Irwin/McGraw-Hill

1. Institute of Internaitonal Politics and Economics Prof. dr Hasiba Hrustić FOREIGN DEBT OF SERBIA AND ITS NEIGHBORS Irwin/McGraw-Hill Irwin/McGraw-Hill

2. SERBIA AND ITS NEIGHBORS NEIGHBORCOUNTRIES: • Hungary • Romania • Bulgaria • Macedonia • Albania • Montenegro • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Croatia

3. GDP General government debt Inflation Unmployment Current account balance General government balance Foreign loan Main Macroeconomic Indicators

4. Real GDP growth and General government debt

5. Inflation and Unemployment rate

6. Current account balance and General government balance

7. the foreign loan is partly financed by incomes from foreign direct investments (FDI) attained in the process of privatization - remittances from abroad - foreign private lending Rapid credit growth has been one of the main drivers of growth in the region in recent years The rapid credit growth in the region in recent years has boosted domestic consumption FOREIGN DEBT

8. The impact of the global international crisis and external financing • reduced economic activity • enhanced foreign loan and trade deficits • import dependency • significant declined in foreign trade and industrial production • output reduction this year • high levels of unemployment

9. External Debt of Serbia and its Neighbors, 2008

10. Foreign-denominated loans The combination of foreign bank domination of the banking system and weak fundamentals plaguing in region is definitely an issue in this region as well

12. Foreign bank domination of the banking system

13. Foreign-denominated loans Foreign-denominated loans allow potential homeowners to take out a loan originally denominated in low-interest-rate Swiss francs or euros instead of the high-interest-rate domestic currencies. Due to the instability of the region’s currencies, foreign-denominated lending was popular with business lenders and other consumer lenders. At the onset of the current finansial crisis, foreign banks operating started to repay loans from private companies, putting pressure on the exchange rate and creating an outflow of foreign currency

14. Foreign bank domination ofthe banking system • As a result, about 1 billion exited Serbia between November 2008 and January 2009 • Also, one of the effects of the crisis was that banks increased their spreads to a high extent; they doubled spreads, not only in Serbia, but also in other Eastern European countries.

16. Short Macroeconomic Profile strengths and weaknesses

17. GDP Per Capita

18. Serbia WEAKNESSES • Slow progress in structural reforms • Slow privatisation of state-owned companies • Large public sector • High unemployment • Low competitiveness and weak private sector • Low, uncompetitive exports • Large current account deficit • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption STRENGTHS • High GDP growth • Inflation decreasing • High level of FDI • High level of foreign exchange reserves

19. STRENGTHS EU Member Preparations for euro membership under way Budget deficit Declining inflatory pressures Rising FDI and improving investment climate WEAKNESSES Large public debt trade deficit current account deficit external debt increasing HUNGARY

20. Romania STRENGTHS EU Member High GDP growth Booming economy Inflation decreasing High level of FDI High level of foreign exchange reserves WEAKNESSES • Unemployment • Weak private sector • Fiscal loosening and rising budget deficit • Rapid credit growth • Large trade deficit • Large current account deficit • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption

21. Bulgaria STRENGTHS EU Member • High GDP growth • Low public debt • Preparations for euro membership under way • Declining inflatory pressures • Rising FDI and improving investment climate WEAKNESSES • Large trade deficit • Large current account deficit • external debt increasing • Private sector external debt increasing • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption

22. Macedonia STRENGTHS EU candidate status • High GDP growth • Stable currency • Low inflation • Low external debt • High level of foreign exchange reserves WEAKNESSES • Current account deficit • Low competitiveness and weak private sector • Large public sector • High unemployment • Low exports • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption

23. Albania STRENGTHS • SAA signed • Progress in privatisation • High GDP growth • Low inflation • Unemployment decreasing • Low external debt and low servicing costs • High level of foreign exchange reserves WEAKNESSES • Low competitiveness and weak private sector • High general government debt • Rapid credit growth • Low exports • Large current account deficit • Budget deficit • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption

24. Montenegro STRENGTHS SAA signed • High GDP growth • Low inflation • Rising FDI and improving investment climate • Low external debt and low servicing costs WEAKNESSES • Large public sector • Low competitiveness and weak private sector • Low exports and large current account deficit • High interest rates • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption

25. Bosnia and Herzegovina WEAKNESSES • Complex and expensive state administration • Slow structural reforms • High unemployment • Large public sector • Low competitiveness and weak private sector • Rapid credit growth • Low exports and large current account deficit • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption STRENGTHS • High GDP growth • High industrial production growth • Stable currency • Low inflation • High level of foreign exchange reserves

26. Croatia WEAKNESSES • Heavy reliance on seasonal tourism receipts • Large trade deficit • Large current account deficit • Large external debt • Largegovernment debt • Budget deficit • Poor functioning of the court system • Corruption STRENGTHS EU candidate status • Ambitious privatisation agenda • Low inflation • High level of foreign exchange reserves

27. Unemployment, current account deficit, inflation,debt Industrial production, export Importance of tourism increasing Weak SMEs sector Development Priorities Macroeconomic stability Investment in infrastructure needed Privatisation of strategic companies still not completed