Hidden Economy in Southeast Europe: Building Regional Momentum to Mitigate its Negative Effects

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

According to the authors of the policy brief, not declaring in full or partially economic activities in SEE remains widespread in virtually all areas of government – permissions and licenses, labour contracts, social security, taxes and custom duties. It signals a persistent gap between formal and informal institutions and lack of coherent enforcement of rules. Corruption pressure is higher towards those engaged in the hidden economy. At the same time their susceptibility to corruption is also higher, confirming the institutional incongruence. The immense diversity of the scale (from 19 % in Croatia to 81 % in Kosovo), prevailing patterns (no written contracts in Turkey, non-payment of health care contributions in Kosovo, envelope wages in FYR of Macedonia and Bulgaria, non-formalised business in Albania), formal vs informal wage average (higher formal wages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Turkey and lower in Kosovo and Bulgaria) requires country specific tailor-made policies and sequencing of reforms.

EKONOMIA E FSHEHTË NË EVROPËN JUGLINDORE: BASHKËRENDIMI I PËRPJEKJEVE RAJONALE PËR TË REDUKTUAR EFEKTET E SAJ NEGATIVE

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Albanian

According to the authors of the policy brief, not declaring in full or partially economic activities in SEE remains widespread in virtually all areas of government – permissions and licenses, labour contracts, social security, taxes and custom duties. It signals a persistent gap between formal and informal institutions and lack of coherent enforcement of rules. Corruption pressure is higher towards those engaged in the hidden economy. At the same time their susceptibility to corruption is also higher, confirming the institutional incongruence. The immense diversity of the scale (from 19 % in Croatia to 81 % in Kosovo), prevailing patterns (no written contracts in Turkey, non-payment of health care contributions in Kosovo, envelope wages in FYR of Macedonia and Bulgaria, non-formalised business in Albania), formal vs informal wage average (higher formal wages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Turkey and lower in Kosovo and Bulgaria) requires country specific tailor-made policies and sequencing of reforms.

СКРИЕНАТА ЕКОНОМИЈА ВО ЈУГОИСТОЧНА ЕВРОПА: КРЕИРАЊЕ НА РЕГИОНАЛЕН ИМПУЛС ЗА УБЛАЖУВАЊЕ НА НЕЈЗИНИТЕ НЕГАТИВНИ ЕФЕКТИ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Macedonian

According to the authors of the policy brief, not declaring in full or partially economic activities in SEE remains widespread in virtually all areas of government – permissions and licenses, labour contracts, social security, taxes and custom duties. It signals a persistent gap between formal and informal institutions and lack of coherent enforcement of rules. Corruption pressure is higher towards those engaged in the hidden economy. At the same time their susceptibility to corruption is also higher, confirming the institutional incongruence. The immense diversity of the scale (from 19 % in Croatia to 81 % in Kosovo), prevailing patterns (no written contracts in Turkey, non-payment of health care contributions in Kosovo, envelope wages in FYR of Macedonia and Bulgaria, non-formalised business in Albania), formal vs informal wage average (higher formal wages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Turkey and lower in Kosovo and Bulgaria) requires country specific tailor-made policies and sequencing of reforms.

Public Opinion on Foreign Investment, April 1993

Author(s): Daniela Bobeva,Blagovest Georgiev,Sasho Stojanov,Bojan Guseiev,Tihomir Bezlov / Language(s): English

Compared with the other central and eastern European countries - Hungary, Czech and Slovak republics and Poland, foreign investment turns to be a new phenomenon for the Bulgarian economy. Thus the public opinion on it is in a process of forming. The role of researchers, different studies, the mass-media and foreign investors, themselves, in inspiring public support and acceptance of foreign investment is of great importance. This will contribute to the success of investments that have been made as well as to their further attraction to the country.

