The outlook for growth is positive. The economy will grow at around 3 percent during
2015–17 under baseline assumptions of large energy-intensive investment projects, robust growth in
private consumption boosted by household debt relief, and further expansion of the tourism sector.
Terms of trade, consumption, and growth in 2015 will benefit from a sharp decline in oil prices.
Investment will be funded by FDI, retained earnings, and, increasingly over time, borrowing. Inflation
is expected to stay below 1 percent this year and rise gradually to target by the end of 2016, as the
effects from imported deflation and currency appreciation dissipate and pressures from wages and a
closing output gap mount.
The authorities have broadly similar views on the medium-term growth outlook, though project
higher growth of over 4 percent this year, showing higher domestic demand. There is agreement
that medium-term growth will be mainly driven by robust domestic demand and tourism.
The CBI expects inflation to be below 1 percent this year and to move closer to the target in 2016
as well, citing external developments (disinflation in Europe, lower oil prices, and the exchange
rate), but highlighted wage discussions as a key risk to stability. The authorities have adjusted
down their estimate of potential output and now believe that slack in the economy has largely
disappeared. They emphasized, however, difficulties in assessing the gap given fluid crossborder
labor movements and other factors. They also noted uncertainty about how firmly longterm
inflation expectations are anchored.