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The paper shows that there is a need in most of the Balkan countries to change the law governing the insolvency issue by clearly defining insolvency and thereby removing the confusion surrounding it from the legislation. It is also essential to harmonize the legal provisions so that the term insolvency is used consistently throughout the legal text. The paper also shows the need to define solvency properly in textbooks and present the correct methodology to assess solvency. In this way, it can be expected that neither the term (in)solvency nor the (in)solvency indicator(s) will be incorrectly used by scholars from the Balkan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Issues in Ethnology Anthropology is the property of Issues in Ethnology Anthropology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Despite the acknowledged significance of organization communication in achieving positive organizational outcomes, there is a dearth of empirical knowledge regarding internal organization communication (IOC) influence on employee engagement (EE), particularly in Balkan countries. The aim of this study is to fill this research gap by measuring the effect of IOC in EE, thereby providing a significant contribution to the growing domain of organizational communication. Specifically, this paper investigates the relationship between eight dimensions of IOC (such as communication climate, supervisory communication, organizational integration, media quality, co-worker communication, company information, personal feedback, and subordinate communication) and three dimensions of EE (employee vigour, employee dedication, and employee absorption). The present study involved the administration of a survey to a sample of 152 employees working in public secondary education institutions within the Republic of North Macedonia. The data was subjected to analysis using SPSS software. The results of the study indicate that several IOC dimensions play a crucial role in predicting various dimensions of EE, such as employee energy, dedication, and absorption within the organization. The findings of this study make a substantial contribution to the existing knowledge on the relationship between IOC and EE in nonprofit organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore the short-term economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the insurance market with particular emphasis on the Western Balkan countries. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus). This is a rare event, one we have not seen in 100 years, with major consequences for public health, economics and politics. The decline in purchasing power, the economic downturn, the decline in consumption, the rise in inflation will have a major impact on the development of the insurance market. Demand for insurance products worldwide has declined: whether health, life or non-life. The paper will trace the ability of insurance companies to manage the risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumer protection, protection of insurance contracts, investment risk management, solvency risk management and inflationary risk. The complete sample of the work will have the insurance market in the Western Balkans. The paper will be drafted based on statistical, analytical and comparative methods. The insurance market in these countries is small, but enables a study on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on insurance activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pregled is the property of University of Sarajevo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to measure the influence of COVID-19 on the capital structure of Western Balkans commercial banks, before and during COVID-19 using annual data for the period 2015 - 2020. Using pooled ordinary least squares regressions, the relationship between bank book leverage as the dependent variable and bank-specific explanatory variables such as profitability, Tier 1 capital, bank size, collateral, earnings volatility, and liquidity is investigated. COVID-19 as an independent variable is also presented in this paper. GDP and inflation are control (constant) variables that influence the outcome. By regressing the panel data, we conclude that the comparison of factors affecting the capital structure of the respective commercial banks, in the form of profitability, leverage ratio, size, collateral, earnings volatility and liquidity, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, tend to have significantly different values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Review of International Affairs (04866096) is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper introduces the topic of intangible assets. It describes the evolution of the concept of intangible assets and the role of these assets in today's economy. The importance of intangible assets is highlighted through many quantitative estimates of the impact that intangible assets have on economic performance. After reviewing research carried out mainly in the Western economies, the paper concentrates on the research covering the size and impact of intangible investment in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) and Balkan countries. Moreover, the focus shifts to the firm level where the management of intangible assets faces several challenges that range from identification and valuation of intangible assets to leadership of knowledge-intensive firms. Progress at all levels is to some extent hampered by the lack of adequate data, which should be addressed by establishing a standard definition and ensuring more data on