Bankruptcy laws and other procedures governing financial default are key ele- ments in the functioning of market economies for several reasons: they codify and protect the rights of creditors, thus tending to reduce the cost of credit; they enhance global efficiency by forcing unprofitable firms to exit, allowing the realloca- tion of their resources into more productive uses; and they provide to company owners an indirect device for controlling and overseeing the management by sub- jecting poorly-performing managers to the threat of a transfer of control. In market economies, bankruptcy is one among several mechanisms by which corporate control can be transferred to more efficient owners. Other mechanisms include takeovers or the sale of shares on the stockmarket. But, to be effective, these devices require the existence of well-developed capital markets. However, financial markets are in their infancy in countries undergoing transition from centrally-planned to market economy. Hence, the design and implementation of effective bankruptcy procedures and enforcing them is a critical step in laying the foundations for effective corporate governance in post-communist economies.