"Economic Policy Review" Bulletin ISSN 1313 - 0544

Hong Kong once again tops international rankings for economic freedom, with Singapore a close second and New Zealand in third spot, according to the Economic Freedom of the World: 2007 Annual Report, published by The Fraser Institute. Zimbabwe and Myanmar had the lowest economic freedom ratings of the 141 countries measured.

The current Bulgarian government released its biannual report. It gives us the opportunity to clearly define the principles and approaches used during the ruling.

In the course of the week (19.09.07), at an organized press conference, the relatively new political party CEDB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) revealed its complete economic program – the vision how Bulgaria is to be governed if the party wins enough seats at the next parliamentary elections.

National Statistical Institute officially released preliminary national accounts data for the second quarter and the first half of 2007. Gross domestic product (GDP) keeps growing by more than 6 percent on annual basis which is good news.

This week the social minister Mrs Maslarova declared a provisional change in the direction of the policy of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria on the labour market. The current programs that pay to employers and companies to hire unemployed will be replaced by new ones that aim to pay for courses of qualification and prequalification of the unemployed.

In the next few paragraphs I’m going to describe the health care system in Singapore and especially how it works. This approach seeks to mainstream the better practices that are already being applied in some countries. Because sometimes is easier, more effective and painless just to copy some good and working ideas.