intangibles within financial reporting. Bold steps should therefore be made towards better measurement of intangible investment and better use of this source of productivity growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the impact and dynamics of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the transition economies of the Western Balkans (WB) countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. In this paper, it can be seen a review of the political, institutional, economic and historical circumstances that have influenced the delay in the transition of the economies of the Western Balkan countries and the impact it had on foreign direct investments. Regardless of the time distance, changes in political and economic circumstances and the perspective of EU integration, the countries of the Western Balkans do not attract enough foreign direct investments compared to other countries in transition. The article also explores the performance of foreign direct investments (2010-2021) and the main differences that the countries of the Western Balkans have in the volume, time, sectorial distribution and origin of foreign direct investments. To achieve this goal of comparative analysis and identification, the integrative review method was used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Medunarodni Problemi is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As COVID-19 had been posing unprecedented challenges, the economic agents as well as the individuals had to adapt to a new lifestyle. The preventing measures against the spread of the virus determined an increase in e-commerce activity in general, and in mobile commerce in particular. In this regard, sellers redefined their strategies revolving around smartphone applications for online shopping, which will gradually become the global shopping standard. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to evaluate the current situation of e-commerce, focusing on the main transformations since the beginning of the pandemic. The methods used in the paper consist in both qualitative research of the literature regarding e-commerce and a quantitative analysis that captures two aspects: on one hand it highlights the change determined by the pandemic in online commerce, and on the other hand it shows an X-ray of the EU states positioning in terms of e-commerce evolution. The latter consists in a comparative Hierarchical Cluster Analysis that aims to provide an image on the situation of EU states, before and after the pandemic has been installed. The Cluster Analysis was carried out in SPSS software and it is based on a series of chosen indicators from Eurostat database. This comparison provides an image of how changes among the clusters take place in terms of e-commerce indicators. It is noted that in countries where the digitization was more developed, the value of the change in online commerce was less considerable, comparing to the Eastern and Balkan states, which had a more significant increase. However, there are significant limitations based on the small number of indicators taken into consideration in this paper. Future work needs to be done in order to explore new ways to address the challenges identified in the development of e-commerce and online shopping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explain some current considerations and approaches about the credit activity in Albania compared to the other countries in the Western Balkan's region in terms of bank-specific indicators. During 2020 and in the first half of 2021, the evolution of bank credit in the Western Balkan countries continued to be positive, influenced by monetary easing, support for credit risk reduction and other support policies offered by central banks. The balance sheet of banks in the region has improved over the period, and the non-performing loan rate has declined compared to a year ago in most countries. Among the various lending measures, the study of credit activity will be focused on bank credit (loans and advances) to the private sector, one of the most important indicators of bank development. Using a qualitative and quantitative analysis, the main objective of this paper is to generate and explain through a descriptive and graphical analysis, the evolution of the bank credit to the private sector for the six countries of the Western Balkans, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Countries in the region have benefited from a substantial inflow of foreign funds and cross-border loans before the crisis. When the financial crisis broke out, credit growth declined dramatically and did not begin to recover, in part due to the banking sector's reversal in external financing. The COVID-19 pandemic also brought a sudden negative revision of expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chiropteran collection that has been recovered from the two chronologically different fossiliferous assemblages of the Loutra Almopias Cave A (Pella, Macedonia, Greece) is studied. The specimens retrieved from the cave's floor sediments (LAC) are of the Late Pleistocene, whereas the specimens retrieved from the elevated chamber LAC Ia are of latest Pleistocene age. The first comprehensive systematic taxonomy and biogeographic analysis of a fossil chiropteran fauna from the Greek region was accomplished, based on the determination of the 9,004 chiropteran specimens. This resulted in the identification of 17 species from LAC and 20 from LAC Ia from three families (Rhinolophidae, Vespertilionidae, Miniopteridae) and nine genera (Rhinolophus, Myotis, Nyctalus, Pipistrellus, Vespertilio, Eptesicus, Plecotus, Barbastella, Miniopterus). Seven