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.
Old model of Russia’s development is worn out, but there is none to replace it
Jerzy RutkowskiDespite very high global oil prices, Russia has entered a period of considerable economic slowdown. The possibility of continuing economic growth relying on natural resource-based export, with increasing involvement of the...
Do not believe economic weathercasters
Sebastian StodolakTim Harford, one of the most prominent economic writers and a leading journalist for the "Financial Times” is discussing the fact that TV economic commentators have turned ordinary people away from economics and that the...
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.
A new dawn for special economic zones
Małgorzata GrzegorczykPoland is once again changing the rules of operation of Special Economic Zones. After the recent proposals of the Ministry of Economy, some experts predict their revival. Especially after Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently...
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...
Russian investments in Central Europe should go under scrutiny
Sebastian Stodolak"Poland is in a very difficult situation in terms of its relations with neighbors, but all the disagreements between the country and its neighbors should not affect their economic relations. With only one exception: Russia....
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...