Dismissals of the Court Presidents in the Visegrad Group Countries in the Light of Article 6(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights

This presented study discusses problems related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty, aimed at eliminating poverty, based on the example of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. The introduction addresses the general characteristics of the V4 and attempts to define the concept of sustainable development, with particular emphasis on its complex nature and importance for future generations. The purpose of the research was to assess the diversity within the Visegrad Group countries in the years 2005–2018 in terms of poverty and sustainable development level in the No Poverty area and also to identify the impact of the socioeconomic development level in the studied countries on sustainable development in the No Poverty area. Taking into account the analysis of poverty indicators in the Visegrad Group countries, the best results were recorded for Czechia. The second part of the conducted analyzed allowed us to conclude that Czechia definitely presents the highest level of sustainable development, followed by Slovakia. The highest average dynamics of changes occur in Poland and Hungary, which result in the gradual elimination of the existing disproportions. Among other research results, it is worth highlighting that the V4 countries show significant, however, decreasing differences regarding the indicators describing poverty in relation to sustainable development.

For the Visegrad Group (VG) countries, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has become a particularly relevant feature of each member’s foreign policy. Today, it has become obvious that the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war that began on February 24, 2022, will have a significant impact not only on the warring parties, but its consequences will be felt by a number of countries. The VG countries, as elements of the regional subsystem, are forced to respond to security challenges. All VG countries, with the exception of Hungary, understand the risks of further Russian expansion in the event of Ukraine’s defeat and are trying to avoid this, paying special attention not only to helping our state, but also to its own defense. Budapest has chosen a position that differs from the VG partner countries and the EU as a whole. The article analyzes the position of official Budapest after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The focus is on factors that influence the position of Viktor Orban's government (different from other members of the VG), in particular, the issue of support for sanctions against Russia, military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the role of the Hungarian ethnic minority in Ukraine, economic cooperation between Hungary and Russia, and the domestic political situation in the country, which directly affects the foreign policy of official Budapest, is considered.

Purpose: The aim of the article was to analyse the qualitative approach to product improvement by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from the Visegrad Group (V4) countries (Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary). Design/methodology/approach: The analysed results included a research sample of 379 companies in the electromechanical industry (machinery processing industry). The sample was obtained between March and September 2023 by means of a guided survey. Analyses of the results of quantitative research were carried out to verify the approaches of SMEs from V4 countries to pro-quality product, including comparative analyzes of the results obtained. Analyses were performed using the ANOVA test (repeated measure designs). The Mann Whitney U test was used to identify statistically significant differences in entrepreneurs' responses. The significance level adopted was α = 0.05. Findings: It has been shown that SMEs from V4 countries have different approaches to improving product quality. Additionally, it was shown that both in the case of pro-quality activities of SMEs from the V4 countries, the lowest consistency of assessments occurs in the following countries: Poland and Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, Slovakia and Hungary. Practical implications: Research results may contribute to more effective and coherent development activities of SMEs in the V4 countries as part of their sustainable development. Social implications: Based on the research conducted, it is possible to provide SMEs in V4 countries with a more adequate approach to undertake consistent and effective quality activities as part of the improvement of the product. Originality/value: Determining the current pro-quality approach to product improvement in SMEs in the V4 countries. The novelty is also the identification of the importance (level of importance) of these approaches in each V4 country, as well as the determination of the similarities and differences between these approaches in SMEs from countries in the Visegrad Group. Keywords: Visegrad Group (V4), SMEs, quality product improvement, production engineering. Category of the paper: Research paper.

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection(Salvia, Azul, Brandli, Wall, Filho, 2021). Energy is at the forefront of the development agenda. Recognizing energy's vital role in development and prosperity, the world has committed to Sustainable Development Goal 7 to Affordable and Clean Energy (Banerjee, Moreno, Primiani, Seong, Sinton, 2017). This presented study discusses problems related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, based on the example of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. The introduction addresses the general characteristics of the V4 and attempts to define the concept of sustainable development, with particular emphasis on its complex nature and importance for future generations. The purpose of the research is to assess the diversity within the Visegrad Group countries in terms of affordable and Clean Energy. The study conducted in the article shows in that between 2009 and 2020, the Visegrad Group countries differed significantly due to all aspects of sustainable energy adopted by the European Union for monitoring sustainable development in the area of Affordable and Clean Energy.

