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.
What do we spend too much on
Piotr Arak, Piotr ŻakowieckiThe administration in all countries is overdeveloped, ineffective and in debt. Many specialists believe that public sector should play a less significant role, also in the Polish economy. The key question is: what does the...
Local governments will have hard time passing budgets
Marek PielachThe economic slowdown has inflamed the dispute between the Ministry of Finance (MF), which is responsible for the state budget, and local governments. Mutual accusations are the same: handing out deductions lavishly and in a...
Economic education to limit pictorial democracy
Wojciech SabatAccording to the report on the Financial Knowledge of Poles by the Kronenberg Foundation, people who are deeply interested in economics in Poland are twice outnumbered by geni who qualify to Mensa. It could have been...
Ukraine: Treasury bills to replace hryvnia in the government settlement with businesses
Michał KozakThe Ukrainian parliament voted the law granting the Cabinet the right to pay its expenses to businesses with Treasury bills up to unlimited value. This practically breaks the central bank’s monopoly on the monetary policy.
Grappling with unemployment in the dark. It does not need to be that way
Jan Baran“If it depended on me, I would draw more attention of decision-makers to the performance of public employment services,” writes Jan Baran, winner of the second edition of the Obserwator Finansowy’s competition. The...
Central Europe falls into Germany’s orbit
Jan CieńskiA quarter century ago, all the nations of central Europe were satellites of the Soviet Union. After decades of economic reforms and deep political changes the countries of the region are satellites again – this time of...
The new EU budget: more funding, although difficult to obtain
Marek PielachAs compared to the current EU budget, Poland is to receive EUR 5 billion more in the budget for 2014-2020, but the funds will be more difficult to use. Local governments will benefit most from it if only they manage to...
Only the public finance crisis is a fact
Jowita FlankowskaPoles have not been hit by ‘seven misfortunes’ because of the global economic crisis. People are becoming more and more affluent and, generally, satisfied. We believe that the unemployment rate in Poland, including...
How to move up on the economic ladder
Aleksandra FandrejewskaToday, at a meeting convened by the Polish President, Professor Jerzy Hausner shall present a report entitled “How to make headway in the world league?” According to its authors, the Polish economy is now at a turning...
Participatory budgeting or pocket money for voters
Piotr AleksandrowiczThey were still a curiosity not so long ago, and now we hear about civic budgets regularly: 300 proposals for the civic budget in Radom, 1 200 proposals in Chorzów, 700 in Elbląg, more than 240 in Wroclaw. This...