Public Debt Dynamics in the Western Balkans: Do Social Expenditures and Economic Growth Matter?

Cilj ovog rada je ispitati odrednice javnog duga u zemljama zapadnog Balkana, s naglaskom na učinke gospodarskog rasta i socijalnih izdataka. Studija pokriva razdoblje od 2006. do 2017. godine i primjenjujemo dinamičku panel analizu, korištenjem diferenciranog i sistemskog GMM procjenitelja. Rezultati sugeriraju da inkrementalna promjena rasta značajno smanjuje dug, dok socijalni izdaci podižu omjer duga prema BDP-u. Također, postoji negativan odnos između inflacije i duga, dok otplaćivanje kamata na prethodno zaduživanje dodatno povećava javni dug. Konačno, nezaposlenost u ovom modelu nije statistički značajna. Glavna implikacija studije je da kreatori politika u ovim zemljama trebaju favorizirati politike usmjerene na rast i socijalne reforme orijentirane na djelotvornost, kako bi javni dug bio održiv na duže staze.The aim of this paper is to examine the determinants of public debt in the Western Balkan countries, with an emphasis on the effects of economic growth and social expenditures. The study covers the period 2006-2017, and we implement the dynamic panel GMM estimation, using both first-difference and system GMM. The results suggest that incremental growth change significantly reduces debt, while social expenditures push the debt-to-GDP ratio up. Also, there is a negative relation between inflation and debt, while interest payments on previous borrowing increase public debt additionally. Finally, unemployment is not statistically significant in this setting. The main policy implication is that policy makers in these countries should favor a growth-oriented policy toolbox and efficiency-oriented social reforms, in order to keep the public debt sustainable in the long run