1st Edition

The Development of the Balkan Region

Edited By George Petrakos, Stoyan Totev Copyright 2001
    528 Pages
    by Routledge

    This title was first published in 2001. A comparative overview and analysis of the economic performance, structure and trade relations of the Balkan region. Using original, detailed and up-to-the minute data, the contributors detect basic trends and developments with respect to trade relations, foreign direct investment, the performance of industry, the level and quality of infrastructure, the domestic policies of transition as well as the European Union policies for the region. The evidence provided indicates that should current trends continue in the future, the Balkan region will diverge further from the more advanced European countries, forming a new expanded and much weaker European periphery. In that respect, mainstream economic thinking of the integration-transition dynamics needs to be re-evaluated, as multi-speed and multi-direction performances generate a more fragmented economic space than the very essence of the European idea may possibly tolerate.

    Contents: Analytical and Policy Issues: Economic performance and structure in the Balkan region, George Petrakos and Stoyan Totev; Intra-Balkan trade and economic cooperation: past lessons for the future, Marvin Jackson; Multi-speed transition and multi-speed integration in Europe: recent economic developments in the Balkans, Rumen Dobrinsky; Foreign direct investment and Western firms’ internationalization strategies in the Balkan countries, Yorgos Rizopoulos; Structural reforms in Southeastern Europe: demonopolization and privatization in Albania, Bulgaria and Romania, Vesselin Mintchev; Industrial performance under transition: the impact of structure and geography, Marvin Jackson and George Petrakos; Infrastructure comparisons in transition countries: a new North-South divide in Europe?, Pantoleon Skayannis; Fragmentation or integration in the Balkans? strategies of development for the 21st century, George Petrakos; European policies for the reconstruction and development of the Balkans, Angelos Kotios. Case Studies: Peripherality and integration: the experience of Greece and its implications for the Balkan economies in transition, George Petrakos and Christos Pitelis; The Bulgarian economy in transition: possibilities for Balkan regional integration, Stoyan Totev; Economic transition in Albania possibilities for cooperation with Balkan countries, Ilir Gedeshi and Hekuran Mara; Romania: transition and new conditions for regional cooperation, Marvin Jackson; Greece and the Balkans: geography lost and found, George Petrakos; Geographical proximity matters in the orientation of FDI: Greek FDI in the CEECs, Lois Labrianidis; Bulgaria and Romania: the changing patterns of trade specialization with the European Union, Rumen Dobrinsky.
    ’...rich in detail...it is no doubt helpful to have all this information compiled in one place...’ Transitions Online ’...ideal reading for gaining a fundamental knowledge of the various problems in the wounded Balkan area...’ Slovo ’There is no doubt that this interesting and rich work provides food for thought. It constitutes an important contribution to the research and feeds the debate on the future of the Balkans.’ Journal of European Integration History '...this is a useful volume, with the editors achieving quite good coherence in terms of themes...' Slavic Review 'The authors, experts in their fields, analysed the development of the Balkan region from various aspects...The multidisciplinary character of the book makes it interesting and accessible to anyone interested in the Balkans.' The South Slav Journal