Balkan Research Articles

The intensity of regional food trade among the Western Balkan countries during periods of crisis

This study explores the intensity of food trade among the Western Balkan (WB) countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) during periods of crisis, emphasizing the impact of COVID-19 and the Ukrainian-Russian conflict on regional trade dynamics. The impact of this crisis was measured over three analyzed years: 2018, representing a reference year for comparison, then 2020 as the year affected by COVID-19, and 2022, being affected by the pandemic as well as the Ukrainian-Russian crisis. All data collected are from the “Trade Statistics for International Business Development Database”. Conclusions about the intensity of exchange of agricultural and food products within the WB region were obtained by calculating Regional Intensity of Trade of Export (RITE) and Regional Intensity of Trade of Import (RITI). Higher values than 1 indicate intensity in trade or dominance of trade in specific products with a particular region compared with the trade with the world. In the case of trade among the WB countries, the COVID-19 crisis did not affect the increase in trade volume. However, there was an increase in intra-regional trade by about 50% when compared with 2020 and 2022. The RITE coefficients for all countries except Albania were greater than 1, indicating intensified export of agricultural and food products to the WB region compared with their global export. The RITI index is very important in crisis, as it somewhat answers the question of who "feeds" the country during crises. All WB countries had the RITI indices greater than 1, indicating a higher intensity of food imports from the region compared with the world. According to this research, the RIT coefficients measured generally declined in the years of crises, meaning that the countries shifted their export focus to other regions but still the most significant foreign and intense trade partners in agricultural and food products were countries from the region.

Analysis of implementation factors of management systems – case of the Republic of Croatia

Management systems can serve as a foundation for more efficient and effective organizational management. By certifying their management system, an organization demonstrates its commitment to excellence and focus on meeting interested parties’ requirements. However, certification is determined by the decision of the organization’s management, which can be influenced by various factors such as the organization’s size, the market in which it operates, market opportunities, availability of financial resources, the organization’s product portfolio, and more. Therefore, the aim of this research is to identify the factors that influence the management’s decision to initiate the certification process and certify the management system. The research was conducted on a sample of 320 business entities registered in the Republic of Croatia. The research instrument was a questionnaire, and the research results can be used to compare different countries in the Western Balkans region or European Union member states.

IMMIGRATION AS A SERIOUS LEGAL PROBLEM IN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

The Republic of North Macedonia, as the central part of the Balkan Peninsula, plays an important role in the transit of people, goods and services. Taking advantage of this position represents a great challenge. A recent example for this is the immigration crisis and activation of immigration transit routes. The legislation of the Republic of North Macedonia, especially the Law on Asylum and temporary protection is regulating all issues that outcome from the crisis. The law is balanced with international norms based on procedures of gaining and abolition of the right to asylum and subsidiary protection, as well as determining rights and obligations that outcome from the acquired status. This work is elaborating the main characteristics of the compliance process of Republic of North Macedonia regulations with the European Union in the context of immigration. During the research, were used all documents and legal correspondence between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia. The objective of this work is to present the progress and difficulties during the compliance process of the regulations of the Republic of North Macedonia with the EU, with the aim to provide direct conclusions about improvement of certain regulations.

NAVIGATING NEW CHALLENGES: WESTERN BALKANS AT THE CROSSROADS OF EU INTEGRATIONS

For several years now, European integration has been recognized as a key strategy to achieve dual goals in the Western Balkans: peace and stability. The European perspective is a commitment not only to the foreign policy of this region but also a great expectation of the citizens of these countries. The Western Balkans, as the European Union calls it after the integration of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, is a political notion with more than a geographical definition. The Western Balkans, a region which includes: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo, throughout the Cold War period was the area where East and West were divided. After the fall of the communist regimes in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, which followed the signing of the Maastricht Treaty and the establishment of the European Union, euphoria and enthusiasm for joining a united Europe grew. Thus, the prospect of a common future of the Western Balkans in a democratic and prosperous Europe now seemed more than feasible. Today, the countries of the Western Balkans that have passed the transition period, still encounter the difficulties of their consolidation or the stability of bilateral agreements. Although they are located in the European continent with cultural diversity in a narrow space, they continue to remain out of place in the Euro-integration process. Economic development, commercial exchanges, investments, unemployment, etc., are another dimension of the countries of the Western Balkans, but also the initiatives of some countries for an opening within the area called a mini-Schengen, and then turned into “Open Balkan” which was specifically replaced by the “Berlin Process”, which began in 2014, as a proposal by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to accelerate the European integration of the Western Balkan countries. The difficult economic situation combined with inherited political problems has created large discrepancies between countries of this region in relation to the benefits that come from the EU. The created situation has contributed to some states expanding and increasing their influencing power in this region, such as the influence of Russia. These issues represent some of the main points of view of the conference, which aims to bring together researches from the countries of the region to present their studies and views on the issues of the integration of Western Balkans into the EU and to exchange experiences, ideas and discuss other relevant issues related to the topics of the conference.

