policy

The answer is Solomonic – we should be asking a different question. Most people have a correct, rough idea that healthcare is not free and that someone, somewhere, somehow pays for it. Some people are even aware of health insurance contributions, and the most knowledgeable among them even know how much these contributions are in relation to their salary.

Slovakia’s response to the tariff threat? The Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy have begun saying they want to redirect EU funds to help companies affected by US tariffs. We do not yet know exactly what this crisis will look like—but we already know the solution: European money. Journalists are asking us whether this is a good or a bad decision. You might be surprised, but I do not have an answer.

I often hear the phrases \'real price\' or \'justified price\', for example, in the question of ambulances or hospitals. They make my economic hair stand on end. It reminds me of how deeply embedded healthcare is in the price thinking of planned economics. Before 1989 in Slovakia, the whole economy was run on the principle of price. A manager in a company calculated the price of steel, plastic, and man-hours to produce one Škoda 120 car, for example.

At the outset of 2024, many economic projections assumed the war in Ukraine would conclude within the year. However, reality defied expectations. The war persisted, bringing new challenges, including territorial losses, large-scale infrastructure destruction, and sustained Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. The Government faced the pressing need to secure funding for the war effort and mobilize additional defense forces.

Price inflation is not inevitable. One of the most common explanations for price growth is identifying it with capitalism. The argument is that inflation is unavoidable as the economy grows. It is thought that for businesses to have an incentive to invest and wages to grow, the prices of goods and services should rise in the first place.

It became clear that there is a need for change. Therefore, it is not surprising that the European Parliament realized the extent of the existing problems and called to set up a convention centered around amending the treaties.

What does the political situation in Germany look like before the European elections? What is Germany\'s attitude to the Russian war in Ukraine? And how are the green and liberal parties faring?

Why are expectations about the impact of government regulation so often not met? Why do the actual consequences of government interventions diverge countless times from the intentions of the politicians who promote them? Economics has elegant answers to these stimulating questions. One of them will be illustrated and explained in this article.

We are pleased to present the nineteenth issue of 4liberty.eu Review, titled “Learning from the Past and Present: Impacts of the Russian War in Ukraine on CEE”. This time, our primary focus is on the response to the Russian aggression in the region, as well as various related phenomena and challenges.

In this episode, we talk about the Western Balkans in the context of the EU enlargement, the current situation in respective potential candidates, opportunities and threats resulting from premature entry into the EU, and the prospects for further European integration.