Purpose: The aim of the article was to analyse the pro-environmental approach to products improvement by SMEs from the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. Design/methodology/approach: The research was survey. The survey research was carried out in traditional (paper) and electronic form (MS FORMS). The survey was directed at electronic industries (machinery processing) belonging to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from V4 countries. The results presented in the article refer to sample size of 379 SMEs, obtained between March and September 2023. Results were analysed in statistical way, i.e.: ANOVA test and Mann Whitney U test by significance level equal to α = 0.05. Findings: SMEs in V4 countries have a similar approach to pro-environmental improving of products. It was shown that pro-environmental activities of SMEs from the V4 countries, the lowest consistency of assessments occurs in the following countries: Poland and Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, Slovakia and Hungary. Practical implications: The research results may contribute to more effective and coherent development activities of SMEs in the V4 countries as part of their sustainable development, and also to take appropriate actions that will be supporting qualitative and environmental products. Social implications: The results can help SME entrepreneurs improve their products to protect the natural environment. In addition, they can be the basis for the development of SMEs from the V4 countries and their unidirectional development, which includes not only improving the quality of products, but also caring for the environment. Originality/value: The originality of the research is the determination of the current pro-environmental approach to product improvement in SMEs in the V4 countries. The novelty is the provision of current data on the importance of improving pro-environmental products in SMEs from the V4 countries and their comparison between companies in the electrical machinery industry. Keywords: Visegrad Group (V4), SMEs, environment, quality, product improvement, production engineering. Category of the paper: Research paper.

Introduction. International trade is a priority factor in economic development, and it is particularly significant for countries with geographical and strategic proximity. For Ukraine, which is integrating into the European space, the study of trade relations with the Visegrad Group countries is relevant, as these countries are promising partners for Ukraine’s economic and political stability. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to analyze the dynamics of trade relations between Ukraine and the Visegrad Group countries, examine trends in these relations over recent years, and develop an approach to modeling their further development under global economic changes such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war. Method (methodology). The theoretical and methodological foundation of the article includes scientific works on international trade, economic integration, and strategic partnership between the Visegrad Group countries. The study applies general scientific and specialized methods, including: methods of analysis and synthesis to examine the dynamics of trade flows between Ukraine and the V4 countries during 2004–2023; statistical methods to analyze time series and assess trends in foreign trade indicators; the Monte Carlo method to evaluate potential scenarios for the development of trade relations; graphical methods to visually represent the obtained results using diagrams and graphs; abstract-logical methods to interpret the results and formulate conclusions and recommendations for the further development of trade relations between Ukraine and the Visegrad Group countries. Results. The trade dynamics demonstrated stable growth in trade volumes between Ukraine and the Visegrad Group countries, despite periods of crisis. Poland has emerged as Ukraine’s largest trade partner, as evidenced by the increase in export and import volumes even amid political and economic changes. The Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia also show stable, albeit varying, rates of strengthening trade relations. The role of geopolitical changes, such as the war in Ukraine, in shaping trade relations with the Visegrad Group countries is specifically highlighted. These results emphasize the importance of developing a strategy for advancing trade relations with the group in the context of Ukraine’s European integration.

This study investigates the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Visegrad Group (V4) countries, focusing on the changing relevance of cost-, market-, and institutional-related factors. The analysis employs a panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (P-ARDL) model and panel Granger causality tests to examine both the long-run and short-run relationships between FDI and a set of macroeconomic, and institutionalrelated variables. The dataset covers the V4 countries over a time span between 1996 and 2023 and captures both permanent and transitory changes in determinants of FDI. The results show that in the long-run, average wage levels and government effectiveness are significant structural determinants, highlighting the importance of institutional quality and labour costs in FDI location decisions. In the short term, FDI inwards are mainly influenced by GDP growth, R&D expenditure, trade openness, and inflation dynamics. The results indicating the significance of factors determining FDI in the Visegrad Group countries may be of particular importance for policymakers seeking to enhance investment attractiveness in a globally unstable economic environment.

One of the objectives of Directive (EU) 2020/2184 is to assess the amount of water leakage in water supply systems (WSS) and to reduce it if it exceeds a certain threshold. The Directive is binding on water supply companies supplying at least 10,000 m3/d or serving at least 50,000 consumers. The problem of water losses due to, among other things, aging infrastructure currently requires appropriate action to be taken by WSS management companies. This paper discusses the problem of water losses in the Visegrad Group countries and the challenges and opportunities associated with it. In order to analyze the problem, a bibliometric analysis of the state of knowledge was performed. The results of the literature review present the current directions of research on this topic in the V4 countries as former communist bloc countries. The strengths and weaknesses identified in the paper can be used to plan water loss reduction by water supply companies, researchers, and legislators.

