External Influence in the Western Balkan Countries

Vasilika Papa
Albanian University

Abstract

There is an increasing external influence of countries whose policies are against European Union such as Russia, Turkey and China in the Western Balkans which consists of Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Kosovo. The greatest influence exercised in the Western Balkan countries is noted from Russia as it is the greatest support of Serbia but not only. It is related to the Balkan region due to its historical ties as some countries were part of the former Yugoslavia and it has strong economic ties even though they started to decrease due to EU sanctions because of the Russia-Ukraine war. These sanctions are supported even by some Western Balkan countries. The influence of Turkey in the Western Balkans is mainly concentrated in cultural, religious, educational and information linkages especially with Muslim population in the region. It is related with the Balkan countries by means of historical ties as Ottoman Empire occupied such region for about five centuries. Chinese influence in the region is concentrated in economic and technical cooperation with all Western Balkan countries with the exception of Kosovo whose independence it refuses to acknowledge. Unlike Russia and Turkey, China is not related to these countries through history but without any doubt a rising force in the region and its economic influence should be taken into account as the financial and economic links between China and the Western Balkan countries have intensified since 2015. The greatest interest of these countries is to compete with the European Union in the Western Balkan as the EU enlargement process in the region is delayed a lot and they hope that it is not part of EU.

Presentation