Excise Tax Policy and Cross-border Purchases of Automotive Fuels

In a small open country such as Slovenia, drivers can either purchase automotive fuel within the country or abroad. A simple demand model is used to test the proposition that changes in excise tax policy caused the decline of purchases in the country, and to delineate the effects of excise tax policy from the effects of the simultaneously occurring economic crisis. To do that, short- and long-run, and direct- and cross-price elasticities are estimated for the purchase of gasoline and automotive diesel in five regions: Slovenia's four border regions and the interior. For the estimation of "volume of transportation" elasticity, vehicle crossings through road sites with automatic traffic meters are used. The simulations indicate that more than half of the decline in the purchase of automotive fuels in 2009 can be attributed to excise tax policy and less than half to the economic crisis, and that the increase in tax revenues generated by excise tax policy significantly exceeded the decrease in the sellers' earnings.retail trade, taxation, time series model

The "Addiction" with FDI and Current Account Balance

The EU new member states (NMS) have been recipients of substantial net capital inflows in the form of FDI. Economic policy makers and development strategists often regard them as the pillar of the development and neglect their potential long run consequences: inevitable deficit in the investment balance. FDI however affects current account balance also indirectly by improving or deteriorating trade balance which might overweigh negative direct effects, moderate them, or add to the deterioration of the current account balance. Capital outflows through the investment account in NMS have been increasing rapidly . Namely, the rates of return on FDI are twice the rates of return on portfolio investments and three times the rates of return on loans. Indirect effects have moderated strong direct effects but could not overweigh structural current account deficit caused by transition. A major problem might arise as a consequence of the “addiction” with FDI. First, the outflows of capital speeded up by the opportunities of multinationals to reallocate production to the countries with even cheaper labor might become larger than new inflows. Second, sudden interruption of FDI inflows could result in an exchange rate crisis.current account, factors services, foreign direct investments

Side effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in cancer treatment

Zaviralci tirozin-kinaz so multitarčna zdravila, ki prek zaviranja različnih celičnih procesov učinkujejo pri več vrstah rakavih boleznih. Čeprav so stranski učinki ob zaviralcih tirozinskih kinaz v splošnem prenosljivi, pa so lahko tudi resni in povzročajo nemalo preglavic bolnikom, ki prejemajo zdravila dolgotrajno. Pogosto je potrebno zmanjšanje odmerkov ali prehodna ukinitev, redkeje pa se odločimo za trajno prekinitev zdravljenja. Značilni so kožna toksičnost, kardiovaskularni zapleti, težave gastrointestinalnega trakta - predvsem diareja, nepravilno delovanje ščitnice in utrujenost ob zdravljenju rakave bolezni.Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are multicentric drugs that inhibit different cellular processes and are effective in the treatment of many types of cancer. Although the side effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors are generally tolerable, they may also be serious and cause numerous problems in patients receiving long-term medication. Dosage reductions or transient withdrawal are often required, but only rarely is the treatment permanently discontinued. Typical complications include skin toxicity, cardiovascular complications, problems in the gastrointestinal tract, in particular diarrhoea, thyroid malfunction, and treatment-specific fatigue. The present article lays out the most common side effects of treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Economics - Slovenia

Analysis of the pre-1989 situation; Redefinition of the discipline since 1990; Core theoretical and methodological orientations; Thematic orientation and funding; Public space and academic debates; Views on further development

On Algebraic Approach in Quadratic Systems

When considering friction or resistance, many physical processes are mathematically simulated by quadratic systems of ODEs or discrete quadratic dynamical systems. Probably the most important problem when such systems are applied in engineering is the stability of critical points and (non)chaotic dynamics. In this paper we consider homogeneous quadratic systems via the so-called Markus approach. We use the one-to-one correspondence between homogeneous quadratic dynamical systems and algebra which was originally introduced by Markus in (1960). We resume some connections between the dynamics of the quadratic systems and (algebraic) properties of the corresponding algebras. We consider some general connections and the influence of power-associativity in the corresponding quadratic system

Stranski učinki ob zdravljenju rakavih bolezni z zaviralci tirozinskih kinaz

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are multicentric drugs that inhibit different cellular processes and are effective in the treatment of many types of cancer. Although the side effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors are generally tolerable, they may also be serious and cause numerous problems in patients receiving long-term medication. Dosage reductions or transient withdrawal are often required, but only rarely is the treatment permanently discontinued. Typical complications include skin toxicity, cardiovascular complications, problems in the gastrointestinal tract, in particular diarrhoea, thyroid malfunction, and treatment-specific fatigue.Zaviralci tirozin-kinaz so multitarčna zdravila, ki prek zaviranja različnih celičnih procesov učinkujejo pri več vrstah rakavih boleznih. Čeprav so stranski učinki ob zaviralcih tirozinskih kinaz v splošnem prenosljivi, pa so lahko tudi resni in povzročajo nemalo preglavic bolnikom, ki prejemajo zdravila dolgotrajno. Pogosto je potrebno zmanjšanje odmerkov ali prehodna ukinitev, redkeje pa se odločimo za trajno prekinitev zdravljenja. Značilni so kožna toksičnost, kardiovaskularni zapleti, težave gastrointestinalnega trakta - predvsem diareja, nepravilno delovanje ščitnice in utrujenost ob zdravljenju rakave bolezni

