the financial situation of their company now and a year ago, 8% indicated that the situation improved, 40.7% of respondents answered that the situation has worsened, and 9% failed to answer the question.

From time to time, our media report that Slovakia has once again fallen in another competitiveness ranking. The papers write about it for a day or two, the TV stations show a few reports, opposition barks a bit, the government refuses the criticism and challenges the results. However, the topic usually does not live to see its third day in the media.