This paper traces the origins of the different monetary regimes adopted in Bulgaria and Romania in 1996-97 and examines their performance during the EU accession. The findings indicate that the constraints of the currency board in Bulgaria shifted economic activity towards the private sector,...

After more than two decades of transition and integration, countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) still exhibit income levels that are significantly lower than the European Union (EU) average. This paper examines convergence in per-capita GDP between CEE and the EU over the period...

Countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) still exhibit lower income levels than the European Union (EU) average. This paper examines convergence in per-capita GDP between CEE and the EU over the period 1990-2012 using parametric and nonparametric methods. The results indicate initial...

La comparaison des politiques économiques adoptées par la Roumanie et la Bulgarie de la fin du régime communiste à la période récente fait ressortir les divergences qui distinguent les deux pays voisins balkaniques. Un accent particulier est mis sur l’évolution de leurs politiques...

Bulgaria and Romania are neighbouring countries, which have always been rivals. Following the decision on EU enlargement to include Bulgaria and Romania (late 1999) and with membership negotiations already started (2004), the race between the two countries gained momentum and comparisons of...

This paper examines the efficiency of Bulgarian banks and its determinants over the period 1999-2007. The levels of technical, allocative, and cost efficiency are estimated using a nonparametric methodology and then regressed on a number of bankspecific, institutional, and EU-related factors....

The recent pressure on public finances in Bulgaria has exposed the need for a performance-based system of public funding for higher education. This article estimates the relative technical and cost efficiency of Bulgarian universities and explores the correlation between public funding and...

This paper analyses exchange rate control measures adopted in Italy and Bulgaria during the interwar period. The first two sections provide a detailed account of the institutional and economic framework in which these measures were enforced and interpret them utilizing statistical data. In the...

The present paper traces the trends in the development of the Bulgarian banking system focusing on the dynamics of bank efficiency. Although the financial crisis in 1996-1997 and the following shift in monetary regime (introduction of Currency Board Arrangement) exerted significant influence on...

Institutional competition stirs the interest of economists following a certain cyclical pattern. In this context, it is very interesting to look back at the experience of Lenin and the Bolsheviks of adopting monetary competition to stabilize their political and economic power after the crash of...