Boosting Job Growth in the Western Balkans

Dmitriy Kovtun, Alexis Meyer-Cirkel, Zuzana Murgasova, Dustin Smith and Suchanan Tambunlertchai

No 2014/016, IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: Labor markets in the Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) are characterized by some of the highest unemployment and low employment rates in Europe. We analyze the poor labor market outcomes in these countries by comparison with the New Member States of the European Union and advanced European economies. Our findings suggest that long-lasting labor market weaknesses in the Western Balkans have structural roots: the institutional setup of the labor markets, labor cost factors, and especially the unfinished transition process. Finally, we offer policy recommendations for boosting job creation.

Keywords: WP; labor market; unemployment benefit; Balkan countries; labor market outcome; labor market problem; Labor markets; The Balkans; natural rate of unemployment; Labor migration; cost factor; labor market challenge; labor market practice; labor market rigidity; practices in the Balkan countries; unemployment spell; labor-leisure decision; labor market performance; Unemployment; Labor costs; Wages; Unemployment rate; Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30
Date: 2014-01-28
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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