Движение на капитали и плащания. Валутно-финансова политика и конвертируемост на лева, юли 1995

Author(s): Lubomir Christov,Alexander Mihailov / Language(s): Bulgarian

Monetary union is the final stage in economic and financial integration among countries, in the specific case analyzed in the present paper among the countries participating in the Treaty of Maastricht providing for the implementation of such a union as the ultimate objective of the convergence toward a unified Europe. Membership in such a union would require the adoption of a common currency and its circulation as a single legal tender (or the final and irrevocable pegging of exchange rates among the currencies of the participating countries), as well as the conduct of common monetary (including foreign-exchange) policy.

CSD Policy Brief No. 11: Българският опит и измерването на корупцията в Европейския съюз

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

In recent years, curbing corruption is a top priority of most international institutions. The European Union attaches paramount importance to the problem of corruption in the two successive waves of accession in 2004 and 2007. The pre-accession process has prompted the European Commission to develop its own mechanism to assess the progress of anti-corruption reforms. Like many other key areas for the functioning of the internal European market, the development of EU anti-corruption policy has logically led to the creation of a single European methodology for defining standards for measuring corruption.

CSD Policy Brief No. 12: Конкурентоспособност на българската икономика 2007

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

With the partnership of CSD this year Bulgaria was included for the second time in the World's oldest and most comprehensive annual report on competitiveness, the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007. It has been published without interruption since 1989 by IMD (International Institute for Management Development). Bulgaria’s competitiveness was covered and ranked together with 54 other leading world economies. This year Bulgaria came 41st on the scoreboard, surpassing Italy, Romania, Ukraine, Turkey, Poland, and Croatia among others. The position is an achievement in its own right, considering that the country is measured up against the champion nations setting the trends in the world economic competition. In 2007 Bulgaria has largely kept its position compared to the previous year, but its business efficiency has declined. Meanwhile, the country’s overall economic performance has improved.

Политически брифинг № 58 на CSD: Прозрачно управление и енергийна сигурност в Централна и Източна Европа

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The national and regional energy security of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has become a hot topic of discussion in the EU recently, focusing the attention of experts, policy makers, and the general public on ongoing and future energy projects but also on the features of energy governance in these countries. The interruption of gas supplies to Europe as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian pricing dispute in 2009, the continuing Russian-Ukrainian crisis after the annexation of Crimea, and the EU-Russia controversies regarding the South Stream pipeline project, as well as Gazprom’s non-compliance with the EU regulations in several anti-trust cases in the past few years are the major cornerstones that shape the CEE energy security framework and policy options as the region remains heavily dependent on Russian oil, gas, and nuclear technology. At the same time, the fragile democratic traditions in the CEE countries, the existing networks of political protectionism and economic oligarchy, and the opaque business practices nurtured by corruption and links with organized crime, have been reinforced by the negative implications of Russian economic and geo-political influence. Russia has exploited its dominant position in the energy market and its long-term links with certain political and economic groups to shape political decisions across the region according to its own interests, but often to the detriment of the home country consumers. The current review of energy security risks in four selected CEE countries, two energy poor – Bulgaria and Serbia, and two energy-resourced– Romania and Ukraine, assesses the factual situation per se and the transparency and accountability of energy policy governance in the region.

Политически брифинг № 58 на CSD: ПРОЗРАЧНОЕ УПРАВЛЕНИЕ И ЭНЕРГОБЕЗОПАСНОСТЬ В ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЙ И ВОСТОЧНОЙ ЕВРОПЕ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Russian

The national and regional energy security of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has become a hot topic of discussion in the EU recently, focusing the attention of experts, policy makers, and the general public on ongoing and future energy projects but also on the features of energy governance in these countries. The interruption of gas supplies to Europe as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian pricing dispute in 2009, the continuing Russian-Ukrainian crisis after the annexation of Crimea, and the EU-Russia controversies regarding the South Stream pipeline project, as well as Gazprom’s non-compliance with the EU regulations in several anti-trust cases in the past few years are the major cornerstones that shape the CEE energy security framework and policy options as the region remains heavily dependent on Russian oil, gas, and nuclear technology. At the same time, the fragile democratic traditions in the CEE countries, the existing networks of political protectionism and economic oligarchy, and the opaque business practices nurtured by corruption and links with organized crime, have been reinforced by the negative implications of Russian economic and geo-political influence. Russia has exploited its dominant position in the energy market and its long-term links with certain political and economic groups to shape political decisions across the region according to its own interests, but often to the detriment of the home country consumers. The current review of energy security risks in four selected CEE countries, two energy poor – Bulgaria and Serbia, and two energy-resourced– Romania and Ukraine, assesses the factual situation per se and the transparency and accountability of energy policy governance in the region.

