This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that the Lithuanian economy is undergoing a severe adjustment, after years of rapid economic growth and financial integration. With the global financial crisis, the unwinding of the imbalances accumulated during the boom has led to a sharp economic...

This paper discusses a request from the Republic of Latvia for a Stand-By Arrangement. The Latvian authorities are launching a decisive economic reform program and are seeking substantial international financial assistance to quell the crisis. With international reserves falling precipitously...

This paper discusses operational aspects of official emergency liquidity support to individual institutions under stress. It argues that properly designed lending procedures, clearly laid-out authority and accountability, as well as disclosures rules, will promote financial stability, reduce...

This paper seeks to draw lessons from the IMF’s experience in handling financial crises around the globe over the past ten years that are relevant to the challenges faced by countries in Latin America, especially in the wake of the recent crisis in Argentina. Experience suggests that...

This paper evaluates ways to protect highly dollarized banking systems from systemic liquidity runs (such as the ones that took place recently in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay). In view of the limitations of available (private or official) insurance schemes, and the distortions introduced by...

Until recently, Croatia's economic performance was the envy of many countries in transition: a successful stabilization effort in late 1993 was followed by virtual price stability and real GDP growth of 6 percent a year during 1994–97. Monetary tightening, the weak economy, and a...

Following a two-year long recession, a gradual recovery of St. Kitts and Nevis’ highly indebted economy is under way. The government has shown remarkable resolve in pursuing fiscal consolidation. Notwithstanding the fiscal adjustment, a comprehensive and timely public debt restructuring...

This paper investigates whether developing and emerging market countries can implement monetary policies similar to those used by advanced countries during the recent global crisis - injecting significant amounts of money into the financial system without facing major short-run adverse...

Albania enjoyed strong growth with comparatively benign external vulnerabilities before the crisis. Monetary policy provided timely support, and the exchange rate functioned as a shock absorber. However, policy buffers are now exhausted and must be rebuilt. Fiscal tightening has to be quickly...