English
Obserwator Finansowy features views and analysis of economy in Poland and other countries, written by some of the best journalists, economists and analysts. Our mission is to share knowledge of economics and financial markets in the world.
Obserwator Finansowy is a project under aegis of the Poland’s central bank, Narodowy Bank Polski. We have published thousands of articles about the Polish and global economy. Our journalists have conducted hundreds of interviews with Nobel laureates, distinguished economists, business leaders and politicians with views across the political spectrum.
In this section you can find selected articles in English.
Russian Sberbank has a new owner
Filip BrokešThe Central Bank of the Russian Federation sold its 50 per cent+1 share in Sberbank, Russia’s largest financial institution, to the Russian Finance Ministry. Although officially carried out to avoid conflict of interest,...
Unconditional basic income — necessary or not?
Vedran ObućinaSpain will be the first European country to introduce the Unconditional Basic Income (UBI). Nadia Calvino, the deputy prime minister, said that UBI might become a structural and permanent instrument, not only a temporary way...
Innovative chats do not support innovation
Sebastian Stodolak“We have become a victim to the mania of talking about innovation and have neglected other important areas of the economy, i.e. people who make the world go round but who do not invent new products,” says professor Lee...
Russia’s reserves quickly depleting
Filip BrokešThe falling oil prices combined with the extra-budgetary spending requirements needed to support ailing businesses means that Russia’s National Welfare Fund will most likely be empty much earlier than previously thought....
Corona bonds may repeat the euro bonds’ fate
Grażyna ŚleszyńskaDespite the financial markets having suffered losses in the first instance — spurring the European Central Bank decision to inject EUR750bn into the system — it is the real economy which will be the hardest hit by...
How does Europe deal with problem banks?
Magdalena Kozińska, Jarosław Michalewicz, Justyna Pycka, dr Beata ZdanowiczIn 2010, former Governor of the Bank of England, Mervin King, said that “large, complex financial institutions are global — at least in life if not in death.” He highlighted the lack of an international framework for...
Belarus papers over cracks in Lukashenko’s corona strategy
Jo HarperOn April 30, Belarus’ Economy Minister Aleksandr Chervyakov unveiled a package that earmarked at least USD328m for health care and promised the government would cover 100 per cent of average daily earnings during a...
What is the price tag of coronavirus for the Baltic states?
Sergei KuznetsovThe Baltic states have gradually started to exit the lockdowns they imposed in March 2020, in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Nonetheless, it is obvious that their economies, severely hit by the crisis, will face a...
The next EU budget as a recovery plan
Filip BrokešAs EU leaders struggle to agree on a post-pandemic reconstruction strategy, the European Commission plans to make the EU’s next 7-year budget a part of the recovery plan. However, it seems increasingly unlikely that a...
An unprecedented challenge
Witold GadomskiThe global financial crisis took economists, financiers and politicians by surprise, even though it should not have. The levels of household, government and corporate debt were soaring. But we knew how to alleviate the...