CSD Policy Brief No. 58: TRANSPARENTNA UPRAVA I ENERGETSKA BEZBEDNOST U CENTRALNOJ I ISTOČNOJ EVROPI

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Serbian

The national and regional energy security of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has become a hot topic of discussion in the EU recently, focusing the attention of experts, policy makers, and the general public on ongoing and future energy projects but also on the features of energy governance in these countries. The interruption of gas supplies to Europe as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian pricing dispute in 2009, the continuing Russian-Ukrainian crisis after the annexation of Crimea, and the EU-Russia controversies regarding the South Stream pipeline project, as well as Gazprom’s non-compliance with the EU regulations in several anti-trust cases in the past few years are the major cornerstones that shape the CEE energy security framework and policy options as the region remains heavily dependent on Russian oil, gas, and nuclear technology. At the same time, the fragile democratic traditions in the CEE countries, the existing networks of political protectionism and economic oligarchy, and the opaque business practices nurtured by corruption and links with organized crime, have been reinforced by the negative implications of Russian economic and geo-political influence. Russia has exploited its dominant position in the energy market and its long-term links with certain political and economic groups to shape political decisions across the region according to its own interests, but often to the detriment of the home country consumers. The current review of energy security risks in four selected CEE countries, two energy poor – Bulgaria and Serbia, and two energy-resourced– Romania and Ukraine, assesses the factual situation per se and the transparency and accountability of energy policy governance in the region.

CSD Policy Brief No. 58: GESTIONAREA TRANSPARENTĂ ŞI SECURITATEA ENERGETICĂ ÎN EUROPA CENTRALĂ ŞI DE EST

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Romanian

The national and regional energy security of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has become a hot topic of discussion in the EU recently, focusing the attention of experts, policy makers, and the general public on ongoing and future energy projects but also on the features of energy governance in these countries. The interruption of gas supplies to Europe as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian pricing dispute in 2009, the continuing Russian-Ukrainian crisis after the annexation of Crimea, and the EU-Russia controversies regarding the South Stream pipeline project, as well as Gazprom’s non-compliance with the EU regulations in several anti-trust cases in the past few years are the major cornerstones that shape the CEE energy security framework and policy options as the region remains heavily dependent on Russian oil, gas, and nuclear technology. At the same time, the fragile democratic traditions in the CEE countries, the existing networks of political protectionism and economic oligarchy, and the opaque business practices nurtured by corruption and links with organized crime, have been reinforced by the negative implications of Russian economic and geo-political influence. Russia has exploited its dominant position in the energy market and its long-term links with certain political and economic groups to shape political decisions across the region according to its own interests, but often to the detriment of the home country consumers. The current review of energy security risks in four selected CEE countries, two energy poor – Bulgaria and Serbia, and two energy-resourced– Romania and Ukraine, assesses the factual situation per se and the transparency and accountability of energy policy governance in the region.

