Climate Policy and Plans for Recovery in Bulgaria and Lithuania

The article analyses the climate policy and activities envisaged by the national recovery and resilience plans of Bulgaria and Lithuania, which aim to contribute to the green transformation and stabilisation of both economies after the economic slowdown as a result of COVID-19. The methodology of the current research is based on literature review and data analysis of the two countries with different economic structures and sizes. The National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRP) of both countries are compared through the methodology of Bruegel think tank, as that approach is applied to study the Bulgarian plan, which was finalised on 6 April 2022. The main instrument for recovery is the investment in the green economy, which also allows for reaching the climate neutrality target. Both countries demonstrate a decrease in emissions since 1990, as the GHG emissions per GDP in Bulgaria are more than two times higher than the EU27 average and the Lithuanian emissions, as a result of the energy sector. The countries need further actions for GHG reduction and have therefore allocated significant financial resources to achieve the green recovery measures in their plans.

COVID-19 INFECTION AND BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION IN POST LIVER TRANSPLANT PATIENTS

Introduction: Solid organ transplant recipients have 2-5 times increased mortality after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection as compared to general population. These patients also have lower protection after vaccination against COVID-19. Therefore, the risk of breakthrough infection and hospitalization are also significantly higher in this patient population. Studies on efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination in post liver transplant (LT) patients are limited. We aimed to investigate the rate of mortality, hospitalization, and breakthrough infection and assess possible risk factors in COVID-19 infection mortality post LT. Methods: A retrospective chart review study. All post liver transplant patients at Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) who were tested positive for respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV- 2) PCR test from Dec. 2020 (when first COVID-19 vaccine was approved in the US for emergency use authorization) until Nov. 2021 were included in this study. Breakthrough infection was defined as COVID-19 infection ≥14 days after full vaccination. Data was analyzed using Prism (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA) and reported as mean ± SEM. T- test and chi square tests were applied for analyzing the data. Results: Thirty-six patients were identified and 66.1±9.6 months post liver transplantation (LT). Mean age was 61.2±1.6 years-old, male (72.2%) and Caucasian (91.6%). Ten patients (27.7%) expired. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was present in 70.0% of expired patients as compared to 53.3% of recovered (p=0.0003). Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was present in 70.0% vs. 25.0% of expired and recovered patients, respectively (p<0.0001). Hypertension (HTN) was present in 90.0% vs. 55.0% of expired and recovered patients, respectively (p<0.0001). No statistically significant difference was observed in weight of expired vs. recovered patients (50% vs. 65% obesity;p=0.4). Only 9 patients were vaccinated. Breakthrough infection rate was 25% and 2/9 (22.2%) died vs. 29.6% of non-vaccinated patients (p=0.4). COVID-19 infection occurred 4.9±0.86 months after vaccination. Hospitalization (44.4% vs. 55.5%) and ICU admission (22.2% vs. 37.0%) was not statistically different among vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients. Conclusion: T2DM and CKD were significantly higher among COVID-19 infected patients who expired, which are similar risk factors in patients who have not had a liver transplant. However, obesity was not significantly correlated with mortality as it was shown before in non-immunocompromised population. Although COVID-19 vaccine is effective in post LT patients, larger studies are warranted to evaluate its efficacy in this population. Our study also highlights that the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines decreases in 4-6 months after full vaccination, which warrants evaluating the efficacy of booster dose(s) in post LT patients

Mayoral Influence on Participatory Budgeting in Lithuania during Covid-19

The paper deals with two topics: Participatory Budgeting (PB) and mayoral impact on its success. Its theoretical background is rooted in the interrelation of the discourse of PB and characteristics of mayors as city leaders. The paper analyzes articles revealing personal, social and political characteristics of mayors and their impact on civic governance. The scope of collected characteristics was researched with a view on how they impact succession and the resilience of PB. The idea behind this analysis was not only to reveal mayoral characteristics and their impact on PB in general, but to test them against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic as an example of an external crisis. PB practice in Lithuanian municipalities was researched. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with mayors or their subordinates and helped to reveal the mayors’ role and impact on PB resiliency. Relevant statistical data was collected and analyzed in order to obtain the specific characteristics. The results proved the impact of mayors’ social and personal backgrounds on PB resiliency, but during challenging times or even crises, political affiliation, interrelation with the council or administrative and political skills are supportive factors. The paper suggests that mayors cannot ensure the persistence of PB alone when finances are scarce during times of crisis. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee ESJ, Italy.

RESPONSE OF THE LITHUANIAN MUNICIPALITIES TO THE FIRST WAVE OF COVID-19

This article analyses the response of Lithuanian local authorities to the first wave of COVID-19 with a special focus on the economic support measures they took. The main goal of this in-depth study is to compare the economic response measures included in the action plans of Riga and Tallinn, two large Lithuanian municipal administrations, as well as to analyse the narrative developed in the two cities. The methodology of this research is based on the review of literature, the analysis of action plans, and a case study. The Vilnius and Klaipeda city municipalities adopted action plans to support residents and businesses. Although there are many measures the plans have in common, they differ in the context and scope of application. Municipalities are willing to grant exemptions from various fees and taxes. They have used innovative measures: Vilnius allowed the opening of outdoor cafes, the practice, which was observed by global media. According to the research findings, the actions of municipal authorities can be successful, as municipalities are closer to the residents and can respond to their needs and those of entrepreneurs more quickly and flexibly. The approval of COVID-19 management action plans by municipalities has contributed to the narrative of recovery and hope.

The effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the perception of digitisation in the purchasing process: customers and retailers perspective

Purpose: The market for goods and services is a continually changing environment influenced by many internal and external factors. The majority of economies in the World were deeply hit by the coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) in the first half of 2020. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the role of a crisis, COVID-19 in this case, in moderating the market environment and its ability to accelerate or slow down ongoing processes. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was used to obtain the opinions of 100 customers and 100 local retailers on the digitisation of the shopping process in a medium-sized Czech town. After the first wave of crisis faded away, the respondents reflected on their opinions before, during and after the crisis. The data were processed using linear mixed models respecting repeated measures. Findings: The crisis seems to have shifted the interest of both groups towards e-commerce but it did not change the disproportion in opinions between them. The interest of customers was significantly higher, even after the crisis. Research limitations/implications: The credibility of the results is limited mainly by the one-time gathering of the data after the crisis. However, the results indicate a persistent challenge to which small retailers are exposed. Originality/value: The originality of the results comes from the specific situation brought about by the COVID-19 crisis and the structure of respondents, enabling us to catch an immediate shift of opinions caused by the crisis and to compare the changes in both groups of respondents. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.