Turkey’s Soft Power towards Serbia: Implications for the Security and Stability in the Region

The purpose of this article is to analyze Turkish soft power towards Serbia in the 21st century. From a methodological point of view, this article is based on quantitative and qualitative research methods. In addition, the study uses content analysis, including newspaper articles, archival documents and other statements by individual politicians and intellectuals. The results of this research indicate that Turkey has established several public diplomacy institutions to influence Serbian public opinion, such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Diyanet, and the Yunus Emre Institute (YEI). Turkey has strengthened its influence in Serbia and other Balkan countries through their activities. It has significantly improved the image of Turkey and Turks in Serbia. It has also increased the popularity of the Turkish president in the region. On the other hand, such a policy strengthens stability in the Balkans and reduces conflicts between Serbs and Muslims in the Balkans, which is important for regional security.

Influence of territorial distribution on verbal-visual advertisements

The study of verbal-visual cognitive styles of advertising of consumers is a new scientific study that aims to prove that cognitive affiliation is a determinant of successful advertising communication. The present scientific work aims to distribute the consumers of advertising according to the scale of Kirby et al. (1988), as well as according to their territorial distribution. Consumers from Asian countries are formed as high verbalizers and consumers from European countries as high visualizers. Users from the Balkan countries have high values on the Dreams subscale. Through correlation dependences, it is established that high verbalization is positively related to short verbal structures, and high visualization - to color brightness in advertising. These generalizations confirmed the empirical evidence from other studies, because the verbal orientation of Asian-type consumers facilitates the understanding of advertising messages reflecting their cultural values, and the visual structures in advertising facilitate the perception of European-type consumers. The scientific findings would be useful for advertisers, marketers and advertising researchers.

Between “Unfinished History” and “European Perspective”: Challenges for the Stability and Development of the Western Balkans in a Contemporary Security Environment

The analysis of the dynamics of the contemporary intra-state and international relations in the Western Balkans leads to conclusion that more than two decades after the end of the wars in the territory of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) disintegration and revisionist tendencies can still be seen in the Western Balkans (WB6). This, together with the specificity of the political systems, institutional weaknesses and socio-economic problems of the Balkan states challenge the stability of the WB6 region. As a consequence, there is still a need for a multi-dimensional involvement of the international community, aimed at the stabilization and development of the Balkan region, which – metaphorically speaking – remains suspended between “unfinished history,” “permanent temporariness,” “stable instability” and the invariably receding “European perspective”.

The Impact of ESG Risks on the Economic Growth in the Western Balkan Countries

The economy is significantly impacted by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks. The growth of the economy can be sped up by the effective management of ESG risks through sustainable business practices. To promote sustainable development and to secure the long-term welfare of employees, customers, and all other stakeholders in the economy, companies must adapt and reposition their business strategies and organizational cultures. The goal of this paper is to determine how a set of common ESG elements, chosen from the viewpoints of sustainability and well-being, influence economic growth in the Western Balkan countries. For each ESG component, we used different variables. The information pertains to the five Western Balkan countries of North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Because of a lack of data, Kosovo is excluded from the study. Then, we compared results from the analysis of the Western Balkan countries with a set of countries in Southeast Europe, which are members of the European Union and essentially coincide with the Western Europe countries. We performed multiple regression analysis with applied fixed effects to the data model. According to the study’s findings, each of the independent variables had no significant impact on the GDP’s annual growth of the Western Balkan countries, but two of the variables, life expectancy at birth and labor force participation, have certain impact on the GDP growth of Southeast Europe countries, which are members of the European Union. The green transition has gained significant importance in the Western Balkan countries as a crucial pathway toward sustainable economic growth, though it introduces a range of new social and economic challenges. Economically, these nations are confronted with considerable funding requirements for development. To build sustainable societies, it would be beneficial for these countries to explore more creative financing strategies. It is advised to establish financing frameworks that not only increase the transparency in policymaking but also ensure greater accountability in their execution.

