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Radko Radkov, Andrey Zahariev
The Currency Board in Bulgaria: Theoretical Reflections and Empirical Results
Summary:
Via this article the authors would like to discuss the idea of the inter-section point of theoretical reflections and reported empirical results referring to the currency board in Bulgaria. To achieve the goal defined the article is structured in the following separate sections: first, clarification of the concept of a currency board in light of leading theoretical research; second, critical analysis and evaluation of the characteristics of the currency board in Bulgaria; third, justification of the authors’ answer regarding the end of the currency board in Bulgaria and its replacement with another system; fourth, econometric analysis and assessment of foreign trade sector influence on the GDP in Bulgaria under the conditions of a fixed currency exchange rate and a high percentage of foreign trade of goods and services in the structure of the GDP; fifth, a study of the currency boards influence on the economic convergence of Bulgaria in comparison with leading EU economies for the period 1998 – 2012. For the authors, Bulgaria’s path to membership in the Eurozone while keeping the currency board regime during the whole period of being in the ERM II “waiting room” is logical and has social and institutional support. The argument for this is that Estonia’s example of entering the Eurozone by preserving the currency rate at the level of the currency board is the reasonable and rational national project for developing Bulgaria’s economy and financial system.
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Rositsa Prodanova, Dimitar Kostov
ECONOMIC POLICIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION – CONCORDANCE OR DISCORDANCE?
Summary:
The series of severe global and regional crises of various nature in recent decades, as well as the erratic success of the various anti-crisis measures undertaken by the European Union raise the issue of examining the concordance among the Union's economic policies. This study examines the coordination between EU’s monetary and fiscal policy to reveal that it is weak, which can be attributed to some crisis resolution shortcomings. The reasons for this incoherence can be found both in the institutional structure of the European financial institutions and in some rigid strategies of the Union (unwillingness to pursue a common fiscal policy, frugal budget spending policies, etc.)
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Kalina L. Durova
THE COHESION POLICY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
AND INTER-REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN BULGARIA
Summary:
The article presents a theoretical analysis of the causes for inter-regional disparities and an empirical study on the impact of the EU Cohesion Policy on the standard of living in Bulgaria. It also gives some recommendations for maximizing the beneficial effect of this policy on the regions in our country. The author defends the thesis that the economic imbalances among regions cause social and demographic ones. Accordingly, the study focuses on the economic inter-regional differences and the way they are affected by the Cohesion (Regional) policy of the European Union as a tool utilized by the Community to achieve economic and social cohesion.
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Kalina L. Durova
Cohesion Policy of the European Union: Evolution, Challenges
and Prospects
Summary:
The article analyzes the historical development of the Cohesion (Regional) Policy of the European Union and outlines the main challenges and perspectives facing it. Recommendations are formulated for its improvement in the future.
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Silviya Todorova Petkova
PROBLEMS AFORE THE CONVERGENCE OF THE PLANNING REGIONS IN BULGARIA
Summary:
In the present article an analysis is made of the achievements and problems faced by the six planning regions in our country, related to their goals for reducing regional disparities. This is achieved through the analysis of key indicators that serve to measure cohesion in each of its three aspects. In this way it will be established whether the EU Cohesion Policy conducted in our country in the first for our country (MFF) 2007-2013 and in the second (MFF) 2014-2020 have an effect and to what extent this effect has the effect of reducing or deepening regional disparities. For the purposes of the study, the mean-absolute deviation (MAD) and the coefficient of variation (CV) were used as tools for quantitative data analysis. The results of the study confirm the thesis of scientists and authors working in the field that there is no significant progress in reducing disparities between regions in our country.
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Ivailo Nikolaev Marinov
TRANS-BORDER EXPANSION IN THE QUICK LOANS SECTOR (PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS)
Summary:
The enterprises operating in the “quick loans” sector are microfinance institutions. Since they are not banking institutions, they need to adhere to more rigid financial management rules both in terms of fund raising and lending, especially regarding the so called “quick loans” category. The "quick loans" sector is defined as economic activity that, under the terms of the regulatory framework in force, allows a non-banking financial institution to provide unsecured (short-term) loans based on borrower’s income and credit profile and to charge high interest rates and added fees to offset the associated risk. The results of the survey confirm that this sector is a specific segment of the financial services sector that complies with the national regulations and creates a market for financial services that are essentially equivalent to the unsecured short-term bank loans but have profitability and return characteristics that make them competitive to the services offered by commercial banks. The successful of the financial management of these companies is based on their scoring models for assessing the risk of borrower’s default.
