E63 - Comparative or Joint Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Stabilization; Treasury PolicyNávrat zpět

This paper aims to shed some light on the real convergence process among EU economies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in comparison to the real convergence in 2008, when the last financial crisis erupted. According to entropy method results, the most pronounced difference between effects of the current pandemic and the global financial crisis are registered in the unemployment rate, while the difference in the current account balance and GDP per capita are much less noticeable. The results of the entropy method also suggest that the greatest difference among EU economies in 2020 is registered in the current account deficits; a slightly lower difference is registered in the unemployment rate, while the divergence in GDP is much less pronounced. To explain the results of the entropy method, a hierarchical cluster analysis is performed and three clusters are derived. Based on the identified characteristics of the derived clusters, some policy recommendations for overcoming the current crisis are defined.

This paper studies the impact of inflation dynamics on a common economic policy in the monetary union using a small New Keynesian model of the monetary union. We are considering two open economy versions of the Phillips curve: a typical New Keynesian Phillips curve with only forward looking dynamics and a hybrid New Keynesian Phillips curve with forward and backward looking dynamics. The main findings are as follows: (i) the backward looking dynamics (persistence) of inflation in the Phillips curve is an important determinant of the common economic policy in the monetary union; (ii) in the case of asymmetric dynamics of inflation in the monetary union countries, the country with more persistent inflation dynamics has a significant impact on the common economic policy.

The aim of this article is to estimate the mutual interaction of monetary and fiscal policy in the Visegrad Group countries, i.e. in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary. The relations between monetary and fiscal policy - its coordination, cooperation or mutual antagonism - are basic determinants of successful economic policy implementation of each country. Fiscal and monetary policies usually have different aims. Therefore, some conflict situations may arise in practical economic and political decision-making process. Methodical approaches of this article are based on the game theory, which deals with the analysis of a wide range of decision-making situations with more participants (players); it is primarily focused on the conflict situations. Our results confirm the stabilizing role of monetary policy in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, also the dominant role of monetary policy in the Czech Republic and the dominant role of fiscal policy in Hungary. In the case of Slovakia, inconsistent results concerning the monetary policy role are probably caused by its EMR II membership and Eurozone entry in 2009.

Aging population and fiscal costs of the pension system is a burden for the sustainability of public finance. Therefore, many countries have been forced to reform their pension systems. One of the many ways of doing this is to switch from the convention pay-as-you-go system to capital funding. This paper explores the present Slovakia's Pension system and its impact on public finance from the long-term perspective. This article points out that the authorities have to be committed to bringing public finance to a sustainable path. In this regard, a financial consolidation of the pension system would be needed. Therefore, the paper suggests some alternatives of the mixed pension system.