SECRET COMMITTEE "DEATH OR LIBERTY" THE MAIN PROPONENTS OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF ALBANIA

The injustices towards the Albanian people began from the decisions of the Congress of Berlin in 1878 and the bloody suppression of the uprising of the Albanian League of Prizren in 1881, where many Balkan states gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, while Albanians remained an integral part of it. At the beginning of the 20th century, Albanians were very unprepared both politically and organizationally. Thanks to some Albanian activists and patriots, in November 1905 the Secret Committee for the Freedom of Albania "Death or Freedom" was formed, which will organize the armed struggle against the Ottoman rule and the neighboring chauvinist circles that attempted to dismember the Albanian lands. This organization was formed in the city of Bitola under the leadership of Bajo Topulli, Fehmi Zavalani, Halit Bërzeshtës, Gjergj Qeriazit, Çerçiz Topullit, Mikhail Gramenos, Nuçi Naçit and many other patriots. The purpose of this organization was to raise awareness, brotherhood, love and unity in a joint fight against every ruler for the Freedom of Albania. This organization played the role of the central committee by sending patriots and activists to every province of the country where it formed its branches in the most important centers of the Albanian vilayets. It has also expanded its activity with patriotic societies abroad. In 1906 the Secret Committee for "Freedom of Albania" in the area of Korça formed the first armed units that operated until 1908 when the Congress of Bitola will be held. The bravery and courage of the armed groups together with the Congress of Bitola contributed so that the act of Albania's independence was to be written with these letters. 1912.

Citizen Satisfaction's Determinants with the Integrated Public Services Quality Provided by One-Stop-Shop. A case from a Western Balkan Country

Citizen Satisfaction's Determinants with the Integrated Public Services Quality Provided by One-Stop-Shop. A case from a Western Balkan Country

The role of protected areas in the Balkan freshwater biodiversity conservation: The case of Blidinje Nature Park (Southwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Freshwaters of the Balkan Peninsula show high levels of endemism and relict species, which are still little studied and are threatened by numerous anthropogenic stressors. Protected areas could give special opportunities to improve knowledge of their biodiversity and develop proper conservation measures for the most at-extinction risk species. The aims of this research were to: i) fill the knowledge gap regarding fish and crustaceans occurring in the main water bodies of the Blidinje Nature Park (Southwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina); ii) assess the population abundance and growth, for the species of conservational interest; iii) identify fish biodiversity hotspots in Bosnia-Herzegovina; iv) identify anthropogenic pressures and suggest proper conservation measures. Fish and crayfish data were collected in four sampling sites located on the main water bodies, using electrofishing and gillnets, in three sampling phases over the period July 2022-August 2023. The presence of three species at high extinction risk has been detected: Squalius tenellus, Aulopyge huegelii and Astacus astacus. Their populations were abundant, with balanced age structure and good growth performance. A spatial analysis allowed to quantify the fractions of the endemic species range covered by the Blidinje Nature Park, which were 6.1% and 2.3% for S. tenellus and A. huegelii, respectively. The presence of invasive Atlantic trout and overharvesting of crayfish seem to represent the main anthropogenic pressures on freshwater biota. The obtained information allowed to expand the knowledge on the distribution and population status of threatened species and to highlight diversity hotspots as valuable tools for their conservation and management.

QUO VADIS SUSTAINABLE FINANCE? DRIVERS AND BARRIERS TO GREEN FINANCE TRENDS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

This article is in convergence with the newest and most trending movements of the last decades related to the reduction of pollution, created by the business sector on a global scale, as well as to the minimization of climate change. The contribution of this paper will be in terms of the operation of green finance in the framework of the sustainable economy, as well as to the results it produces. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the real possibilities of the institutional operations of what is proclaimed on the grounds of creating preconditions for green financing. For this purpose, the sample of the Western Balkans countries has been considered for examining the sustainability of green finances. The research first reviews the latest theoretical framework related to the applicability of green finances in transition economies. Through analysis, was gathered evidence of internal and external drivers that justify green financing as an efficient input of a sustainable economy. The influence of state institutions through establishing regulations and laws that stimulate private sector developments in the transition economy through green financing as the first impetus is reviewed. The issues related to climate challenges suggested by the Kyoto Protocol are summarized. Meanwhile, the last impetus is the considerable influence of the EU, stimulating alignment with European regulatory standards, as a prerequisite for membership. Meanwhile, the results suggest that although numerous projects and funding’s were dedicated to the green finance development path, these countries are lagging mostly on the implementation of green finance infrastructure, thus we cannot look forward to more substantial development.

