This paper studies the distribution of resources within Albanian families in 2012 using a collective consumption model with two alternative specifications: the first enables the estimation of intrahousehold distribution of resources among male adults, female adults and children; the second...

This paper studies the distribution of resources within Albanian families in 2012 using a collective consumption model with two alternative specifications: the first enables the estimation of intrahousehold distribution of resources among male adults, female adults and children; the second...

This briefing paper draws on the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals and the previous statements regarding inclusive education so as to propose guidelines for international aid in the area of education. Basically, both concepts stand for a wide-ranging view of education in the frame...

Background: In February 2014, the Executive Board approved a three-year Extended Arrangement with access equivalent to SDR 295.42 million (492.4 percent of quota). So far, four purchases totaling the equivalent of SDR 123.1 million have been made, and another one equivalent to SDR 57.76 million...

This briefing paper draws on the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals and the previous statements regarding inclusive education so as to propose guidelines for international aid in the area of education. Basically, both concepts stand for a wide-ranging view of education in the frame...

This paper discusses Albania’s Second and Third Reviews Under the Extended Arrangement and Request for Waiver for the Nonobservance of Performance Criterion, Waiver of Applicability of PCs, and Rephasing of Future Disbursements. The program is on track. All end-June, end-September, and...

This work starts with the premise that the Albanian language is one of most ancient languages in the world and stands in the root of the common trunk of the Indo-European languages. The common pre-Indo-European origin is preserved in the present Albanian language almost in the same conditions...

Several accounting and corporate scandals such as the collapse of Enron, Arthur Andersen, WorldCom, and Parmalat have shaken the business world over the last decade. After numerous studies, it is concluded that the main reason of this scandals have been especially the unethical conduct of...

The World organizations report on governance and development since year 1997 defined governance as “the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development.” The Financial Institution’s Strategy on Governance and...

This paper examines the phenomenon of financial euroization in Albania, focusing on the liability side of the banking system. It explores some of the main theoretical and empirical determinants of deposit euroization in the context of the high euroization rates originating in the transition...

KEY ISSUES Background: On February 28, the Executive Board approved a three-year Extended Arrangement with access of SDR 295.42 million (492.4 percent of quota). A purchase of SDR 23.55 million (about EUR 26.4 million) was made in April 2014, and another will be made in the same amount upon...

The complicated, troubled and tragic events of a wealthy family from Vlorë, Albania, which a century ago expanded its business to Italy, in Brindisi and Trieste, and whose grand land tenures and financial properties in Albania were nationalized by Communism after the Second World War. Hence the...

The key question addressed in this article is social inclusion, as an opposite concept of social exclusion. The author provides a historical of social inclusion/exclusion terminology. Further, some of the principles of social inclusion are presented. A brief review of the literature provides key...

We study the impact of international migration on enrollment of the left-behinds in Albania using the 2008 and 2012 Living Standard Measurement Survey. We employ a 2-stage Probit model controlling for endogeneity with an instrumental-variable approach. We find that migration has a negative and...

This study proposes a novel approach for estimating the rules governing the distribution of resources among wife, husband and children, using a complete collective demand system with individual Engel effects. The model contributes to the literature by explicitly modeling intrahousehold...

Developing post-communist countries may have relatively higher levels of conspicuous consumption, because of extreme inequalities in income, relatively stronger social relationships and traditions and the urge to show off of the nouveaux riches, previously condemned. In spite of this, there is a...

KEY ISSUESBackground: On February 28, the Executive Board approved a three-year ExtendedArrangement with access of SDR 295.42 million (492.4 percent of quota). A purchase of SDR 23.55 million (about EUR 26.4 million) was made in April 2014, and another will be made in the same amount upon...

Forests are important resources for local livelihoods and the economy. Forest cover can be significantly affected by changes in institutional and political framework conditions such as induced by the collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe and the war in Kosovo. This study analyzed the...

We study the impact of international migration on enrollment of the left-behinds in Albania using the 2008 and 2012 Living Standard Measurement Survey. We employ a 2-s tage Probit model controlling for endogeneity with an instrumental-variable approach. We find that migration has a negative and...

During the years 1945 to 1948 Yugoslavia had an enormous impact and influence on Albania’s economy and economical development. This influence went so far as we can say that Albania and Yugoslavia in those years were economically united. They had a common currency, common custom unions, common...

This paper provides micro-analyses of land market development after two decades of Albanian transition. We use data from a survey conducted in four Albanian villages during May 2013. The results indicate that land markets are highly rigid with almost no structural changes took place over the...

This paper discusses the Financial System Stability Assessment report on Albania. The IMF report states that the Albanian economy is weak, macroeconomic imbalances are large, and the financial sector faces several risks. Capital-to-asset ratios are sizable, but banks hold large amounts of...

This 2013 Article IV Consultation for Albania focuses on economic developments and policies that have led to weakening and imbalance of the economy. It highlights that high nonperforming loans (NPLs) are constraining credit growth, and weak external drivers are preventing a sustained reduction...

In this study we empirically analyze the relationship between real exports and real imports during the postcommunist transition in Albania. The country liberalized its trade in the early 1990s after the fall of communism and has seen its trade deficit increase since then. The continuous...

Over the last decades, there has been plenty of research and publications on Political Business Cycles (PBC), aimed at analysing and explaining the use of fiscal and monetary instruments to stimulate economic growth before elections, with the intention of impressing potential voters. Previous...