Public Policy Design and Implementation in Slovenia

Public policy design and implementation is a complex process, and so decision makers try to monitor all of the policy lifecycle stages in a particular policy domain. However, the question of coherent integration of various policy activities arises, including agenda-setting, ex-ante evaluation, formulation, decision-making, implementation, ex-post evaluation of individual policies, sector-specific ones, and even horizontal ones. Therefore, it is important to investigate and understand the reasons why an individual country, such as Slovenia, does not exploit all potential aspects of carrying out policy activities in a systematic and coherent manner. This article explores and analyzes Slovenian practice in policy design based on an in-depth empirical study among key public policyholders and decision makers. Furthermore, the authors identify the key success factors that facilitate or inhibit the development and progress of public policies, programs, and projects (PPPP) in Slovenia. The key findings indicate a particular lack of a professional policy unit to monitor the process holistically and the absence of ex-post evaluation. A need for a systemic solution in public policy design is established, which would merge different authorities’ efforts, epistemic communities, and the public in developing a structural multilevel model for good public governance

OD PADA SOCIJALIZMA DO KRIZE KAPITALIZMA: ISKUSTVA ZEMALJA SREDNJE I ISTOČNE EUROPE

“Back to capitalism” and “Back to Europe” were the slogans of the last decade of the twentieth century in all former socialist countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE); they declared uncompromising faith in capitalist market mechanisms and the full EU membership,which was considered a panacea for all current and future economic and socio-political problems. Indeed, during a “golden era” CEE countries considerably outpaced the growth in the “old” EU countries and rapidly converged to the average EU level of development. However, the growth was “jobless” and “unsustainable”; it was to a great extent based on foreign savings. Large current account deficits therefore became a steady feature of CEE countries. The origin of the deficits can be traced to abrubt liberalization of foreign trade in transition while the continuation is linked to FDI. Gradually, CEE countries became fully dependent on the “old” Europe. Lisbon strategies contributed to the collapse of the manufacturing sector; while CEE countries could easily compete with the “old” Europe they could not compete with ruthless societies outside Europe. Socially, CEE countries can be put into two groups; some have retained reasonable social cohesion; three Baltic countries are the extreme on the other side. Indeed, while social protection expenditures in old EU members exceed 30 percent of GDP, expenditure is less than 20 percent in seven out of ten CEE countries. Before transition, the EU was admired in former socialist countries for its political democracy and the social market model. When they joined, many features of the attractive European social market model were no longer there and the EU showed little interest to promote the model in transition countries. The emptiness was filled up with neoliberal ideas, which is shown by economic liberty indicators. The global financial crisis, particularly the credit reduction, significantlyhit CEE countries with large external financing needs. Foreign banks began to withdraw their capital by shrinking balance sheets in the subsidiaries. At the same time, FDI dropped to one fourth of the pre-crisis level. CEE countries thus faced net outflow rather than urgently needed inflow of capital.„Povratak kapitalizmu” i „Povratak Europi” slogani su koji su obilježili posljednje desetljeće 20. stoljeća u svim bivšim socijalističkim zemljama srednje i istočne Europe; oni si izražavali bezuvjetnu vjeru u mehanizme kapitalističkog tržišta i punopravno članstvo u Europskoj uniji, što se smatralo rješenjem svih sadašnjih i budućih ekonomskih i socio-političkih problema. Tijekom tzv. zlatnog doba, zemlje srednje i istočne Europe značajno su nadmašile rast u „starim“ zemljama Europske unije te se brzo uskladile s prosječnom razinom razvoja EU-a. Međutim, rast nije bio temeljen na zapošljavanju i nije bio održiv; u velikoj mjeri temeljio se na stranoj štednji. Veliki deficiti na tekućim računima stoga su postali trajna značajka zemalja srednje i istočne Europe. Izvor deficita može se pronaći u nagloj liberalizaciji strane trgovine tijekom tranzicije dok se nastavak trenda deficita povezuje s inozemnim izravnim ulaganjima. Zemlje srednje i istočne Europe postupno su postale potpuno ovisne o „staroj“ Europi. Lisabonska strategija pridonijela je propasti proizvodnog sektora; iako su se zemlje srednje i istočne Europe mogle lako nositi sa „starom Europom“ nisu se mogle natjecati s nemilosrdnom društvima izvan Europe. U društvenom smislu zemlje srednje i istočne Europe mogu se podijeliti u dvije skupine; one koje su zadržale razumnu društvenu koheziju; te tri Baltičke zemlje koje su otišle u drugu krajnost. I dok izdatak za socijalnu skrb u starim zemljama članicama prelazi 30% BDP-a, isti izdatak u sedam od 10 zemlja srednje i istočne Europe iznosi manje od 20% BDP-a. Prije tranzicije, u bivšim socijalističkim državama divili su se Europskoj uniji zbog njene demokracije i modela socijalnog tržišnog gospodarstva. U trenutku kada su se pridružile Europskoj uniji, mnoge značajke privlačnog europskog modela socijalnog tržišnog gospodarstva više nisu bile prisutne i EU nije pokazivala interes da taj model promovira u tranzicijskim zemljama. Praznina je popunjena neoliberalnim idejama, što se vidi po indikatorima ekonomske slobode. Globalna financijska kriza, osobito smanjenje kreditiranja, značajno je pogodila zemlje srednje i istočne Europe s velim potrebama vanjskog financiranja. Strane banke počele su povlačiti svoj kapital smanjenjem bilanci u podružnicama. Istovremeno, inozemna izravna financiranja pala su na četvrtinu u odnosu na razdoblje prije krize. Zemlje srednje i istočne Europe na taj način suočile su se s neto odljevom umjesto s nužno potrebnim priljevom kapitala