scholarly journals The demographic and geographic impact of the COVID pandemic in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe in 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoni Rangachev ◽  
Georgi Marinov ◽  
Mladen Mladenov
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Years Of Life Lost ◽  
Medical Resources ◽  
Mobility Data ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
High Level

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic followed a unique trajectory in Eastern Europe compared to other heavily affected regions, with most countries there only experiencing a major surge of cases and deaths towards the end of 2020 after a relatively uneventful first half of the year. However, the consequences of that surge have not received as much attention as the situation in Western countries. Bulgaria, even though it has been one of the most heavily affected countries, has been one of those neglected cases. Methods: We use mortality and mobility data from Eurostat, official governmental and other sources to examine the development and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria and other European countries. Results: We find a very high level of excess mortality in Eastern European countries measured by several metrics including excess mortality rate (EMR), P-scores and potential years of life lost. By the last metric Eastern Europe emerges as the hardest hit region by the pandemic in Europe in 2020. With a record EMR at ~0.25% and a strikingly large and mostly unique to it mortality rate in the working age demographics, Bulgaria emerges as one of the most affected countries in Eastern Europe. The high excess mortality in Bulgaria correlates with insufficient intensity of testing and with delayed imposition of lockdown measures. We also find major geographic and demographic disparities within the country, with considerably lower mortality observed in major cities relative to more remote areas (likely due to disparities in the availability of medical resources). Analysis of the course of the epidemic revealed that individual mobility measures were predictive of the eventual decline in cases and deaths. However, while mobility declined as a result of the imposition of a lockdown, it already trended downwards before such measures were introduced, which resulted in a reduction of deaths independent of the effect of restrictions. Conclusions: Large excess mortality and high numbers of potential years of life lost are observed as a result of the COVID pandemic in Bulgaria, as well as in several other countries in Eastern Europe. Significant delays in the imposition of stringent mobility-reducing measures combined with a lack of medical resources likely caused a substantial loss of life, including in the working age population.

On priority development of knowledge economy

2021 ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
A.G. Aganbegyan ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Federal Budget ◽  
The Public ◽  
National Economic ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Child Mortality Rate ◽  
Main Component ◽  
High Level

A.G. Aganbegyan considers the knowledge economy as the main component of human capital. He analyzes certain areas of the knowledge economy (R&D, healthcare and education) by comparing relevant results demonstrated by Russian regions with similar indices reported for other countries. The article points out positive and negative aspects, e.g. high level and quality of education v. low efficiency of its application; lower cancer mortality rate and particularly child mortality rate v. high mortality from cardiovascular disease among working-age population, etc. Major causes of negative phenomena include insufficient funding of the public sector and inefficient administration. In order to remedy the situation, the author recommends the development of a new federal budget, transition to national economic planning and adjustment of national projects.

EFFECT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS 2007-2008 ON STRATEGIES OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-89
Author(s):  
Vitaliy Bondarchuk ◽  
Alina Raboshuk ◽  
Svitlana Shypina
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
The State ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Top Managers ◽  
Eastern European Countries

The paper is aimed at the study of the effects of world financial crisis of 2007-2008 on the strategies of the multinational corporations operating in Central and Eastern Europe. The economic downturn has abruptly halted the successful economic growth of the Central and Eastern European countries in the years preceding the crisis. In this connection, the question arises whether these structural changes in the economy will lead to reevaluation of expansion strategy by the foreign multinational corporations in Central and Eastern Europe. t has been established that in the post-crisis period the middle and top managers have a tendency towards paying more attention to the state competitiveness, the quality of the state institutions, and its political leadership. Moreover, movement of production facilities and logistics systems from Western Europe to the Eastern and Central European countries will be continued, due to cheaper resources and loyal conditions of access to them.

scholarly journals Post-Pandemic Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Long Jing
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Cooperation Mechanism ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Eastern European Countries

The Covid-19 pandemic has given rise to an array of problems in cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries. Some items on the cooperation agenda have been delayed and people-to-people exchanges have come to a halt. The pandemic, notwithstanding, is a testament to the value and resilience of the “[Formula: see text]” framework and has presented an opportunity for both sides to identify new areas for future collaboration. In a post-pandemic world, China and Central and Eastern European countries will not only have to address the shortfalls and drawbacks in the current cooperation mechanism, but also firmly work together to deal with new challenges arising from the pandemic.

scholarly journals “Non-Union State”: the Republic of Belarus in the memory wars of Eastern Europe

2021 ◽  
pp. 66-84
Author(s):  
Andrei Aleksandrovich Linchenko
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Political Regime ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Non Union ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
Post Communism ◽  
Methodological Aspects

