The two legs that have held up the forint in recent years—a strong “EU accession effect” and positive sentiment toward emerging markets—may no longer be strong enough to offset Hungary’s weak fundamentals. Fiscal consolidation efforts should be supported by stronger budget controls and...

The achievements in the third year of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper implementation have been satisfactory, given the difficult development environment resulting from the violent conflict and continued political instability. Nepal’s macrolevel indicators remain stable, despite growing...

This report is based on the progress of the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Program (EDPRP) in Georgia. It highlights the status of measures intended for rapid and sustainable economic development in the country through further fine-tuning of administrative mechanisms, increase of...

Performance under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility-supported program has been good. All quantitative performance criteria have been met. The economy has coped well with unfavorable external price developments. A substantial reform of the mechanism for determining cotton producer prices...

Macroeconomic performance has been relatively strong, and the large fiscal adjustment and the VAT reform represent significant progress in strengthening the fiscal position. Progress with reforms sets the stage for resolving longstanding economic problems. Tax collections have grown strongly....

The Latvian economy has made remarkable strides, combining macroeconomic stability with rapid income convergence. An upfront policy tightening is needed to contain near-term overheating and secure a soft landing. Fiscal restraint is needed to counter the sizable demand stimulus already in play....

This paper discusses Bulgaria’s prospects for converging to the living standards of the more advanced members of the European Union (EU). The unfavorable economic environment of the early 1990s and the economic crisis in 1996–97 hurt Bulgaria’s output, employment, and investment. Following...

Cambodians have displayed tremendous resilience. The National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) has been formulated using the comprehensive Rectangular Strategy of the Royal Government of Cambodia and synthesizes the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals (CMDG), the National Poverty Reduction...

This note analyzes the medium- and long-term prospects of the hydrocarbon sector as a source of growth. Substantial hydrocarbon and financial reserves implies a sizable upward shift in the sustainable expenditure path. Rather than suggesting a specific fiscal rule, four simple alternatives are...

This assessment focuses on the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) but takes into account the activities of other institutions insofar as they oversee investment service providers, markets, and clearing and settlement systems, and thus affect implementation of the IOSCO Objectives and...