БЪЛГАРСКИТЕ МАЛКИ И СРЕДНИ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЯ И УЧАСТИЕТО ИМ В УСВОЯВАНЕТО НА СТРУКТУРНИТЕ ФОНДОВЕ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ СЪЮЗ. Аналитичен доклад

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

After Bulgaria joins the EU in 2007 the country will receive access to the Structural Funds (SF) and the Cohesion Fund of the European Union (EU), which are the main instruments for reducing the economic and social disparities within the Union. The effective management of these proceeds entails good knowledge of the EU Funds’ requirements and thorough preparation at national, regional and local levels both by the public and private sectors, including the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In 2000 in Lisbon, the European Commission and the EU Member States agreed upon the ambitious goal that by 2010 the European Union would have to become the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world . The instruments and mechanisms to achieve this goal have been outlined in the Lisbon Strategy of the EU. In 2005, an interim review on the progress of the Lisbon Strategy was done, based on which it was concluded that the Union was falling behind in some of its basic parameters, and that the gap between the EU and the leading innovative world economies of the United States and Japan was broadening.

Доклад за оценка на корпоративното управление в България: 2000

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The present report has the objective to provide an overview of the general framework and particular dimensions of the corporate governance in Bulgaria. It is published for the first time and the authors intend to continue its publication on an annual basis. In its present form, the study contains information thus far unavailable to the professional community and the media. The evaluations and analyses herein are the first attempt to outline the achievements and the problems in the field of corporate governance in Bulgaria in the years of transition. The authors of the report thus aim to encourage a wider discussion on the subject and that, as a result, practical improvement action will be undertaken. At the end of the past year the Corporate Governance Initiative conducted a pilot study for assessment of the corporate governance in Bulgaria. It is a part of the activities under phase II of the project aiming at the elaboration of recommendations for practical measures for improvement of the corporate governance, including diagnostics and analysis of the existing corporate structures. The survey was conducted by Vitosha Research and covered all listed companies with authorized capital over BGN 200,000. The sample comprised 268 companies, while the number of the surveys was 158. The research method applied is a standard interview with representatives of the companies' managing bodies and senior management. Based on the survey results, the first index of corporate governance in Bulgaria was calculated. The index has values between 1 and 5, the lowest value of 1 indicating unfavorable legal and institutional frame and internal organizational factors of the corporate governance, and the highest value of 5 - ideal conditions and good practice of corporate governance. The report has been prepared mainly on the basis of the results of the pilot study, compared and partially supplemented by conclusions and assessments of other studies, publications in the press and international sources. The report has been prepared by the following team: prof. Dr. Bistra Boeva, associate prof. Dr. Stefan Petranov, Dr. Vesela Stancheva, senior research associate Plamen Chipev, Diana Hristosova - senior expert, Center for Economic Development, Stoyu Nedin - Chairman of Association of shareholders, Dr. Maria Prohaska - coordinator, Corporate Governance Initiative.

Енергийният сектор на България: основни проблеми в управлението

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The report analyses the major governance issues of the energy sector in Bulgaria, as well as the common energy crimes. It makes an overview of the 2020 Strategy and presents a recommended governance approach. The Bulgarian energy sector is key for the future development of the country’s economy. For the past decade energy exports and imports formed on average 12% (16% in 2008) and 21% (22% in 2008) of the value of the country’s outgoing and incoming trade flows respectively. Every fourth public procurement contract is concluded in the energy sector, making it one of the biggest taxpayers’ money spenders in the country. In 2008, in a single year, the Bulgarian government committed to energy projects, requiring budgetary investments equal in value to the whole EU funds support for the country for the current European seven year budget period 2007 – 2013.

Strategie de dezvoltare durabilă în regiunea Dyala şi oraşul Baquba din Irak

Author(s): Obeid Khalil Ali / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

In recent decades, Iraqi historical cities have witnessed substantial urban and social changes that have turned them into unattractive places for living and investment, and where development potential has been ignored. The weakness of strategic plans regarding the consideration of the present urban development strategies has led to the random growth of the city, the distortion of cultural heritage sites and the quality of life in cities, generating social and environmental problems. That is why there is a need for the foundation of a territorial development strategy of Iraq and the studied area - the Diyala region and the city of Baquba, which is in accordance with the objectives of sustainable development at the world level and with modern urban regeneration approaches, which implies the improvement of the historical identity and cultural. The outcome of the development strategy of Dyala region and Baquba city must reflect the objectives of sustainable development and have a clear vision and strategic objectives in the short and medium term.