bat species described from the Loutra Almopias Cave A are the first known records in Greece and one species is the first Late Pleistocene record from the Balkan Peninsula. Eighteen species refer to the southernmost appearance of the Late Pleistocene of the Balkan Peninsula. Loutra Almopias Cave A served primarily as a nursery roost for many bats, and secondarily as a warm refuge during colder periods. Almost all of the chiropteran species described in this paper are now permanently resident in the region adjacent to the cave. Almost all bat species found in the Loutra Almopias Cave A are also present in the records of several localities from the Balkan Peninsula as Similarity analysis between the chiropteran faunas is indicative of an equivalent distribution in the region during the Late Pleistocene. In conclusion, the Late Pleistocene bat fauna from the Loutra Almopias Cave A is, up to date, the richest and most diverse not only from the Greek region, but also from the Balkan Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Medunarodni Problemi is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Medunarodni Problemi is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Review of International Affairs (04866096) is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pregled is the property of University of Sarajevo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pregled is the property of University of Sarajevo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pregled is the property of University of Sarajevo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Issues in Ethnology Anthropology is the property of Issues in Ethnology Anthropology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Collected Papers of the Faculty of Law in Split / Zbornik Radova Pravnog Fakulteta u Splitu is the property of Split Faculty of Law and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Contributions / Prilozi (1857-9345) is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The region of the Balkans has for centuries inspired a number of travelers, writers, artists and researchers, which is why interest in this part of Europe and its relations towards the rest of it has increased over the years. The increasing number of academic articles and studies shows the importance of thorough and meticulous research of intercultural contacts, as well as of the way these cultural issues are discussed in literary works. The Balkans have been exploited in numerous novels and stories; many imaginary kingdoms have been "situated" in the region for the sake of a mysterious, thrilling setting, and a number of authors who had little or no personal contact with the region and its people used mainly set conventions, convictions and prejudices for their literary purposes. Cecil Roberts' Victoria Four-Thirty (1937) shows the characteristics of the "Orient Express" genre novel and it deals with the issue of the West vs. East "dividing" line. The aim of this paper is to analyze the novel within the framework of cultural studies since it features, though in a rather subtle way, the issue of East/West "border-line" and stereotypes, presented mostly from the British perspective of the 1930s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Balkan region (WB) small and medium enterprises (SMEs) lag behind the EU-28 counterparts in their export activities. The positive influence of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) on local business support organisations and the local businesses is identified as a contributing factor to that improvement. To investigate the EEN's role in the export of the WB SMEs in the period 2014e2017, the authors used available statistical data on export from the WB countries. The survey was conducted in three phases, with the samples of 1,463, 222, and 12 companies. Analysed results of the EEN activities in the WB show that EEN had a positive influence on the firms' performance and their international activities; 67% of supported firms increased their turnover, 62% increased their market share, and the EEN services had a positive impact on the jobs in 52% of the examined firms. The survey results about the expected and actual impact of the EEN services proved a positive impact of the Network on the five indicators: market improvement, cost savings, job creation or maintenance, quality improvement, and innovation. The paper contains important practical implications for the policymakers and the SME managers alike, and the implications mentioned above are generalisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archaeologia Lituana is the property of Vilnius University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Review of International Affairs (04866096) is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Review of International Affairs (04866096) is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the impact of productive capacities on the standard of living inBalkan Countries. Using macroeconomic data from UNCTAD, we can answer some research questions related to this issue for the selected area. To determine the impact of productive capacities on the GDP per capita in Balkan Countries, different statistical methods are applied to the empirical research such as Descriptive statistical methods, Correlation analysis, and log-log Linear regression. This study finds strong support for the research question presented: the higher the level of productive capacities, the higher the level per capitaof real GDP. The empirical results of our analysis are in line with similar studies focused on this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conditions of existing