This paper aims to estimate the cyclical behavior of tax revenues of the Russian Federation budget system. Such estimates are necessary to analyze its ability to effectively smooth the economic cycle and to ensure the stability of public expenditures financing. We identified the cyclical component of the main types of taxes with the help of the Hodrick—Prescott filter. Cyclical components of tax revenues were used to calculate correlations with the cyclical component of GDP. The results show that the cyclical component of tax revenues includes corporate income tax, value-added tax on goods imported, and oil and gas revenues. The structural part includes personal income tax, value-added tax on goods sold in the Russian Federation, and excise taxes. According to the VAR modeling, taxes of the cyclical part of budget revenues cannot be characterized as automatic stabilizers.

The article examines approaches to the creation of an alternative international financial system, as well as the current downward trend in the role of the dollar in the international financial system. The changes are viewed through the lens of the micro-foundations of currency choice (settlements, reserves, contracts) and are supported by both quantitative data and the development of new institutional mechanisms. The key factors contributing to de-dollarization are highlighted: the development of financial technologies that reduce transaction costs, and geopolitical changes which stimulate the search for alternatives. It is emphasized that for a sustainable transition to national currencies, it is necessary to deepen financial markets and increase liquidity, since the choice of currency in international transactions is interrelated with hedging and investment opportunities. Special attention is paid to the role of BRICS in this process, including the creation of alternative payment systems, the expansion of currency swaps and the introduction of digital currencies. The article offers a comprehensive look at current trends and prospects for restructuring the global financial architecture.

The article explores the role of spatial development in deepening Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) integration. The authors analyze the conceptual distinctions between spatial and territorial planning and provide a comparative overview of the legal and institutional approaches to spatial development in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Russia. The study reveals the predominance of national priorities over integration objectives, which constrains the emergence of cross-border growth poles. Based on the study of European (development balance, territorial cohesion) and Asian (large-scale infrastructure projects) experience, a model of «soft» coordination for the EAEU is proposed through the formation of five competitive frameworks (economic, infrastructural, technological, sociocultural, environmental). The forecast calculation confirms that the systematic implementation of spatial planning elements will provide additional GDP growth of the EAEU about 2.2% by 2035 with increased cross-country convergence.

The article tackles a problem of rating the Russian Federation’s trading partners based on the advisability of concluding free trade agreements with them. When constructing the rating, the indicators of foreign trade of the Russian Federation and a potential partner are taken into account, which can be divided into three blocks: (1) the economic attractiveness of the partner for the Russian Federation, (2) the potential for reducing trade barriers, and (3) the risks of opening the domestic market. For each block, using the principal component method and the best proximity point, integral indicators are constructed that characterize each of the three aspects of advisability. The indicators for individual blocks are combined into a common indicator of the advisability of concluding a free trade agreement, based on which a rating of partners is compiled. The methodology for assessing the advisability was developed considering Russia’s tasks in increasing non-resource non-energy exports and priority goods for export, Russia’s need for imports, as well as possible threats to the competitiveness of national industries posed by the liberalization of trade in goods “sensitive” to imports. Priorities for exports and the need for imports are determined in accordance with national priority projects, orders of the Government of Russia and decisions of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. As a result, rankings of 39 potential partners are presented. The first place in the final rating by a significant margin is occupied by Mongolia, with which a free trade agreement has already been signed but has not yet been ratified by members of the Eurasian Economic Union. Among the leaders of the rating were Kenya, Turkey, India and Tanzania.

The paper examines the impact of labor supply shocks, wage bargaining shocks, productivity shocks, and external and domestic demand shocks on the Russian labor market from 2017 to 2024. Using a Bayesian vector autoregression (BVAR) identified through sign restrictions and performing a historical decomposition, the study finds that both macroeconomic and market-specific shocks influence key labor market variables. Special attention is given to the factors contributing to labor market imbalances in recent years. The results indicate that the primary drivers of declining unemployment and rising employment since late 2022 have been positive domestic demand and productivity shocks, whereas external demand and wage bargaining shocks have constrained labor demand growth. The labor market conditions observed since spring 2023 can be characterized as a job seeker’s market. The normalization of domestic demand and the rise in real wages are helping to restore equilibrium in the Russian labor market.

The paper focuses on the socio-economic determinants of inequality in access to healthcare in Russia, measuring both realized (utilization) and unrealized access (unmet need). Using binary choice models based on data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) for 2011 and 2021, the paper reveals a persistent inequality in access to healthcare, driven primarily by respondents’ health characteristics, gender, and possession of voluntary health insurance (VHI). Women, those in poor health, and those with VHI reported significantly higher rates of health care utilization and a higher likelihood of unmet need. Age and parental status were significant predictors of healthcare utilization but were not associated with the experience of unmet need. In 2021, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, inequalities in access to care intensified and became significantly associated with income, educational attainment, and place of residence. This study concludes that future research on access to economic benefits should incorporate the dual concepts of realized and unrealized access to provide a more comprehensive understanding of health inequality.

Effective mechanisms for dispute resolution and the maintenance of contractual relations in voluntary exchanges are an important means of improving the welfare of economic agents under conditions of risk and actual conflicts over limited resources. A mediator is called upon to assist in resolving such conflicts without directly participating in decision-making. The involvement of mediators in the settlement of business disputes has become increasingly common and continues to gain popularity within the framework of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Building on the conceptual core of transaction cost economics, the paper explains the economic rationale and scope of mediation in business disputes. It clarifies how mediation differs from the involvement of a third party in transactions (a tripartite transaction governance mechanism) and why it is particularly suitable for supporting hybrid institutional arrangements. Applying the conceptual framework of transaction cost theory makes it possible to identify the functions of mediation and the mediator in contractual relations through two key aspects — contract incompleteness and information asymmetry. The differences between a mediator and an arbitrator, consultant, and regulator are highlighted, and the mechanics of information exchange between the parties with the mediator’s participation are described. In addition to applying the analytical tools of transaction cost economics to explain the economic foundations of mediation, the novelty of the study lies in a detailed analysis of mandatory (forced) mediation as one of the alternative methods of conflict resolution. The paper demonstrates both the advantages and limitations of this approach. Finally, it outlines directions for further research in this emerging field within the frameworks of transaction cost economics and the theory of executive behavior management, identifying several issues related to the use of mediation as a tool for resolving conflicts in antitrust enforcement.

The LC-curve method, a novel approach to time-series analysis, was applied to a composite Business Uncertainty Index (BUI) constructed from regular Rosstat business surveys. This approach made it possible to trace uncertainty trajectories across Russia’s major industries and sub-sectors using two index specifications: ex ante (expected) and ex post (realized). The empirical analysis for 2020—2024 demonstrates the high sensitivity of LC-curves to economic shocks and their relevance for identifying the stages of business activity across industries. Both crisis periods within the study horizon — 2020 and 2022 — were clearly captured by the curves, with the pandemic showing a more pronounced negative impact. The forecast dynamics suggest that industrial activity will enter a phase of slower growth in 2025. Particular attention is given to medium-highand high-technology industries, highlighting those that exhibit the greatest resilience and are likely to play a key role in the structural transformation of the Russian economy.