EKONOMIJA ZAPADNOG BALKANA
25 godina nakon nezavisnosti zapadni Balkan napreduje prema euro-atlantskoj integraciji, ali ostaje mnogo rada, posebno u oblasti ekonomije. Zemlje su ostale zaglavljene u tranziciji, sa stopom nezaposlenosti koja u prosjeku prelazi 20 posto (i više nego duplo među mladima), glomaznom javnom sektoru, ogromnim neformalnim sektorima i rigidnim zakonima o radu koji se upravo sada ponovo ispisuju kako bi se omogućilo dinamičnije tržište rada. BDP u regionu je porastao samo 10 posto od nivoa u 1989. Ratovi u 1990-im i finansijska kriza 2008. imali su očite posljedice, ali je bilo i uspjeha, kao što ostaje i putanja regiona prema Zapadu i kapitalizmu slobodnog tržišta.
Posebno je važno direktno strano ukaganje za ekonomski uspjeh u regionu, u svjetlu njegovih malih nacionalnih tržišta i stalne visoke stope nezaposlenosti. U pet godina prije finansijske krize, region je imao prosječan rast BDP-a od preko 5 posto sa impresivnim stranim direktnim ulaganjima, što je, na primjer, 2007. predstavljalo 25 posto BDP-a Crne Gore.
Značajan rast radnih mjesta, posebno među mladima, i rastuća srednja klasa su kritični za veću ekonomsku sigurnost, zajednički prosperitet i eventualno pridruživanje u EU. Zajedno sa međunarodnim partnerima zagovaramo strukturalne business friendly i reforme koje su okrenute rastu, zakonodavstvo, i investicije potrebne da privuku poslove i tranziciju ekonomija u regionu za konkurentnije modele rasta u privatnom sektoru. Firme treba da imaju povjerenja da će ugovori biti ispoštovani, da će roba brzo proći na carini, dozvole izdate na transparentan i blagovremen način, a prava radnika poštovana.
Primjeri nedavnog uspjeha vide se u Srbiji, koja je prihvatila nekoliko reformi u poslovnoj klimi 2014. a koje su donešene uz tehničku pomoć SAD i podršku politike; i Albanija, gdje mi dajemo tehničku pomoć u sektoru električne energije i savjetodavne usluge vladi kako da poboljša i obnovi sektor.
Što se tiče šireg pristupa energiji, koja igra temeljnu ulogu u svakoj ekonomiji, podržavamo integraciju regiona u tržišta energije u Evropi i nudimo opcije za razne izvore nabavke, rute nabavke i energetske mješavine da bi se povećala energetska sigurnost tih zemalja. Potičemo prihvatanje pravila EU o konkurenciji i pristup treće strane infrastrukturi energije da bi se povećala konkurentnost i energetski sektor postao privlačniji za strana ulaganja.
ECONOMY OF THE WESTERN BALKANS
25 years after independence, the western Balkans are making steady progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration, but much work remains, particularly regarding their economies. Countries remain stuck in transition, with unemployment averaging over 20 percent (and more than double this among youth), out-sized public sectors, large informal sectors, and rigid labor laws that just now are being re-written to allow for more dynamic job markets. GDP in the region has grown only 10 percent from its 1989 level. Wars in the 1990s and the 2008 financial crisis had their obvious effects, but there have been successes and the region’s trajectory toward the West and free-market capitalism remains.
Foreign direct investment is particularly important for the region’s economic success, in light of its small national markets and persistently high unemployment. In the five years before the financial crisis, the region averaged annual GDP growth of over 5 percent with impressive foreign direct investment inflows that represented 25 percent of Montenegro’s GDP in 2007, for example.
Significant job growth, particularly among youth, and a burgeoning middle class are critical for increased economic security, shared prosperity, and eventual EU accession. Together with international partners we are advocating business-friendly and growth-oriented structural reforms, legislation, and investments needed to attract businesses and transition the region’s economies to more competitive, private-sector driven models of growth. Firms need to have confidence that contracts will be respected, goods will clear customs quickly, permits will be issued in a transparent and timely manner, and labor rights are respected.
Examples of recent progress include Serbia, which adopted in 2014 several business climate reforms that were drafted with U.S. technical assistance and policy support; and Albania, where we are providing technical assistance to the electricity sector and advisory services to the government as it upgrades and restructures the sector.
More broadly on energy, which plays a fundamental role in any economy, we are supporting the region’s integration into Europe’s energy markets, and providing options to diversify supply sources, supply routes, and energy mixes in order to increase countries’ energy security. We are encouraging adoption of EU rules on competition and third party access to energy infrastructure to increase competition and make the energy sector more attractive for foreign investment.