bridges are often problematic issues and expensive to resolve for many countries. In order to anticipate and reduce these problems, the combination of various general and local factors causing degradation needs to be identified in the early stage. The identification of these problems reveals the need for local research and detailed inspection for bridges. Reinforced Concrete Bridges in Albania were built at different standards in different periods and were exposed to rapidly increasing and changing traffic loads in the last three decades. This situation made the structural assessment of the bridges inevitable in the local conditions. Although the existing condition of these bridges had not been clearly defined, after democratization and joining the European Council (the 1990s), new bridges were rapidly built and existing bridges were strengthened with different methods. In this context, the structural condition of existing reinforced concrete bridges in Albania was examined in this study. The condition of Albanian bridges was presented in this paper based on visual inspection of 104 bridges covering the total length of 7271.6 m along 263 km road from different parts of the country, concentrating on local causes of deteriorations. The main causes of the defects are figured out in the study as traffic load, natural force, aging, lack of maintenance, and last but not least construction and design deficiencies. The study concludes that the general physical condition of the bridges is poor, so the services provided by the bridges are potentially at risk. The results obtained at the end of this study may be valid for countries with similar features, e.g., other Balkan countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to study corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting activity in the Western Balkans (WB) banking industry. The first aim of the study is to measure the level of CSR reporting activity of banks within Western Balkan Countries (WBC), and the second is to compare the results within WBC and with other countries and regions in the world. We apply the method of content analysis to measure the CSR reporting activity of all licensed banks in WB actively operating until May 2019. Findings indicate that almost half of the banks from WB do not disclose any social responsibility information on their websites. Only a small number of banks prepare independent CSR report, while almost half of the banks who have CSR disclosure, report their CSR initiatives through a web link/heading. One-quarter of the banks report their CSR activities within their financial or annual report. External disclosures are most frequently reported. The category of community involvement is the most frequently reported, while the second most reported CSR activity is under the category of environment. The regression analysis revealed that the size of the banks represented in terms of total assets is a modest predictor of the level of CSR reporting. The paper contributes to the scarce literature of CSR reporting in the banking industry from WB. The results from this study can help academic researchers, business practitioners and policymakers to better understand the phenomenon of CSR communication in the banking industry in the region of WB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Review of International Affairs (04866096) is the property of Institute of International Politics & Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pregled is the property of University of Sarajevo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

According to recent trends, there is a focus on the interest in the Western Balkan economies to attract foreign capital in the form of foreign direct investment (FDI) as a source of external financing and economic recovery factor. In this paper, an attempt is made to analyze the movement and impact of FDI on economic growth and foreign trade on the example of the Western Balkans (North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro). This analysis aims to examine the correlation and causal relationship between FDI, economic growth and the foreign trade case of each individual Western Balkan country. The inflow of foreign capital in the form of FDI in the Western Balkan countries has a positive impact on GDP growth, exports and imports. From the results, it can be concluded that the inflow of FDI into the Western Balkan countries has a positive effect on the economic growth and the increase of foreign trade. The analysis showed that FDI has a statistically significant and positive impact on GDP in the Western Balkan countries, and is a key precondition for intensifying foreign trade. This study provides a promising step towards developing a more comprehensive empirical research by a dynamic estimation procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geopolitical analysis of the policies of the great powers over and in the Balkans in the period of three years is the object of this paper. The author initiates by retelling an event in 2019, indicative of one of the two theses of the text, namely that the US has returned to the Balkans. The second is the assumption, originally launched by the Russian geopolitician Dugin, that the Balkans are one of two monitors of world politics. The text is divided into five chapters. In the introductory part, the author defines his hypothesis and opts for Italian neoclassical geopolitical thought as a theoretical framework. The second chapter overviews basic socio-historical and geographical features of the Peninsula relevant for geopolitical understanding, while the third part of the text puts local political action of both