KEY ISSUES Context: Slovenia is facing a deep recession resulting from a vicious circle of strained corporate and bank balance sheets, weak domestic demand, and necessary fiscal consolidation. The headline deficit remains around 41⁄4 percent of GDP in 2013 excluding bank restructuring costs,...

KEY ISSUES Context. Macroeconomic and financial stability has been maintained despite the difficult environment globally—especially in neighboring Greece—and recent domestic discord, but growth remains tepid and unemployment high. Ambitious (and politically challenging) reforms are needed to...

KEY ISSUES Context. The economy is growing at a moderate pace. Abstracting from the impact of new large-scale natural gas production, GDP growth is estimated to have moderated to about 21⁄2 percent in 2013, owing in large part to weak investment and exports. Some pick up is expected in 2014,...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Stand-By Arrangement. A 20-month SBA in an amount of SDR 90.968 million (154 percent of quota) was approved by the Executive Board on April 27, 2012, and the first purchase of SDR 4.251 million was made available following the Board meeting (Country Report 12/100). The second...

KEY ISSUES Context: Economic activity has accelerated, in part thanks to pro-cyclical macroeconomic policies. With domestic demand stronger, the current account deficit is widening again from a high level, and inflation remains well above target. Challenges: On current policies, Turkey can only...

Staff Report for the 2012 Article IV consultation, prepared by a staff team of the IMF, following discussions that ended on October 2, with the officials of Croatia on economic developments and policies. Based on information available at the time of these discussions, the staff report was...

KEY ISSUES Context: The current account is worsening, coinciding with peak debt service, limited market access, and low reserves. Although the authorities have taken ad hoc measures to curb acute exchange rate pressures during the summer, a stronger policy response is urgently needed to reduce...