Zakończenie

Author(s): Edyta Małecka-Ziembińska / Language(s): Polish Publication Year: 0

Propunere listă de indicatori de performanţă pentru oraşul inteligent

Author(s): Lucian-Marian Pavel / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

The notion of smart cities has emerged as an essential solution for tackling the significant challenges facing contemporary society, including rapid urbanization, climate change and globalization. Smart cities harness state-of-the-art technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to enhance various aspects of urban life, spanning from living conditions and work environments to information accessibility, social interactions and environmental sustainability. This technological integration offers numerous benefits, accelerating infrastructure development and improving residents' quality of life. Standardization and the incorporation of international standards, such as ISO 37120, ISO 37122 and ISO 37123 play a crucial role in assessing city performance. Romania's adoption of these standards represents a significant step towards evaluating and improving its cities. However, for efficacious implementation, it is imperative to develop implementation guidelines and provide support and training to local authorities. A comprehensive list of 95 performance indicators, categorized into six domains, can provide cities with essential tools for assessing and monitoring their progress towards becoming smart cities and promoting sustainable development. Customizing these indicators to match the unique characteristics of each city and fostering close collaboration with local communities, organizations and experts are crucial aspects for shaping and overseeing strategic objectives that positively influence the quality of life and sustainable urban development. This personalized approach is vital for the successful realization of smart cities.

IN SOCIALIST YUGOSLAVIA 1945-1990

Author(s): Zdenko Radelić / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The KPJ publicly advocated democracy, private property, a just solution to the social and national issues, and freedom and equality for all nations in Yugoslavia. Its leaders claimed that the goal of the partisan movement was liberation and popular democracy. However, contrary to the declared nationwide breadth of the People’s Liberation Movement, the KPJ held the army, the security apparatus, and the propaganda. The agreement between Josip Broz Tito and Ivan Šubašić that the citizens of Yugoslavia would be the ones to decide on the state system after the war was an important precondition for the international recognition of the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia (Demokratska Federalna Jugoslavija, DFJ) by the Allied powers. But the monopoly over the partisan movement enabled the Communists to create the preconditions for imposing their dictatorship. Thus, the KPJ used the struggle for the liberation of Yugoslavia – in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina also for the overthrow of the NDH – and for resolving the national question to seize power and carry out the Communist revolution. It also meant abolishing all other parties and introducing a dictatorship. Part of the HSS leadership and its president Vladko Maček fled the country just before the partisans arrived in Zagreb in 1945. The HSS operated abroad under Maček’s leadership until his death in 1964 in the United States, when he was replaced by the party’s vice president, Juraj Krnjević. August Košutić, the party’s secretary, remained in the country, where after trying to cooperate with the Communists and join the partisans he was interned and completely marginalized by the new government. In addition to the HSS, there were individuals, parties, and organizations from the Ustasha movement who were politically active in exile, including Ante Pavelić, who died in 1959 in Spain of wounds obtained in an assassination attempt.

Strategie firm w obliczu sankcji nałożonych na Rosję

Author(s): Beata Stępień,Szymon Truskolaski / Language(s): Polish Publication Year: 0

Purpose: In this chapter, we analyse how companies responded to sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. We examine the impact of selected external (public-legal pressure, the size of sanctions and crisis caused by the war) and internal factors (strategic agility, code of ethics and sustainable conduct) on the degree of compliance with sanctions and the type of adaptation strategies adopted. Design/methodology/approach: The objects of the study are medium-sized companies from countries that have imposed sanctions (here, Poland, Germany and the US). The results come from an electronic questionnaire survey conducted in 2023 among 610 medium-sized companies operating in industries directly or indirectly affected by trade restrictions. Findings: The company’s code of ethics and the perceived severity of the crisis have the greatest impacton the approach to sanctions and respective adaptation strategies. At the same time, external and internal pressure affect companies in opposite directions, with consequences for their adaptation strategies.