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In this article, we investigate the capital structure determinants of the Visegrad group, namely the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland for small- and medium-sized enterprises (S.M.E.s) from 2011 to 2018. We compare the capital structures of S.M.E.s across all mentioned countries and define how these may impact capital structure choices. The results show S.M.E.s in these countries determine their capital structure in similar ways and all the factors analysed in this study (except for growth opportunity) provide robust explanatory power for companies across all four countries. We find that profitability, liquidity, firm size, assets structure, and non-debt tax (depreciation of total assets) have a significant negative impact on capital structure for all four countries. Our study should be of interest to policymakers and companies who want to optimise their capital structure in order to improve company performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visegrad inter-state cooperation among the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia has faced numerous near-death experiences since its official birth in 1991. Furthermore, it has faced two challenges since the four member-countries' accession to the EU in 2004. Then Visegrad was eulogized, considered deceased by many precisely for having achieved the apparently ultimate aim of EU membership. Second, having purposefully stated rumours of its death, Visegrad has since 2008 been confronted by issues from outside and ones well beyond its size - the Obama presidency and its apparent abandonment of Central and Eastern Europe in its "reset" strategy towards Moscow; a post-Lisbon EU agenda; strategic reorientations in NATO; and both the general, that is, global, financial crisis and particularly within the EU and regarding the Euro. This article, by contrast, contends that the fundamental changes and challenges that Visegrad has faced enhanced the Group's clear and successful strategy. It identifies and elaborates that strategy, drawing also selectively and thematically on the Group's historical experience since 1991. These strategies include targeted rather than broad selection of aims; retaining an exclusive membership while also inventing variable and flexible mechanisms for adding non-member countries to help them pursue specific initiatives. Through a study of annual Group Presidency agendas and reports, high-level and ministerial meeting declarations and media and secondary source analysis and interviews with National Coordinators, the article con- tends that the Group continues to promote realistic aims, and provides a unique platform for exercising them. This study concludes that Visegrad, despite the outside challenges remains effective in raising awareness, advancing smaller-scale policies and influencing EU policy towards the Western Balkans and European Partnership (EaP) countries, as well as achieving specific Visegrad initiatives with those states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: Systematic monitoring of physical activity of young populations from different regions may be useful for making international comparisons, better understanding trends in physical activity and designing public health interventions to increase physical activity. Thus, the aim of the study was to comprehensively review studies examining the level of physical activity of children and adolescents from the Visegrád countries, and indicate the percentage of children and adolescents meeting the recommended level of physical activity., Material and Methods: A systematic search of the published literature was conducted. Included were reports with original research that consisted of the proportion of children and adolescents who met physical activity recommendations or guidelines. To provide a current picture of physical activity of children and adolescents, the review was restricted to studies published between January 2015 - November 2018., Results: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity recommendations were met by between 7.5% - 69.4% of children and adolescents. Vigorous physical activity recommendations were met by between 33.6% - 64.5% of children and adolescents. Daily recommendations for the number of steps taken were fulfilled by between 11.6% - 69.0% of children and adolescents. Differences between age categories, genders and countries were observed., Conclusions: Public health interventions to increase physical activity are required to decrease insufficient levels of physical activity in children and adolescents, especially in girls. The review also highlights the need for studies with representative random samples that use validated measurement methods.