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How Sustainable Are Public Debt Levels in Emerging Europe?

Author

Listed:
  • Markus Eller

    (Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Foreign Research Division)

  • Jarmila Urvová

    (Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB), Foreign Research Division)

Abstract

To assess to which extent public debt positions in four CESEE economies (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) are sustainable in the medium term, we apply a stochastic debt sustainability analysis (SDSA), building on Celasun, Debrun and Ostry (2007). In contrast to conventional debt sustainability analyses, this approach explicitly accounts for the risks surrounding medium-term debt dynamics, e.g. risks stemming from the interaction of (endogenously determined) fiscal and macroeconomic shocks. This is one of the first papers explicitly applying an SDSA to countries in emerging Europe. The baseline projections suggest that, on average, public debt would not get out of control in any of the four countries until 2016. However, when we also account for the risks around the median projection, the primary balance is apparently not responsive enough (with regard to public debt) so that increasing debt paths cover a considerable share of the overall frequency distribution. The probability of reaching, in 2016, a higher debt-to-GDP ratio than in 2011 is largest in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and less pronounced in Hungary and Poland. When confronting the baseline projections with alternative policy scenarios, we can confirm the importance of a timely and continuous response to debt developments; otherwise public debt will quickly get out of control. Furthermore, compliance with the defined Stability and Convergence Programme targets limits the overall risks to the debt outturns.

Suggested Citation

  • Markus Eller & Jarmila Urvová, 2012. "How Sustainable Are Public Debt Levels in Emerging Europe?," Focus on European Economic Integration, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 4, pages 48-79.
    • Handle: RePEc:onb:oenbfi:y:2012:i:4:b:1
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    3. Checherita-Westphal, Cristina & Žďárek, Václav, 2017. "Fiscal reaction function and fiscal fatigue: evidence for the euro area," Working Paper Series 2036, European Central Bank.
    4. Tielens, J. & van Aarle, B. & Van Hove, J., 2014. "Effects of Eurobonds: A stochastic sovereign debt sustainability analysis for Portugal, Ireland and Greece," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 156-173.
    5. Ben Hassine Khalladi, Hela, 2019. "Public Debt Sustainability Assessment: A Stochastic Approach for Tunisia," MPRA Paper 93892, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. István Ábel & Ádám Kóbor, 2022. "Macroeconomic Components of the Risks to Fiscal Sustainability in Hungary," Risks, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-13, October.
    7. Zlatuse Komarkova & Vilma Dingova & Lubos Komarek, 2013. "Fiscal sustainability and financial stability," Occasional Publications - Chapters in Edited Volumes, in: CNB Financial Stability Report 2012/2013, chapter 0, pages 103-112, Czech National Bank.
    8. Markus Eller & Johannes Holler, 2018. "Digging into the composition of government debt in CESEE: a risk evaluation," Focus on European Economic Integration, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q2-18, pages 56-80.
    9. Tashevska, Biljana & Trpkova-Nestorovska, Marija & Trenovski, Borce, 2017. "Estimating a fiscal reaction function for the South East European countries," MPRA Paper 91298, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2018.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public debt sustainability; fiscal reaction function; fan charts; stochastic simulations; public debt forecast; Central and Eastern Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C54 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Quantitative Policy Modeling
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • H68 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Forecasts of Budgets, Deficits, and Debt
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • P2 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies

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