Slovakia Archives - IREF Europe

The Receipt for Government Services for 2013

Sylvain C — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:32:25 +0000

Richard Durana, Ph.D, director of Institute of Economic and Social Studies (INESS) has annouced that INESS released the Receipt for Government Services for 2013.
The annual price of the state for Slovakia increased by EUR 322 (7.3%) and reached EUR 4,704 per citizen.

The post The Receipt for Government Services for 2013 appeared first on IREF Europe.

The same euro mistake under a different name

Jacob Arfwedson — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:05:46 +0000

Despite being bombed by information, it seems we have forgotten the roots of the debt crisis. Instead we play a martingale game, where the only precaution after losing a round is to double the bet for the next one. The solution is not called EFSM, EFSF, ESM, SMP, OMT or banking union. These are just different names for a single problem: diluted responsibility. Unless we find a way to make local politicians pay locally for local promises, the euro project will be always in trouble.

The post The same euro mistake under a different name appeared first on IREF Europe.

EU road safety regulations – high costs and few benefits

Jacob Arfwedson — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 11:59:08 +0000

New regulations from Brussels for periodical technical inspection (PTI) of automobiles will cost Slovakia’s drivers some 30 million euro, with questionable benefits says Radovan Durana, IREF correspondent in Slovakia (INESS).

The post EU road safety regulations – high costs and few benefits appeared first on IREF Europe.

Why did Slovakia vote against expanded EFSF?

IREF — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:09:47 +0000

Slovakia’s parliament became the first in the eurozone to vote against bailing out indebted economies. The final vote on approving new powers for the €440bn European financial stability facility failed with only 55 of the parliament’s 150 MPs voting in favour, causing the coalition government of Iveta Radicova to collapse. Slovakia is the last of the 17 eurozone countries to approve the “improved” rescue fund. The Slovak parliament will remain in session and is likely to hold a second vote. Nevertheless, Slovakia has really good reasons not to approve the EFSF.

The post Why did Slovakia vote against expanded EFSF? appeared first on IREF Europe.

The levels of public deficits in new member States are more worrying than it looks but a tax rate increase is no solution—the case of Slovakia

IREF — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:52:08 +0000

In Slovakia, the economic growth has been one of the strongest in the EU over the period 2004-2008 and it came with soaring tax revenues. This growth itself was the by-product of several important reforms, especially the tax reform. It was based on real investments, not on speculation on real estate markets or inflated construction sector. After the 2008 crisis, the relatively low Slovak debt of 35.4% GDP does not attract as much attention as countries around the Mediterranean Sea or Ireland.

The post The levels of public deficits in new member States are more worrying than it looks but a tax rate increase is no solution—the case of Slovakia appeared first on IREF Europe.

Can Slovakia afford an increase in tax rates?

IREF — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:15:15 +0000

Recent study of the European Commission on taxation trends confirmed the position of Slovakia among the countries with the lowest tax burden in European Union. With total 29,4 % share on GDP, Slovak government imposed the second lowest taxes upon its economy in 2007. Share of direct taxes on GDP has been the lowest in the whole union.

The post Can Slovakia afford an increase in tax rates? appeared first on IREF Europe.