external and internal actors into a broader geopolitical context. The fourth part is the most extensive and represents an overview of the most significant political actions of the great powers - Russia, the United States and China, and Germany, Turkey, and local countries. The conclusive part answers positively to Dugin's assumption and confirms the thesis that great powers' politics in the Balkans has regained importance for the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open Government Data remains a worldwide challenge, in both developed and developing countries. There are various models for measuring the quality of Open Government Data but in our research paper, we have designed a framework for evaluating and Open Government Data quality. Target of evaluation are six Western Balkan countries, respectively Open Government Data portals with the possibility of extension to other countries. For assessment purposes, we have designed an application that uses combination of metrics based on two data quality dimensions, while in the background it will perform various calculations for showing results in a dashboard. The results will show the performance of each country as well as their quality progress in monthly basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bank's performance is its ability to generate sustainable profitability. Although banking institutions have become increasingly complex, the key factors in their performance remain earnings, risk-taking efficiency and financial leverage. The countries of the Western Balkans have some common features: the history of socioeconomic development, the transformations that have taken place, the reforms undertaken, liberalization, restructuring and the path to development. Their financial sector is primarily bank-based, so the soundness of the banking sector is significantly important for the stability and progress of their economies in the long term. Using a qualitative and quantitative analysis, the main objective of this paper is to generate and explain the main features about the role and financial performance of banks in the Western Balkans. The research methodology is based in explaining through a descriptive and graphical analysis, the particularities of the main banking systems in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia, presenting the four main performance measurement indicators: return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), cost-to-income ratio and net interest margin. Analyzing the data for the period 2000-2019, it was assessed that the region is quite consistent in terms of the performance of the banking sector, the latter being almost equally dynamic for all four countries. The regional economic environment does not favor the stability of the financial system, but prevents the increase of the efficiency and productivity of the banking sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western Balkans are persistently grappling with its unfavorable inter-ethnic reputation. Although political toleration has been consistently proposed as a solution for inter-ethnic tensions, this paper argues for the adoption of the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) framework, offering a fresh perspective to an old problem. Rooted in the 'communication perspective', CMM provides a crucial platform for stakeholders to interact meaningfully. This study aims to present compelling reasons for embracing dialogical methods in interethnic disagreements. The CMM model focuses on empowering participants with knowledge to collectively shape their social realities. To illustrate, we introduce a visual communication model seamlessly integrating political toleration and CMM concepts. This model establishes a dialogical platform, ensuring equal participation from public and civil society stakeholders, and fostering a harmonious social world. In conclusion, CMM offers an alternative communication perspective crucial for those involved in interethnic dialogue. By adopting this approach, individuals and groups can overcome challenges, opening new avenues for understanding and collaboration in the pursuit of peaceful co-existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE MAIN AIM OF THIS PAPER IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE STATE OF PLAY AND THE MAIN RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE SIX COUNTRIES OF THE WESTERN BALKANS (ALBANIA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, KOSOVO, MACEDONIA, MONTENEGRO, AND SERBIA), HIGHLIGHTING THE SIMILARITIES AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE COUNTRIES. THE STUDY FOCUSES ON KEY INDICATORS ON HOW GOVERNMENTS IN THIS REGION WORK AND PERFORM, UNDERLINING THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND THE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE FOLLOWING THREE AREAS: POLICY MAKING, PUBLIC SERVICE, AND SERVICE DELIVERY. ALTHOUGH IT IS CLEAR THAT THE COUNTRIES OF THE WESTERN BALKANS FACE CHALLENGES AND SHORTCOMINGS IN IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORMS, THE RESULTS EMPHASIZE THE EXISTENCE OF FORMAL RULES AND THE STEPS MADE TOWARDS COMPLYING WITH THESE STANDARDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bosniaca is the property of National & University Library of Bosnia & Herzegovina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationship between corruption and the processes of transition in West Balkan countries and point the generic potential of the transition processes in developing institutionalized corruption. Transition processes, perceived from the lens of privatization, represent a transfer of property rights from collective and