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The outcome of the U.S. presidential election should not be too surprising. Not only did a careful analysis of the polls predict Donald Trump’s victory in all seven swing states, but the trend over the past four weeks was also clear. State polling averages increasingly favored the Republican, while individual polls showing Kamala Harris in the lead became fewer and less convincing.

I recently overheard an interview in which the irrationality of Slovaks who refuse to buy more economically advantageous electric cars was criticized. Quite often, I encounter the fact that owners of electric vehicles fail to look at this problem through the eyes of the average driver. First, it is important to realize that the average Slovak drives either a second-hand car or his old car. In September alone, 5,000 individually imported cars were registered in Slovakia.

Russia\'s economic landscape is under strain. In this interview, Martin Vlachynsky, an analyst from INESS, sheds light on the complexities of Russia\'s current economic policies, their implications for businesses and ordinary citizens, and how the ongoing war continues to shape the country\'s financial reality.

Several days after the US election, it is time to focus on the possible and probable consequences. The Trump victory would present two main challenges for the EU. First, Trump and the Republican Party’s protectionist tendencies could result in a more aggressive trade policy toward Europe. Second, the Trump administration may show little interest in maintaining US support for Ukraine or playing a major role in European defense generally.

For the third consecutive year, the percentage of countries experiencing a decline in the rule of law has decreased. Additionally, for the first time in five years, more countries have shown improvement in the \"absence of corruption\" indicator. Bulgaria, however, is not among these countries. From 2016 to 2024, the state of fundamental human rights has worsened in 81% of the countries surveyed, including Bulgaria.

In October, Bulgarian interim Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova held a press conference regarding the 2025 state budget and the medium-term framework for 2025–2028. The biggest surprise was the expert assessment, based on current policies and enacted legislation, which projected a nominal spending increase of BGN 18.1 billion in 2025. Such a significant rise, even as an expert projection, raises several questions:

In November, the Institute for Market Economics’ (IME) introduced its White Paper, Unlocking Growth: The Path Forward After the Elections. But what are the goals we can realistically achieve in the medium term? Below, we present eight fundamental goals with a four-year horizon that are fully attainable and would significantly improve the country’s development potential and quality of life.

Donald Trump’s victory is a product of the Democratic establishment in America and the media and experts that support them. Despite the enormous campaign warning that democracy would end if Trump won, they did everything to hand him victory on a silver platter. Firstly, they clung to the hope that the infirm 81-year-old Joe Biden could collect his thoughts and lead a campaign.

Natural disasters have a remarkable ability to expose both the weaknesses of systems and the depths of human nature. The recent floods in Poland not only destroyed homes and infrastructure but also revealed something far more valuable: society\'s ability to mobilize and provide aid on an unprecedented scale. In a digital age dominated by social media and technology, solidarity has found new channels of expression.

In September 2024, the business climate in Ukraine shows positive changes. In recent months, companies\' production and financial performance have increased, and expectations for further development remain optimistic.