• Economic Effects of the Accession of Slovakia to the European Union

Co-ordinator:

Peter Gonda

From July 2002 to March 2003, the Conservative Institute implemented the project Economic Effects of the Accession of Slovakia to the European Union. Several activities were performed within the project: a debate seminar analyzing results of a study on expected impacts of the accession of Slovakia to the EU which took place in September 2002, the Conservative Institute issued the analytical study Economic Effects of the Accession of Slovakia to the European Union in December 2002. The study was presented at the conference Economic Aspects of the Slovak Membership in the EU held in February 2003.

The project was executed thanks to the financial support provided by The Open Society Foundation, The Foundation Ekopolis and ETP-S within framework of the program Your Earth which is financed by The US AID altogether with other private and public donors.

• Reduction of Corruption Risks in Agriculture

Co-ordinator:

Radovan Kazda

From January to October 2002, the Conservative Institute implemented the project Reduction of Corruption Risks in Agriculture targeted at analysis of the subsidies system and corruption threats. The seminar Tools of Agrarian Policy dealing with lowering of corruption risks took place in June 2002. In August and September 2002 there was a poll on opinions of private farmers on corruption in their sector. The Conservative Institute issued two publications dealing with this topic: Tools of Agrarian Policy - Reduction of Corruption Risks (an anthology) and Corruption Risks in the System of Agrarian Policy in Slovakia.

The project was funded by the grant provided by The Civil Society Development Foundation.

• Do not Choose a Smile

Co-ordinator:

Pavol Draxler, the Institute for Civic Education

In 2002, the Conservative Institute co-operated with the Institute for Civic Education in preparation of an analytical part of the project Do not Choose a Smile. The project objective was to provide citizens with an independent source of information regarding political parties running for the parliamentary elections in 2002, via internet: www.nevyberajusmev.sk

The project name was supposed to motivate voters to familiarize themselves with activities and promises of respective political parties and to help them make a decision based on relevant information and not on superficial political promotion. It was an apolitical campaign and the presented material contained minimum of commentaries. The information rendered was gained from newspapers and from the Institute for Public Affairs, organisations M.E.S.A. 10 and MEMO 98 as well as from political and electoral programs.

The project was financially supported by the foundations ETP Slovakia and The Freedom House.

• Together to NATO and the EU

Co-ordinators:

Monika Kuhajdová Ondrej Dostál

In 2001, the Conservative Institute started implementation of the project Together to NATO and the EU. Through this project, the Conservative Institute brought new topics into a discussion about the integration of the SR into the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union. The Conservative Institute issued two publications dealing with these topics: Civilisation and Value Aspects of the Accession of the Slovak Republic to NATO and The Future of Defence and Security Structures in Europe.

In 2002, the Conservative Institute continued implementation of this project and organised two seminars: The EU Enlargement and Atlantic Parthenship and Should the European Union Have a Constitution? In October 2002, a conference organised by the Conservative Institute, The European Union – the View from Slovakia took place in Piešťany. Within this project the Conservative Institute issued four publications: Issues and Perspectives of a Euro-Atlantic Security Partnership, Constitution for the EU – Yes or No?, The European Union – the View from Slovakia, Integration and Public Opinion (dealing with stereotypes in Slovak citizens´ thinking and in the Slovak media concerning NATO and the EU).

The project was implemented thanks to the grant provided by The Civil Society Development Foundation.

• Fair-Play

Co-ordinator:

Michal Šula

The Conservative Institute in a close co-operation with Transparency International Slovakia participated in creation of a methodology for the project Fair-Play that served to monitor expenditures of political parties in the parliamentary election campaign in 2002.

The project was implemented thanks to the support of The Center for Economy Development and The Fair-Play Alliance.