The study aimed to assess the competitiveness of agriculture and agri-food trade in the Visegrad Group (V4) countries during their European Union (EU) membership. Using data from Eurostat and the Agri-food Data Portal, labour productivity in agriculture and competitive position in agri-food trade within the EU internal market were analysed. In each V4 country, the labour productivity indicator was lower than the EU-27 average; however, Poland and Hungary had the least favourable scores. Of the four countries surveyed, Czechia recorded the highest productivity and Poland the lowest, influenced by the agrarian structure and level of employment in agriculture. However, it was positive that the dynamics of labour productivity change in all V4 countries were higher than the EU average. The research also showed that accession of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to the EU contributed to an increase in agri-food exports and imports in all analysed countries. Poland has a comparative advantage and is export-specialised in the food and live animals (SITC 0 commodity group) and beverages and tobacco products (SITC 1 commodity group), but not in the animal and vegetable oils, fats, and waxes (SITC 4 commodity group). In the SITC4 commodity group, Hungary performed best, having both a comparative advantage and export specialisation in this area. Slovakia is the worst performer compared to the other countries surveyed, having neither a comparative advantage nor export specialisation in any of the analysed commodity groups.

This article focuses on analysing the consequences of Brexit for the European Union and its Member States, with particular emphasis on the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. Through the prism of neorealism theory, the changes in the balance of power and international dynamics resulting from Great Britain’s exit from the EU are analysed. The aim is not only to identify specific Brexit outcomes but also to understand the mechanisms influencing relations among European states, especially in the future. In this context, neorealist analysis becomes a particularly valuable tool, allowing us to view Brexit not only as a one-time incident but also as a manifestation of broader trends in global international relations which may adopt disintegrative stances in the future.

The article presents the results of an analysis aimed at assessing the effects of fundamental factors (pillars) on the international positions and competitiveness of the economies of Poland and the other Visegrad Group (V4) countries. It attempts to verify the hypothesis that in shaping their international competitive position, the V4 economies should rely more on efficiency enhancers as well as innovation and sophistication factors. The competitive positions of the economies covered and the changes thereof were determined on the basis of the Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) editions published by the World Economic Forum. The period under examination includes the years 2004–2017, but owing to the lack of comparable data, it was narrowed to the years 2006–2017. The article ends with a summary of the most important conclusions from the analysis.

This manuscript analyses the role and importance of cooperation between the Visegrad Group (V4) countries and the most globally active member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is the United Arab Emirates. In view of the V4+ concept implemented with partners from the Middle East, Israel or Egypt, the presented analysis is important and meets the lack of this element in the scientific debate. This study is based on empirical research and its findings are the result of not only observation but also 10 years of direct participation of the author in many activities related to the cooperation of the Visegrad Group countries and the UAE, including as ambassador, senior advisor to Dubai Expo 2020, especially responsible for strategies and dynamisation relations between Central and Eastern Europe (except Poland) and the United Arab Emirates. According to the author’s opinion, presented in the conclusion, there is now a huge opportunity to present V4 projects, including as a part of the broader strategy of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) during World Expo Dubai, which will take place from October 2021 to March 2022, and make this initiative a globally recognizable project. However, coordinating and accelerating joint actions is required.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the validity of Gibrat’s law for a sample of travel agents from the Visegrad group (V4) countries and to identify the size-growth relationship. Using a linear auto-regressive model and ordinary least squares estimator, we rejected the validity of Gibrat’s law in the V4 countries (except Poland, where the results were mixed). The smallest firms tend to grow faster than their larger counterparts. Using quantile regression models, we concluded that the size-growth link differed depending on actual firm size. Before reaching minimum efficient scale (MES), there is a positive relationship between firm growth and firm size. This relationship is negative after reaching MES: the smaller firms grow faster than bigger ones. Gibrat’s law tends to be valid in the population of firms that have reached MES. This shows that economies and diseconomies of scale could play a significant role in explaining the size-growth relationship of travel agents.

The paper examines Okun’s law on a regional level and its determinants for the four Visegrad Group (V4) countries in Central Europe. Unlike other studies on regional Okun’s law, the paper applies a disaggregation procedure to estimate Okun’s law for economies and regions, and seeks to identify the factors that determine the regional heterogeneity observed in Okun coefficients. The analysis uses data for NUTS 2 regions of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia for the period 2001–2020. The accounting principle embedded in the disaggregation framework entails that regions around the capital cities display higher unemployment-output responsiveness. With endogeneity handled, the level of economic prosperity and accumulated human capital are found to be robust drivers of differences in the unemployment-output elasticity on a regional level.

This article aims to assess the conditions and prospects for biomass utilization in the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. Additionally, the relationship between biomass energy production and greenhouse gas emissions was examined. A key component of the analysis involved identifying potential directions for the development of biomass utilization in the pursuit of the sustainable development of agricultural enterprises. In relation to these research objectives, a hypothesis was formulated regarding the causal relationship between biomass energy consumption and economic growth, the abundance of natural resources, and income in reference to the European Union economies. Both static and dynamic panel studies were applied. The conducted research revealed the complex nature of the conditions influencing biomass utilization. The study period covered the years 2004–2022. A negative correlation was found between the use of biomass and greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, factors favoring biomass utilization included economic growth, the level of natural resource consumption per capita, and government policies aimed at increasing the share of renewable resources in the economy.