Fiscal Space for Infrastructure Borrowing in South-Eastern Europe : A Suggested Approach
The seven countries of South Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro) are in the process of transition, undertaking significant fiscal adjustment as they seek to move to...
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Format: | Policy Note |
Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
Washington, DC
2014
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10986/19252 |
Summary: | The seven countries of South Eastern
Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia,
FYR Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro) are in
the process of transition, undertaking significant fiscal
adjustment as they seek to move to a path of sustainable
growth. Previous high debt has been reduced and/or
restructured for most countries, which have committed to a
path of fiscal responsibility as one of the key ingredients
in the recovery process. Fiscal consolidation is also
necessary in order to prepare the ground for future entry
into the European Union (EU), including for being in a
position to incur expenditures arising from the obligations
of future EU membership. A significant amount of new
borrowing for infrastructure investment is being
contemplated by these countries, often based on bilateral
and multilateral funding. This short approach paper seeks
to set out the key issues that will need to be kept in mind
when evaluating the proposed borrowing and investments.
While the note is indicative, and needs to be supplemented
by more detailed analysis by each Government, it suggests
that caution needs to be exercised in any new borrowing. To
the extent that capital expenditure is financed by loans
from international institutions and partners, the same word
of caution applies to them in their infrastructure lending
to the countries of South Eastern Europe. |
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