Wage and Income Inequality in Slovenia, 1993-2002

This paper analyses the dynamics of wage and income inequality in Slovenia from 1993 to 2002, using two different data sources. The first is obtained by extracting relevant information on wage earners from the personal income tax (PIT) database and the second is obtained using published data on wages and the wage distribution. Analyses of both datasets clearly show a large increase in wage inequality in the period 1993-1995. However, even after 1995 wage inequality has been creeping up. To a large degree, we ascribe the major increase in wage inequality to the rapid development of a full-fledged market economy and also to the changing PIT legislation. A growing individualization of wage contracts doubtlessly also contributed to increased inequality. In addition, our analysis touches upon the effects of the tax system and shows that the tax system significantly moderated the large increases in income inequality.income distributions, income inequality, Slovenia, transition, wages, wage contracts

Perception of Income Satisfaction: An Analysis of Slovenian Households

Three comparable cross-section household datasets, relating to 1988, 1993 and 1997-1999 are used to analyse income satisfaction in Slovenian households. The ordered probit model is used to estimate the effects of ‘objective’ variables, such as actual disposable household income and household size on the perceived (subjective) economic well-being of the household. Variables that tend to capture income aspirations are also included, such as variables describing the socioeconomic structure of the household (share of children, share of elderly persons) as well as a variable denoting household wealth (homeownership). The estimated effects of these variables are all of the expected sign. Though unemployment results mostly in high non-pecuniary costs, it also has a strong negative influence on subjective economic well-being. Our results are in fine agreement with similar - but quite rare - studies on subjective economic well-being in other countries in transition.economic well-being, income satisfaction, transition, Slovenia

Institutional change in search of the market: The case of Slovenia

Six main characteristics of an economic order are discussed and empirically evaluated for the case of Slovenia. All of them pertain to the institutional setting ab urbe condita; they comprise the legal and jurisdictional situation, the role of private property, the institutionalised strive at competition among firms and individuals, the liberty of markets, the solution of the big assignment problem, and the approach to foreign-trade relations. All six aspects impinge upon the conditions which confront investors in material and in human capital in Slovenia. The analysis shows that Slovenia has had, for three years now, by and large the same problems that other countries in transition had. For example, it still has, among others, tight regulations regarding foreign exchange transactions, and a highly socialist property system burdened with too complicated procedures of privatisation. The authors conclude that in Slovenia, as in the other formerly socialist economies, transformation should first and foremost aim at being coherent. Secondly, first things should come first; the first thing would be to privatise. With a proper approach of institutional reforms there should be no barrier to achieving two-digit rates of real growth, just like Germany had after transition into a market economy in 1949.

Tests of a proximity focusing RICH with aerogel as radiator

Using aerogel as radiator and multianode PMTs for photon detection, a proximity focusing Cherenkov ring imaging detector has been constructed and tested in the KEK $\pi$2 beam. The aim is to experimentally study the basic parameters such as resolution of the single photon Cherenkov angle and number of detected photons per ring. The resolution obtained is well approximated by estimates of contributions from pixel size and emission point uncertainty. The number of detected photons per Cherenkov ring is in good agreement with estimates based on aerogel and detector characteristics. The values obtained turn out to be rather low, mainly due to Rayleigh scattering and to the relatively large dead space between the photocathodes. A light collection system or a higher fraction of the photomultiplier active area, together with better quality aerogels are expected to improve the situation. The reduction of Cherenkov yield, for charged particle impact in the vicinity of the aerogel tile side wall, has also been measured.Comment: 4 pages, 8 figure

Institutional change in search of the market: The case of Slovenia

Six main characteristics of an economic order are discussed and empirically evaluated for the case of Slovenia. All of them pertain to the institutional setting ab urbe condita; they comprise the legal and jurisdictional situation, the role of private property, the institutionalised strive at competition among firms and individuals, the liberty of markets, the solution of the big assignment problem, and the approach to foreign-trade relations. All six aspects impinge upon the conditions which confront investors in material and in human capital in Slovenia. The analysis shows that Slovenia has had, for three years now, by and large the same problems that other countries in transition had. For example, it still has, among others, tight regulations regarding foreign exchange transactions, and a highly socialist property system burdened with too complicated procedures of privatisation. The authors conclude that in Slovenia, as in the other formerly socialist economies, transformation should first and foremost aim at being coherent. Secondly, first things should come first; the first thing would be to privatise. With a proper approach of institutional reforms there should be no barrier to achieving two-digit rates of real growth, just like Germany had after transition into a market economy in 1949

Personal income tax reforms and tax progressivity in Slovenia, 1991-2012

Using two different data sets, both derived from the personal income tax files, this paper analyses income inequality and the effects of the personal income tax on after-tax income of employees in Slovenia. It has been shown by using the Kakwani index of progressivity that increases in tax progressivity came in leaps and bounds upon the introduction of new PIT legislation. After the early years of transition (1991-1993), characterized by a large increase in income inequality, the distribution of income has experienced rather small changes; this can be attributed to the introduction of the minimum wage and introduction of a tripartite institution (The Economic and Social Council), responsible for wage negotiations. Inequality of employee’s income has even been decreasing since 2005; some of this decrease is due to changes in the tax base, as PIT legislation introduced schedular taxation of capital income in 2005 and differentiated tax allowances in 2008. The share of income accruing to the top 1% of earners has not been increasing, but has been fluctuating, though on a decreasing trend in the last 10 years

Synthesis of Pyridazine Derivatives. XVII. Some Reactions on 2-Phenylimidazo(1,2-b )pyridazines

The behavior of 2-phenylimidazo(l,2-b)pyridazines in some electrophilic and nucleophilic subs.titution reactions has been examined. It has been found that besides the expected electrophilic substitution at position 3 of the imidazo-(1,2-b)pyridazine ring, upon nitration a second nitro group enters the phenyl group on para position as evident from an examination of the NMR spectrum. Hydrazinolysis of a 3,6-dihalo derivative proceeded preferentially at position 6