Social policy in south-eastern Europe
Social policy in south-eastern Europe

Summary/Abstract: Social policy reform in SEE suffers from severe constraints. Without economic recovery, no social policy will achieve more than a somewhat more equal distribution of poverty. Thus, a sound economic policy is crucial (but will not be considered here). Even with recovery, it is necessary to strengthen the state’s capacity to run an effective social policy. Public budgets have to be consolidated; meanwhile, the collection rate of taxes and other contributions is poor and public administration is often corrupt and unreliable. There is also discrimination in the provision of social services on ethnic grounds. Consequently, social policies have to be designed in an economic way in order to save scarce resources. Private and civic initiatives have to play as big a role as possible. Social policy has to support and flank both economic development (growth, employment) and political development (civic support for democracy, nonviolent conflict resolution, inter-ethnic co-operation).

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