In the process of writing the pre-election commentary, I received the second of two crowdfunded polls concerning preferences of political parties. The outlook was not that similar to the actual result – there was one distinct exception. Nobody had anticipated that the coalition PS/Spolu would not make the cut by 926 votes. For a long period of…
With the parliamentary elections approaching, Slovakia is facing an unprecedented situation of uncertainty. The elections are held after four challenging years, marked by the murder of the journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, a number of subsequent anti-government protests, and months of revelations of corruption and malignant practices leading to some of the…
The epidemic of good advice, tips, challenges, and recommendations for the new Slovak government is much stronger than the viral one. There are many things to fix, to improve, and especially – to save. However, I really miss the topic of state enterprises in the discussion. We shall have the center-right government. At least according to…
With the parliamentary elections approaching, Slovakia is facing an unprecedented situation of uncertainty. The elections are held after four challenging years, marked by the murder of the journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, a number of subsequent anti-government protests, and months of revelations of corruption and malignant practices leading to some of the…
The current Vice-President of the European Commission Mr. Timmermans openly says that a minimum wage of 60% of the median wage should be paid in the European Union. In addition, the European Commission launched consultations with trade unions and employers on EU minimum wage rules in January. Let’s put aside the question whether it is…
If you are one of those fascinated by the Internet and its influence on the society, this is the book for you. Progress without Permission is a complete guide to the world where Airbnb rescues the dead capital and it competes with the state in the regulation making process, where Kickstarter replaces the tax collection…
Wage debates are always heated, no matter if it is an employee asking their boss for a rise, or union negotiations. Anyway, in the past year or two, the wage question became one of the leading topics of public debate in Slovakia. Thanks to political involvement, many Slovak started to believe that Slovak employers are of…
Everyone wants to fight red tape – the European Union, governments, politicians. Well, at least according to their proclamations, party programs, and numerous conferences. Yet, bureaucracy is still a burden for both entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens. One of the reasons why the political “fight” has not achieved remarkable success in fighting the red tape, is a…
In Slovakia, the minimum wage has become a political evergreen of every autumn. However, its growth has been rapidly increasing in recent years. Moreover, the former Slovak prime minister has proposed a new law, which will set the minimum wage at 60% of an average wage of the previous year (effectively t+2). This development is…
Prague, September 11, 2019 On September 10, 2019 ,the first international finale of the Economics Olympiad took place in the Czech national bank in Prague. Slovakia was excellently represented by five students from whom two reached the first two medal positions. High school students undoubtedly proved that despite reports of low financial literacy of Slovaks, there are…
INESS organized an interesting public lecture during summer season. On August 6, 2019, Dr. Sean Gabb delivered a speech on Brexit and British strategy in Bratislava. Below you can read the outline of the lecture, accompanied by the video. Dr. Sean Gabb is a vice-president at Ludwig von Mises Centre (UK) and director of School of…
None of us likes interacting with bureaucracy. Filling out documents, spending hours in queues, and arguing with officials about formal details – many comedy movies have been built around these situations. In Slovakia, one of the least popular offices is the Police Traffic Inspectorate, and, more specifically, the Vehicle Registration Department. Yes, you read it…