The subject of this research is the position of Belarus in the memory wars of Russia and Eastern European countries of the two recent decades. Based on P. Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic power, as well as comparative analysis of the key stages of the historical politics of Russia and Belarus as the members of the Union State, the author explores the causes and peculiarities of electoral neutrality of Belarus in the memory wars of Russia and Eastern European countries. Analysis is conducted on the theoretical-methodological aspects of the concept of “memory wars”. Content analysis of the relevant research reveals the specificity of the Belarusian case with regards to correlation between domestic and foreign historical politics. The specificity of the forms of post-Communism that have established in Russia and Belarus, the difference in the pace of historical politics of the last three decades, as well as the evolution of the political regime of Alexander Lukashenko contributed to the formation of peculiar position of the Republic of Belarus in the memory confrontation between Russia and its Eastern European neighbors. The internal manifestation of such position was the desire to displace the conflicts between memory communities in the republic, the movement of memory to the periphery of cultural-information space, while the external manifestation was strive for electoral neutrality (memory isolationism) in the memory wars in Eastern Europe. Such position is aimed not so much at supporting Russia’s memory initiatives, but at solving the relevant political and economic challenges, using historical politics as the instrument for promoting the own interests.

scholarly journals The Case Series of 34 Patients with COVID-19 Diagnosed with HIV Infection from Central and Eastern European Countries – Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group Data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Skrzat-Klapaczyńska ◽  
Kerstin Kase ◽  
Anna Vassilenko ◽  
Arjan Harxhi ◽  
Botond Lakatos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Case Series ◽  
European Countries ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Hiv Rna ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Eastern European Countries

Abstract Background: A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was detected at the end of 2019 in China. There are many COVID-19 studies in progress however, little is known about the course of COVID-19 in people living with HIV (PLWH). The aim of our study was to describe epidemiology and clinical characteristics of PLWH diagnosed with COVID-19 reported form Central and Eastern European Countries.Methods: On-line survey was sent to Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) Network Group. Analysis included all confirmed COVID-19 cases between March 11 and June 26 2020 among PLWH in 12 countries: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland , Romania, Russia, and Serbia.Results: In total 34 cases were reported. The mean age of those patients was 42.7 years (IQR=35.8-48.5) and most of the patients were male (70.6% vs 29.4%). The mean CD4+ T-cell count prior COVID-19 diagnosis was 558 cells/mm3 (IQR=312-719) and HIV RNA viral load (VL) was undetectable in 18 of 34 (53%) cases, the data about most recent HIV RNA VL was not available in three cases (8,8%). Comorbidities were observed in 19 (55.9%) patients, mostly cardiovascular disease (27,8%), and in 10 (29.4%) patients had coinfection, mostly chronic hepatitis C (87.5%). The clinical course of COVID-19 was asymptomatic in 4 (12%) cases, mild disease without hospitalization was reported in 11 (32%) cases. Stable patients with respiratory and/or systemic symptoms have been documented in 14 (41%) cases; 5 (15%) patients were clinically unstable with respiratory failure. Full recovery was reported in 31 (91%) cases, two patients died. In one case the data was not available.Conclusion: This study from 12 countries in Central and Eastern Europe region indicates no alarming signals of increased morbidity or mortality from COVID-19 among HIV-positive persons there is a need for further research.

Sustainable business model in food and beverage industry – a case of Western and Central and Eastern European countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 1573-1592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhanna Belyaeva ◽  
Edyta Dorota Rudawska ◽  
Yana Lopatkova
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Business Models ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Beverage Industry ◽  
Food And Beverage Industry ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Western European ◽  
Eastern European Countries

PurposeThe presented study pinpoints transformation of business models of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage sector depending on their sustainability strategy. This paper makes a novel contribution to understanding various instruments of sustainability implementation in SMEs’ business models operating in the food and beverage industry of well-developed Western European countries versus less-developed Central–Eastern European countries.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical basis is a survey of 770 European SMEs, of which 369 operate in Western European countries (including Great Britain, Germany and Spain) and 401 in Central and Eastern Europe (including Poland, Croatia and Russia). The nonparametric U Mann–Whitney test was used to examine the significance of the differences between the two groups of companies.FindingsThe study empirically confirmed that despite self-declared lack of skills and knowledge in managerial impacts of sustainability, it shapes business models of SME in both country groups in food and drink industry. At the same time, the motivation grounds for business models transformation toward sustainable models vary between mostly economic factors in Eastern Europe and social and cultural factors in Western Europe. The economic factor is formed due to smaller integration into social investments at the SME-level Eastern European countries, while Western European SMEs invest more in a variety of sustainability supporting instruments (R&D, new equipment).Originality/valueThis comparative study is the novel empirical research study on the implementation of sustainability into business models of food and beverage SMEs operating in two groups of Western and Central–Eastern European countries, which has not been previously observed in such a setting.