government ownership to private ownership, while at the same time developing the institutions of a market economy. In these transition counties, specifically in Serbia, this process was influenced by the corruptible transfers of capital in the circumstances of economic sanctions. However, the corruption has not significantly decreased after the sanctions had stopped. Privatization has not helped economic growth and development, but resulted in various economic and social deviations. To approach the problem of corruption, this paper will use analytical and comparative methods to analyze data from adequate research, official and publicly published secondary data about corruption in the process of transition and additionally, analyze case studies and data from CPI reports. Our results show the possibilities of systemic and practical work in the direction of controlling corruption while respecting cultural frameworks. Despite research limitations related to the absence of solid comparative research studies in the region, this paper has practical implications in choosing methods and instruments in a battle against corruption, which undermines the market economy and economic development in the West Balkan region. The value and originality of this paper is related to identifying the cause-effect relationship between processes of transition and corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on whether the effects of sustainable challenges in terms of economic prosperity through GDP per capita and vulnerable employment have significant influence on the variation of net migration rate in five Western Balkan Countries and Turkey. Results from the panel PMG ARDL model showed that only the coefficient of vulnerable employment has statistically significant negative long-run effect on NMR variation. The short-run relationship indicates on significant individual effects over the NMR across all countries in the coming years. Also, research results confirm the causal link between the sustainable development variables and NMR variation for all these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to summarize all occurrences of the endemic earthworm Dendrobaena rhodopensis in the Balkan Peninsula, by compiling bibliographic data and data from our own collecting, in order to present its currently known distribution. During the last 70 years, this species has been recorded from 17 localities in Bulgaria, while it is sporadically present in Montenegro and Serbia. Until now, the northernmost findings of the species have been in the Serbian part of the Western Stara Planina Mts., while its southernmost occurrence was reported from Lefkonas near Serres (Greece). Based on all records on the Balkan Peninsula, it was possible, for the first time, to present graphically the extent of occurrence (EOO) for D. rhodopensis. Considering that this species is mostly characteristic of the mountain ranges in the Balkans, we present its possible movement routes throughout the Balkan Peninsula. Current analysis based on the IUCN (2017) Red List Categories shows that D. rhodopensis belongs to the endangered category (B2: b iii, iv, v and c iii, iv) on a global level. The presented assessment may be considered as a baseline for further research and re-evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates tobacco smuggling in the Western Balkans, a region notorious as the main smuggling route for Western European countries. Data from a large-scale nationally representative survey from seven Western Balkan countries are used to explore smoking habits, attitudes about the illicit market, and characteristics of smokers associated with illicit market demand. Our results show that, while there are substantial differences between countries in the prevalence of illicit market purchases, the attitudes of people across countries are not dissimilar. The logit model is estimated to analyse the characteristics of illicit market buyers. The results show that purchasing on the illicit market can best be predicted by variables approximating people's social status. People with lower income and higher levels of addiction are more likely to buy illegal tobacco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to determine the factors which have an impact on the structure of capital of the companies in the trade industry in the Balkan countries, during the eight years period (2010-2017). In order to realize this goal, the panel data model with fixed effects was used. The sample included 2,057 companies that operated in the retail sector in all ten Balkan countries. The obtained results showed that almost all observed variables have a statistically significant impact on the financial leverage, long-term financing, and short-term financing. According to the obtained results of the research, we can conclude that the higher profitability, liquidity, the tangibility of assets and the company's size means a smaller indebtedness, measured by leverage. On the other hand, observed variables have different statistically significant influences depending on whether companies are financed from short-term or long-term sources. Achieving the optimal capital structure and improving the financial performance of the companies of the retail sector in the Balkan countries should be supported by investments and acquisitions based on the market standards of business applied by the developed countries of the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Financial stability is a situation in which a financial system can absorb shock without significant disturbances in its current and future functioning and which has no negative impact on the economy. After 