OHRID Institute

Macedonia top reformer country – World Bank: Doing Business Index 2010

2009-09-09T03:15:00.001-07:00

The OHRID Institute for Economic Strategies and International Affairs has the honor to announce the "Doing Business Index 2010" done by World Bank and the rankings of Republic of Macedonia. Macedonia stands out as among the best global reformers, while Bosnia and Herzegovina stubbornly maintains its last place amongst west Balkan countries when it comes to improving its business environment, the World Bank reports. Namely Republic of Macedonia takes 3^rd plays in the list of top reformers, and in the list of Doing Business ranks on the 32^nd position out of 183 countries.

In its “Doing Business 2010: Reforming through Difficult Times” report, released on Tuesday, the World Bank found that Eastern European and Central Asian states are the global leaders when it comes to the pace of business reforms, for the second consecutive year.

Reforms continue to move eastward across the region. Albania, Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Macedonia implemented reforms in several areas for the third year in row.

The report finds that all west Balkan countries have improved their business environments in 10 key categories. These include the cost of starting and closing a business, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, trading across borders, protecting investors and enforcing contracts.

In the past year, only Romania has allowed its business environment to worsen in three categories: dealing with construction permits, paying taxes and closing a business.

In the face of the burgeoning global recession, most countries have raced to further improve their business environments over the past year, which is seen as key in attracting cautious investors.

Macedonia is the country to have made the most progress in instituting reforms in the west Balkans. From position 69 (of 183) in 2008, Macedonia jumped to the 32nd position this year, thanks to improvements on almost all the 10 key categories.

Bulgaria held 44th position, while Slovenia improved its ranking from 58 to position 53. Romania dropped down ten positions to 55th place on the list. Montenegro took 71, Albania 82 and Serbia 88th place. Croatia was placed at 103, Kosovo 113, and Bosnia trailed the pack at position 116.

The report completes the seventh in a series of surveys conducted by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. Although these reports do not measure all aspects of the business environment - such as security, macroeconomic stability, corruption, skill level, or the strength of financial systems - they are broadly seen as one of the most accurate gauges of the constantly changing business environment worldwide.

Macedonia shows best results in the areas of protecting investors and paying taxes, and worst in the categories of property registration and closing business. With the reforms in the Central register of Republic of Macedonia, the country became leading country in the area for registration of new companies. This institution represents an example for successful conduct of the set reforms. Republic of Macedonia has best rank in the category - "starting business" and it is clearly emphasized that a company can be registered with 4 procedures in 4 days without minimal capital. The Central register of Macedonia offers the founders of the companies free preparation of the documents needed for the necessary registration.

According to this list, best countries for doing business are: Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong, USA, Great Britain, Denmark, Island, Canada, Australia and Norway, and the bottom of the list is occupied by Congo, the Democratic Republic of Guinea – Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe.

Too many people?

2009-08-21T03:45:00.000-07:00

During the past few years, the size of the world’s population has become a matter of public debate in a way not seen since the 1970s. The total number of people, 6.7 billion now, is forecast to surpass 9 billion by 2050. Many observers fear that an environment degraded by climate change will not be able to support so many. Half the British population, according to one opinion poll, think people should not have more than two children. Yet at the same time governments in Japan, Germany and Russia have been trying to reverse those countries’ falling populations. When is a growing population a blessing and when is it a curse? Is there a best size for the population of the world, or of any particular country? Should governments introduce population-control policies, whether voluntary or mandatory? And how important to demographic matters is climate change?

Freedom House Report

2009-07-13T08:10:00.001-07:00

The OHRID Institute for Economic Strategies and International Affairs, Skopje has the honour to announce the new Index report published by the international non-government organization "Freedom House". According to "Freedom House" report the funding and political influence on media remained problematic in Macedonia. Freedom House also notes that weak judiciary and high-level corruption persist in countries in transition, including Macedonia. Macedonia's rating for independent media remains at 4.25. The media situation is particularly criticized given the fact that the country has the same rating since 2004, with no signs of improvement.

About Us

2008-12-17T07:58:00.000-08:00

The OHRID Institute is an independent, non-profit think tank. We work with policymakers of varied ideological backgrounds, helping them to adopt and implement innovative policy recommendations. Our commitment is to provide balance to the policy discourse in Macedonia by providing economic policy research, promoting private sector and free market reform and acting as a “watchdog” on government activities to ensure accountability and contribute to Macedonia’s development into a market-based democratic society. Our governing board is composed of respected leaders from the Macedonian business, academic, political and nongovernmental communities. Named after the ancient city of Ohrid, we are dedicated to maintaining its legacy of mutual understanding, dialogue and trust.

Our mission is to conduct academic research important to the democratic development of Macedonian society and, based on that research; provide policymakers with innovative, practical policy recommendations. However, we believe that our research must be coupled with action: we have an evolving outreach program that ensures our ideas are disseminated to the public and the media. We also work with policymakers to help implement our recommendations. This approach to public policy makes us an effective and powerful force for economic and political freedom.

We disseminate objective facts: we conduct and publish objective results that bear on relevant issues
We provide knowledge to those that need it: we organize round tables and lectures, bringing outstanding international experience and expertise to targeted institutions and companies
We improve the flow of free information: we publish and promote books from prominent authors
We help improve economic freedom: we lobby for free-market policies, lower taxes and more effective and efficient government
We team-up: we encourage networking and cooperation between other, similarly oriented institutes in the region and around the world
We work to accelerate Macedonia’s integration into the EU and NATO
We believe in political dialogue: we help strengthen and enhance political discourse in Macedonia

The OHRID Institute undertakes an extensive publications program dealing with the complete spectrum of economic strategies and international affairs. Among the publications which the OHRID Institute promotes and distributes, there are briefing papers, studies, research materials, reports, forums consultancy services, contact with legislators, white papers, books, monographs, briefings, publications of articles, interviews, commentraies, research reports, courses and educational programs. The products the Institute wishes to develop and promote – emphasizing empirical analysis, intellectual depth and originality, impartial critisizm and concrete reform proposals-present our individual activities. The OHRID Institute regurlarly organizes different book promotions and forums, thus contributing the strengthening of the democracy of the Macedonian society. All of these events are taped and archived in OHRID Institute's web site.

Leadership Monitoring Project Reform implementation monitoring and reporting;
Annual Report on Macedonia s Foreign Trade;
Ohrid Institute s Review GLOBAL, quarterly magazine;
National Lecture Series with prominent international lecturers;
Translation and publication of books and articles.
The Ohrid Institute Newsletter