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41. SLOVAKIA AND HUNGARY: WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS?

Author:
Imre Szilágyi
Publication Date:
03-2008
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
International Issues: Slovak Foreign Policy Affairs
Institution:
Slovak Foreign Policy Association
Abstract:
The author argues that during the period of the second Gyurcsánygovernment Hungary continued its previous policies vis-à-vis the Western Balkans and managed to preserve good relations with all of the countries of the region. He reflects on the government's policies with respect to the entire Western Balkans – more precisely the countries of the former Yugoslavia, except Slovenia – as well as its guiding principles and activities supporting the Euro-Atlantic integration of the region; policies vis-à-vis the individual countries; efforts to improve the situation of the minorities and the enhancement of the Hungarian economic role in the region. He concludes that due to the fact that the greatest aspiration of Western Balkan countries is to join the Euro-Atlantic integration processes and because Hungary – as an EU and NATO member state – is an important partner country in regional relations will ostensibly become more dynamic in the years to come.
Topic:
NATO
Political Geography:
Yugoslavia, Balkans, Hungary, and Slovenia

42. Family Policy in Hungary How to Improve the Reconciliation between Work and Family?

Author:
Philip Hemmings
Publication Date:
07-2007
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
Hungarian family policy focuses on providing generous options to take time off work to look after children. This system not only contributes to Hungary’s low employment rate but encourages long separation from the labour market, has largely failed to significantly influence fertility rates and is relatively expensive to run. This paper looks at how to shift the policy focus towards reconciling work and family life. Reasons for under-provision in childcare by local governments are discussed and recommendations for further central-government intervention to improve supply are made. Recommendations for reform are also made regarding the complex system of family cash benefits and leave allowances.
Topic:
Labor Issues, Family, Social Services, and Social Roles
Political Geography:
Hungary and Central Europe

43. Economic Survey of Hungary, 2005

Publication Date:
07-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
The composition of growth of the Hungarian economy has become healthier and real convergence looks set to be on a sustainable path. While most reforms to establish a flourishing market economy have been carried out and the current government is launching a new reform initiative of "100 Steps", more needs to be done in two broad areas in order to maintain high growth: Achieving a smooth entry into the euro area: Frequently missed policy targets, tensions between the government and the Central Bank and stubbornly high twin deficits have established an unhealthy climate of financial volatility, which contrasts with and may even risk threatening the rather smooth process of real convergence. Increasing trend growth by both raising the employment potential and trend productivity growth: A large share of Hungarians with some work capacity is not working in part because of the way social benefits are designed. Low employment is aggravated by impediments to regional mobility of the labour force. Hungary needs to move further up the value added chain. This process for the time being rests very much on investments by foreign companies while innovative activities and commercial applications of own research remain limited.
Topic:
Development, Economics, and Government
Political Geography:
Eastern Europe and Hungary

44. The Politics of Institutional Learning and Creation: Bank Crises and Supervision in East Central Europe

Author:
Gerald A. McDermott
Publication Date:
04-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University
Abstract:
This article examines the political conditions shaping the creation of new institutional capabilities. It analyzes bank sector reforms in the 1990s in three leading postcommunist democracies–Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic. It shows how different political approaches to economic transformation can facilitate or hinder the ability of relevant public and private actors to experiment and learn their new roles. With its emphasis on insulating power and rapidly implementing self-enforcing economic incentives, the “depoliticization” approach creates few changes in bank behavior and, indeed, impedes investment in new capabilities at the bank and supervisory levels. The “deliberativ e restructuring” approach fostered innovative, cost-effective monitoring structures for recapitalization, a strong supervisory system, and a stable, expanding bank sector.
Topic:
International Relations, Economics, and Politics
Political Geography:
Europe, Eastern Europe, Poland, and Hungary

45. The New Turkish Economy and EU Accession Talks

Author:
Meral Varis
Publication Date:
11-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:
Now that negotiations toward full Turkish membership in the European Union (EU) have begun, what are the prospects for the Turkish economy? In particular, could Turkey attract significant global investment and take off economically as happened in Spain, Portugal, and Greece in the 1980s and Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in the 1990s when those countries negotiated for EU accession?
Topic:
International Relations and Economics
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, Middle East, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Spain, and Portugal

46. From Peace Making to Self Sustaining Peace - International Presence in South East Europe at a Crossroads -- 8th Workshop of the Study Group Regional Stability in South East Europe

