POLITICAL CLIENTELISM AND CORRUPTION AS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EXCHANGE

Althout, scientific interest in the informal economy is from a recent date, there are already serious analyzes that define its forms, as well as standardized methods that measure its scope. In this text we will point out some theoretical dilemmas concerning informal economy as a sector emebeded deeply in the society as a whole. The informal economy sector can be understood as a rational response by people to the way of life, the environment, the way in which the institutions work, the economic development of society or the culture itself - despite the fact that some consequences have an irrational character (exploitation, discrimination, violation of human rights and freedoms). Special attention is paid to political clientelism and corruption as forms of informal economy with a special focus on the situation in R. of Macedonia

EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND GOVERNANCE – CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES

European integration is largely seen as a process that has delivered stability and peace, as well as the economic prosperity of the Member States of the European Union (EU). It has helped to raise standards of living and build an internal market. But, there are more and more arguments that the EU decision-making system is not effective and the governance model is obsolete. Some are pointing out increasingly rising divergence on crucial EU policy matters. Others are arguing that the EU has been confronted with the challenge of heterogeneity, stressing the issue of immigration as the one of the most contentious policy matters currently facing the EU. Besides those controversial issues inside EU and different positions among member states there is Brexit. The paper analyses in particular the issue of EU economic governance and one of its main pillars – the European Semester. The Country Specific Recommendations, as the integral part of the economic governance model are presented in a view of the new framework envisaged to tighten budgetary coordination and keep the deficit and debt levels in accordance to the EU rules