This paper examines fiscal cyclicality in the CEMAC region during 1980-2008. The issue has attracted very little empirical interest but is important if fiscal policies are to play a role in mitigating external shocks that exacerbate economic cycles across the region. We assess whether fiscal...

The Kyrgyz Republic is recovering from a deep political crisis. Agriculture, tourism, mining, and textile production will be important drivers of growth. Strong export-oriented growth and fiscal consolidation will help to reduce the current account deficit in the medium term. Executive Directors...

Serbia has undergone a significant transformation, going from post-conflict devastation to being a legitimate aspirant to EU accession status. An IMF-supported program helped the country navigate the global financial crisis, and recovery is in train. Economic institutions have improved, in...

Main changes have occurred in the comprehension and practice of fiscal policy over the last century. In this paper we do a brief historical account and show that the prominence of fiscal policy as a policy tool has waxed and waned, a condition that has hindered the capability of researchers to...

Main changes have occurred in the comprehension and practice of fiscal policy over the last century. In this paper we do a brief historical account and show that the prominence of fiscal policy as a policy tool has waxed and waned, a condition that has hindered the capability of researchers to...

Serbia’s Second Review under the Stand-By Arrangement and requests for Waiver of Performance Criterion are examined. The contraction in GDP has been limited relative to regional comparators, but absorption and external trade have fallen faster than expected. Foreign parent banks have rolled...

The 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that the near-term outlook for Belgium is challenging, with real GDP expected to drop by about 3 percent in 2009 and a gradual recovery projected for 2010. The unemployment rate will continue to rise in 2010, and inflation pressures are expected to...