PUBLIC REGULATION OF COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ORGANIZATIONS: EXPERIENCE OF THE COUNTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (12) ◽  
pp. 313-320
Author(s):  
Svetlana Nikolaevna Shostak
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
European Countries ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Social Efficiency ◽  
Investment Activity ◽  
State Management ◽  
Eastern European Countries

The article analyzes the effectiveness of the activities of international financial organizations in the context of their cooperation with the countries of Eastern Europe. The article clarifies that financing by international financial organizations of the private sector of Eastern Europe creates preconditions for raising their economic and social efficiency and for creating not only collective but also social goods. The main goals of the Eastern European countries, financed by international financial organizations, are considered in detail. It is proved that the financing of the private sector of the Eastern European countries of the EBRD creates the preconditions for raising their economic and social efficiency and for creating not only collective but also public goods. However, the implementation of these prerequisites depends on a sound economic policy of the country, the timely formation of a new institutional structure for the functioning of the public sector, etc. It is noted that for the effective provision of this area of cooperation with the EBRD to the countries of Eastern Europe it is necessary: • facilitate the transition from the capital and labor-intensive export of industrial products to high-tech and innovative; • to provide state aid for the formation of foreign capital by creating special zones of export production with a favorable tax regime; • implement a planned approach to regulating the development of the national economy on the basis of optimization of the state procurement process, the formation of subsidies and other forms of state regulation of investment activity, etc. It is noted that in general, the experience of cooperation of the countries of Eastern Europe with international financial organizations and for Ukraine is important. After all, in Ukraine there are a number of political factors that hinder the development of foreign investments due to the non-adaptation of domestic enterprises to the world market conditions of cooperation. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to reorganize the structure of state management of industrial objects and to establish mechanisms for legislative regulation of this process.

The Contest for Central and Eastern Europe

2019 ◽  
pp. 108-128
Author(s):  
Mitchell A. Orenstein
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Democratic Politics ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Energy Politics ◽  
Eastern European Countries

While many thought that the eleven Central and Eastern European countries that exited communism and joined the European Union in the 2000s had made an irrevocable “civilizational choice,” Russia has sought to extend its influence into this unexpected new battleground. Though Russia has fewer tools of influence than in the lands in between, it has used energy politics, disinformation, support for extremist parties, business relations, and a variety of covert methods to cause Central and Eastern European governments and politicians to re-evaluate their allegiances. Central and Eastern European countries have experienced growing extremism, increasing polarization, and the rise of cynical power brokers who wish to accommodate Moscow, while also benefiting from EU ties and funds. Political leaders such as Viktor Orbán of Hungary have blazed this path, making gas and energy deals with Russia while undermining democratic politics at home and challenging the European Union from within.

scholarly journals Public Finance Sectors Central and Eastern European Countries and in Developed Countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-48
Author(s):  
Renata Małkowska
Keyword(s):  
Public Finance ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Social Spending ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
The Public ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Eastern European Countries

This paper analyses the interdependencies between state debt and the volume of the public sector’s expenditure, focusing particularly on pro-social spending. These phenomena have been studied in relative values (versus GDP) and in absolute values (per capita). This served as the grounds for an attempt to identify general directions of the public finance policies followed by countries in the Central and Eastern Europe and in selected highly developed countries.

scholarly journals Consequences of Employing Different Exchange Rate Regimes in the Situation of Financial Crisis on the Example of Central-Eastern European Countries

Equilibrium ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-49
Author(s):  
Dorota Zbierzchowska
Keyword(s):  
Exchange Rate ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Exchange Rate Regimes ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Central Eastern Europe ◽  
Central Eastern ◽  
Eastern European Countries

It is characteristic for the countries of Central-Eastern Europe to employ a great variety of exchange rate regimes: by resigning from their own currency and participating in monetary unions through the systems of currency board arrangement; by employing the systems of conventional fixed pegged arrangements; and by the floating systems. In the situation of global financial crisis and liberalization of capital flow in the Central-Eastern Europe countries profits and dangers of using certain solutions in the scope of exchange rate are clearly visible. The aim of this paper is to present theoretical profits and costs of utilizing various kinds of exchange rate regimes and their consequences for the autonomy of monetary policy. The paper also compares contemporary economical situation of the Central-Eastern European countries, what allows the author to indicate those countries, where the limitations stemming from the accepted system of exchange rate had negative consequences for the condition of their economy in general.

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