Banking Reform In South East European Transitional Economies

'. . .Sevic offers an accessible and closely argued account of financial sector reform processes in Southeast Europe. Sevic's book is the result of an extensive research project on banking sector reform in the Southeast European transitional economies undertaken since late 1998. . . an extensive look at this timely volume will pay handsome dividends and could help devise successful business plans.' - Jens Bastian, Southeast European and Black Sea Studies 'The book will be a very agreeable reading to experts on the region. Its comprehensive analysis emphasises past and current conflicts, the recourse to currency board arrangements, and the persisting asymmetries with reference to the functioning of the banking system in Central Europe. . . Banking Reforms in South-East Europe is a book that college students in banking and financial markets, and banking analysts should read.' - Bruno S. Sergi, South-East Europe Review Banking Reforms in South-East Europe gives a critical and detailed overview of banking system restructuring in the transitional countries of South-Eastern Europe - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Yugoslavia - and offers suggestions for future reforms.

The effectiveness of banks in the transition depends on how soon authorities begin to restructure the banking system and how that restructuring fits into the sequence with enterprise restructuring and privatization.

The integration of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States international financial system was arguably one of the most profound changes experienced by the world economy in the 1990s. This book examines these countries in reforming their financial systems in the first decade of transition. Through case studies as well as more thematic approaches contributors deal with crucial elements of building a market-based financial system, the transformation of the banking sector, and non-bank reform and regulation of financial markets. They emphasise the importance of institution-building to the process of financial sector transformation and highlight the lessons to be learned from transitional financial experiences.

This book presents a valuable model for simulating the effects of financial reforms in transitional economies. Poland is used as a case study to show the effectiveness of the variety of policy simulations offered by this model.

The first part of this book consists of seven chapters which draw lessons for the transforming economies from the experiences of EC member countries (including, Eastern Germany), the U.S., and South-East Asian 'Pacific Rim' countries. The second part of the book contains a further six chapters which focus on the experiences of Poland in the early phase of its transition with regard to privatisation, the microeconomic impact of monetary policy and banking sector reform, and draws lessons for other transforming economies.

This book charts the process of financial market reform in Central and Eastern Europe. Topics discussed will include the implications of future EU membership, and the strategies pursued by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

The book examines in depth the progress of reform in the banking sector in Eastern Europe - which is a key element in its transition to the market. Particular emphasis is placed on the problem of bad debts owed by companies to banks, and on criteria and options for overcoming this serious problem. The book also analyses the recent development of capital markets in Eastern Europe, their role in attracting foreign capital flows and the limitations to the development of those markets and suggests how to overcome them. Based on analysis by senior policy-makers and academics from the region , the book focuses on four countries: the former Czechoslovakia (now the Czech and Slovak Republics), Hungary and Poland.