Author:
Frederic Labarre and Predrag Jureković
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
The fall of Communism in Europe, and the end of the bi-polar order put an end to the artificial and forced separation which had been keeping Hungary out of the mainstream of European development for the last 40-plus years. Once that obstacle was removed, a consensus was reached by all Hungarian political parties to become a modern European country in the quickest possible way and with the least sacrifice and develop an economy and culture, social and political structure bases on solid grounds by becoming part of the European and Euro-Atlantic co-operative institutions.
Topic:
NATO, Democratization, Development, International Cooperation, and International Security
Political Geography:
Europe, Balkans, and Hungary

47. Economic Survey of Hungary, 2004

Publication Date:
01-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Abstract:
For Hungary to maintain strong growth, macroeconomic policy has to aim for sound and sustainable public finances, low inflation and maintaining the competitiveness of its FDI-driven export sector. Fiscal consolidation has to focus on lasting structural reforms, which bring down the volume of government expenditure in a sustainable way. Revenue increases buy time for the 2004 budget, but thistime has to be used to implement measures that will durably reduce spending in a medium-term framework. The difficult balancing act for monetary policy between achieving inflation targets and steering the exchange rate for entry into the euro zone could be made easier if fiscal targets are achieved. The move to base future budgets on the joint inflation target is a welcome step to improve co-ordination between the government and the Central Bank and should be continued. In wage setting, the indicative wage guidelines should be used to communicate disinflation in the runup to EMU, and thereby limit the risk of unintended real wage increases. Wage moderation should also be assisted by measures which increase the supply responsiveness of labour. Any room created for tax cuts should be used to reduce Hungary's large tax wedge on labour, which interacts negatively with some social benefit programmes. Large regional disparities should be addressed by measures which increase labour mobility and broaden investment across regions through further improved infrastructure. Business conditions can be further improved by addressing the low level of competition in some network industries and more generally improving the conditions for market entry in the domestic sector. The considerable costs of programmes to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and also more local air pollutants could be reduced with the wider application of economic instruments. Hungary will only be able to reap the full benefits of European Union accession and EMU entry if it establishes a sound macroeconomic framework, boosts labour force participation and sustains high productivity growth.
Topic:
Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Human Rights, International Organization, and Political Economy
Political Geography:
Hungary

48. Comparing Frameworks of Parliamentary Oversight: Poland, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine

Author:
David Betz
Publication Date:
07-2003
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)
Abstract:
It is a truism that the nature and limits of parliamentary oversight in any state are determined by the constitutional and political structure unique to that state. That is to say, a state's constitutional and political “framework of legislative oversight” ultimately constrains the extent to which its parliamentarians may regulate their defence establishment. In some countries, parliament has the legal wherewithal to exert a high degree of scrutiny and control over developments in the defence sector. In others, parliaments possess only limited legal prerogatives in this respect because the executive dominates the defence sector.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Civil Society, and Government
Political Geography:
Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Hungary

49. Regional Poverty and Income Inequality in Central and Eastern Europe: Evidence from the Luxembourgh Income Study

Author:
Michael Förster, David Jesuit, and Timothy Smeeding
Publication Date:
09-2003
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
United Nations University
Abstract:
This paper reports levels of income inequality and poverty in four Central and Eastern European countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Russia. Unlike many previous researchers who examine transition economies, we aggregate the detailed individual-level income surveys made available through the efforts of the Luxembourg Income Study at the regional level of analysis. Although national-level investigations have contributed much to our understanding of the income distribution dynamics, these studies mask intracountry variance in levels of income inequality and thus may not capture the true distribution of household income and accurately reflect individual wellbeing. Accordingly, we compute summary measures of inequality and relative poverty rates, using both local and national relative poverty lines, for the most recent waves of data available. We offer comparisons between regional and national median incomes and assess levels of inter- and intraregional income inequality. In addition, we make comparisons to regions within Western European countries and find that, contrary to what is often asserted, interregional disparities in Central and Eastern Europe countries are not as large as those found in some Western European countries.
Topic:
Development and Poverty
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, Eastern Europe, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Luxembourg

50. The Application of Justice and Home Affairs and the position of Minorities: The case of Hungary

Author:
Judit Tóth
Publication Date:
03-2002
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies
Abstract:
When one considers the substance of European Union (EU) official documents in a simplified way, national and ethnical minorities may appear in three contexts. The first belongs to external relations (common foreign and security policy), which cover minorities as a matter of human rights in third countries. These documents call upon the (third) countries concerned to respect human rights and international and European standards on minorities' rights that are also endorsed by the EU. In this regard, the legislation being developed in view of a common European migration policy contains provisions about the respect of minority rights in order to prevent further migration waves.
Topic:
Government, Human Rights, and International Organization
Political Geography:
Europe and Hungary