World Bank forecasts Western Balkan region to grow 1.3 percent in 2015

BELGRADE: The Western Balkan region is forecast to grow 1.3 percent this year mainly driven by recovery in exports due to improved demand abroad, the World Bank said on Tuesday.

The region which includes Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia posted an estimated growth of 0.2 percent in 2014 mostly as devastating floods in May hit Bosnia and Serbia accounting for nearly 60 percent of the region's total population, the Bank said in its economic report.

But in 2015 all countries except Serbia, the region's biggest market, are set to grow between 1.5 and 3.5 percent this year.