Media

Lachezar Bogdanov of the Institute for Market Economics, featured on NovaTV, notes Bulgaria’s prices are 60% of the EU average, with food costs like milk and dairy rising 9% faster due to income growth and imports. Convergence slowed to 0.5% in 2024.

Radovan Ďurana of INESS, featured on HNtelevision, critiques Slovakia’s 14 holidays, suggesting a reduction to boost tax revenue and cut the deficit, citing France’s 11 and Germany’s 9. He also questions the transaction tax and second pillar reopening, calling excessive holidays a social luxury.

INESS, featured in Pluska, reports Slovakia’s rank in the 2025 Fostering State Index fell from 24th to 17th due to new taxes and bans on sugary drinks and cigarettes, which Radovan Ďurana calls a paternalistic overreach. Critics argue it prioritizes budget gains over health, with liberal Czech Republic contrasting strict Turkey and Finland.

EPICENTER’s 2025 Nanny State Index, featured in Sud Info, labels Belgium as Europe’s most lenient on alcohol consumption laws, yet strict on tobacco and vaping regulations, reflecting a mixed regulatory approach.

The Institut Economique Molinari (IEM), featured in Le Point, ranks France 11th in its 2025 Nanny State Index, highlighting stricter regulations on smoking, drinking, and sugar. The index, released exclusively on June 6, critiques the upcoming July 1st smoking ban in public places.

Cécile Philippe of the Institut Economique Molinari, featured in Les Echos, warns that Europe’s €300 billion savings gap, cited by Enrico Letta and François Villeroy de Galhau, is vastly underestimated. She highlights annual investment needs of €750 billion, rearmament costs of €800 billion, and AI/national projects like nuclear power (€80 billion) and German infrastructure (€500 billion) as evidence of the true challenge.

The Institute for Market Economics, featured in Forbes Bulgaria, notes Bulgaria ranks 22nd in EPICENTER’s 2025 Nanny State Index, liberal on food and alcohol (29th and 21st) but strict on smoking (11th) and vapes (22nd), with a proposed vape ban in 2025. The index questions the health benefits of such controls.

KEFIM, featured in Ot.gr, highlights Greece’s 16th ranking out of 30 in EPICENTER’s 2025 Nanny State Index, scoring 21.4/100 on food, drink, smoking, and vaping regulations. Nikos Rompapas of KEFIM advocates for balanced policies over strict restrictions.

EPICENTER’s 2025 Nanny State Index, featured in the Daily Mail, ranks the UK seventh in Europe for restricting food, drink, smoking, and vaping, up four spots. Dr. Christopher Snowdon of the IEA warns of worsening regulations like junk food ad bans and vape restrictions, arguing they impoverish without health gains.