2007 global crisis, the Importance of bank stability better understood. This paper investigates the determinant of bank stability in selected Balkan countries and Turkey. For this aim, we used to Z-score and NPL as dependent variables. We used bank performance, financial structure and macro variables as independent variables. According to ANOVA test and regression analysis, the strongest correlation between non-performing loans as the dependent variable of the Western and some EU Member countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croa- tia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Macedonia) and Turkey was achieved with the following independent variables: the total non-interest income to total income and foreign bank assets to total bank assets. Observed on the other hand, the weakest link between NPLs as a dependent variable was achieved with the following independent variables: the gross domestic product, the net interest margin ratio, Lerner index and the cost to income. Another dependent variable, i.e. Z-score was recorded the strongest correla- tion with the following independent variables in the model: the gross domestic product, the Lerner index, the net interest margin and the cost to income. The weakest link was achieved with the following independent variables: the total non-interest income to total income and the foreign bank assets to total assets. The survey covers the period from 2006-2017 as yearly. Therefore, through a multiple regression analysis, non-per- forming loans and Z-Score to changes in endogenous variables will be tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processes of trasnationalism, especially large-scale migration from Eastern Europe (e.g. Poland, the Baltics, and the Balkans) are visible in the creation of new realities through the representation of cultural differences and distinctive social experiences enacted in diasporas. The aim of this article is to show how social ties and resources are used by migrants to cope with challenges of transnational belonging from grass-roots level understanding of the complexities of intra- and inter-ethnic relations enacted by the last two waves of the Lithuanian immigration in the USA, based on the fieldwork conducted in Chicago in 2002-2003, 2007, and 2013. Social belonging of the forced (end of WWII refugees) wave of migration was challenged by the political subjectivity applied to any immigrant group, including exiles from communism, resisting the assimilation into the melting pot politics dominant in America. The economic wave of post-socialist immigrants of the 1990s was challenged by the uncertainty and precarity of their lives and jobs, especially in terms of their legal status, command of the official language, and professional skills. Homeland nationalism and cultural citizenship are addressed in this article as strategies of coping with the aforementioned uncertainties. Homeland nationalism of the forced migration wave along with the practices of ethnification was marked by the moral imperative of 'to cherish the home country' and helped to withstand the 'melting pot' America. Cultural citizenship of the labor migrants appears as moral economy brought from the homeland and used for inter-ethnic networking of immigrants from the Eastern European region as compartmentalized lifestyle to cope with marginalization, especially of those without papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The future of the banking and financial world is tightly connected with ICT technologies, it works and relies on them. Currently there are more digital moneys circulating the world than traditional paper money. Most of the banking transactions today are done through the means of e-banking and m-banking. It is fair to assume that in the near future we will witness a global redefinition of the banking system, payment network, currencies and financial transactions as we know them today. New paradigms are emerging, ICT companies primarily based in the Silicon Valley with their inventions are threatening the traditional banking world. New digital currencies, e-banks and way of doing online transactions is a reality in the developed countries. We are experiencing the rise of the new digital currency which are governed by decentralized banking systems and are not under control of any government. In the new future, traditional banking will be something of our past. In this paper we have analysed the usage of various payment methods in North America (Canada and USA) and South East Europe (Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro). We present an analysis of the usage of PayPal and Bitcoin in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gateway Groups are characterized by a unique social categorization which enables them to be identified with two or more groups within the context of intergroup relations. Due to their strategic situation, Gateway Groups have been found to have the potential to improve the relations between their distinct social counterparts. In this paper we attempted to replicate the Gateway Group line of research in the Western Balkan context with two different kinds of Gateway Groups: Children of mixed Serb(s) and Bosniak families, and Bosniak citizens of Serbia. As in previous Gateway Group studies, we found that in both cases the exposure to a dually identified Gateway Group lead to a more complex perception of the Gateway Group itself, a higher belief in the potential of the Gateway Group to bridge the relations between the ingroup and the outgroup, and a greater sense of closeness between the ingroup and the outgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]