(ANSA) - BELGRADE, APR 1 - After dropping severely in 2020
due to the pandemic, economic growth in the Western Balkans is
expected to rebound to 4.4 percent in 2021 and to moderate to
3.7 percent in 2022, according to the latest forecasts of the
World Bank (WB). However, the forecasts are dependent on the
restoration of "consumer and business confidence" and on the
easing of the "political instability", as COVID-19 is brought
under control, the World Bank ECA Economic Update Spring 2021
reads. Moreover, "per capita income is anticipated to remain 6.5
percent below pre-pandemic projections by 2022" and
"tourism-dependent economies," in particular Albania and
Montenegro, "will continue to grapple with international travel
restrictions," the World Bank said. According to the new WB
forecasts, the strongest growth will be registered this year in
Montenegro (+7.1%), followed by Serbia (+5.0%), Albania (+4.4%),
Kosovo (+4.0%), North Macedonia (+3.6%) and Bosnia-Herzegovina
(+2,8%). In 2020, the most severe fall of GDP in the region was
registered in Montenegro (-14.9%), followed by Kosovo (-6,9%),
Albania (-4,7%), North Macedonia (-4.5%), Bosnia-Herzegovina
(-4.0%) and Serbia (-1.0%). (ANSA).
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