The problems in Croatia's fiscal decentralization system have long been recognized. The fragmented territorial-administrative structure, fiscal decentralization efforts with insufficient fiscal autonomy, inconsistent public service standards, unbalanced sources of revenue, and doubts about the...

The distribution of public revenues is one of the fundamental elements in the shaping of the system of public finance in any country. The process is difficult from both the political and economic points of view. Also the objective conditions make the ideal distribution impossible and any...

This paper describes the institutional changes that have induced a decline in the vertical fiscal imbalance (VFI) - defined as the share of sub-national own spending not financed through own revenues - in four European countries: Belgium, Italy, Norway, and Spain. The decline in VFI was achieved...

Fiscal problems have long been considered a central feature of financial--that is, currency, debt, and banking--crises. This paper addresses four questions: What are the fiscal causes of crises? Which fiscal vulnerability indicators help to predict crises? Can fiscal variables explain the...

This Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes on Fiscal Transparency on El Salvador reviews the fiscal transparency module. El Salvador needs to make progress on a number of important aspects of the code on fiscal transparency. It is also important to clarify the distribution of functions...

This report examines the Observance of Standards and Codes on Fiscal Transparency for Croatia. The assessment reveals that Croatia meets the fiscal transparency code in a number of areas and has been making significant progress in strengthening fiscal management and transparency. The allocation...

This paper presents Indonesia’s 2005 Article IV Consultation and Third Post-Program Monitoring discussions. The economic strategy has produced positive results over time. Economic growth has gained momentum year by year, inflation has been substantially reduced, and the external position...

This report provides an assessment of fiscal transparency practices in Greece in relation to the requirements of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency. The assessment reveals that Greece has made progress, in recent years, in meeting the requirements of the fiscal transparency...

This Selected Issues paper contains two studies examining key issues for fiscal management and long-term fiscal sustainability in Spain. The first study discusses how best to ensure fiscal discipline at lower levels of government by examining the institutional setting and mechanisms that make...

The Chilean government has succeeded in constructing and disseminating a clear view of its objectives and targets, both at the macroeconomic level and for individual budget programs. Government accountability to congress and the public is demonstrably being strengthened. A general reform...