LOCAL FINANCES IN WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES: FOCUS ON OWN -SOURCE REVENUES AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

This study examines the fiscal dynamics of local governments’ finances in the Western Balkan countries, focusing on their own source revenues and capital investments, made from the municipalities. While spending for capital investment has increased in nominal terms, the share of municipal spending on capital investments has been downwardly unstable over the past 16 years. In addition to central government transfers, several significant factors contribute to the determination of municipal own-source revenues, including central and local public investment, current expenditures, and municipal development index. The study reveals that capital investment depends on its own source revenues or capital transfers from the central government, where local capital expenditure emerges as a robust determinant, exerting a stronger influence on municipal fiscal autonomy compared to central government investments. This finding underscores the importance of local capital expenditure in enhancing fiscal independence at the local level. This research emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of investment allocation, development indicators, and promoting local revenue mobilization. The findings suggest that enhancing local fiscal autonomy requires a shift in policy focus towards stimulating local capital expenditure and prioritizing human development. By identifying the factors that influence municipal own-source revenues, this study provides valuable insights for local management in strengthening the financial capacities of local governments in the Western Balkan countries.

The Impact of Financial Inclusion on the Attainment of the United Nations Development Goals – A Case Study in the Balkan Countries

The Impact of Financial Inclusion on the Attainment of the United Nations Development Goals – A Case Study in the Balkan Countries

Analysing Organised Crime in the Context of the Western Balkans Region, with a Research Perspective on the Territory of Albania

Organized crime creates a particularly negative social situation in the Western Balkans, which has a direct impact on the relationships that citizens have with their society. The analysis of several characteristics of organized crime and their consequences on young people, based on a review of the literature, constitutes the main research approach on which the conceptualization of the variables is based. The research follows the methodology of a cross-sectional descriptive study, which explores through scientific means how respondents (n=1,059) perceive organized crime in Albanian society. The collection of data through the structured questionnaire, analysed statistically, highlights the factors conducive to crime and the groups most exposed, as well as the dynamics linked to opposition to criminal acts, which support scientific conclusions to focus on the request for specific intervention.

Past, present and future of the two-spotted stink bug (Perillus bioculatus) in Europe revealed by citizen science

The introduction of the Nearctic predaceous stink bug species, (Perillus bioculatus) was attempted multiple times in various countries throughout Europe to mitigate the damage caused by the invasive and harmful pest species, the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). Though these attempts were thought to be unsuccessful for decades, more recent data elucidated that the species have established small self-sustaining populations in the Balkans Peninsula, Southern Russia, and Türkiye and recently began to expand. In the past years, the European range of the species reached Eastern Europe. After the first individuals were found in Hungary in October 2023 a citizen science campaign was launched to investigate the distribution of the species in the country. By June 2024 it became evident that the species is established throughout the country. Furthermore, observations regarding beetle larvae and moth caterpillars as alternative prey were reported supporting the previous assumptions that the naturalization and expansion of the species in Europe is facilitated by dietary drift. Here, we summarize the knowledge on the European presence of the two-spotted stink bug and formulate hypotheses regarding its future distribution and the impact of the species on the insect communities of the newly colonized areas.

Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Bosnia and Herzegovina: distribution, ecology and environmental preferences

Sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae) are the principal vectors for the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp. and for phleboviruses. The sand fly fauna on the Balkan Peninsula, including Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), is diverse and the circulation of Leishmania infantum as well as phleboviruses has been proven. However, recent data on the sand fly fauna in BIH are scarce. In this study, we surveyed understudied regions in central and northeastern BIH to update the sand fly distribution and gain insights into the ecological and environmental factors shaping their appearance. CDC light trapping was conducted in 2022 and 2023 and a combination of morphological and molecular methods (cytochrome oxidase I barcoding) was performed for species identifications. We mapped the currently known distribution, modelled climatic suitability patterns and performed environmental analyses by applying machine learning methods. In addition, we analyzed blood meals by host gene sequencing and MALDI-TOF peptide mass mapping and screened for Leishmania spp. DNA and Phlebovirus RNA.Altogether, 591 sand flies of four species were trapped, predominantly Phlebotomus neglectus (97 %), but also Ph. balcanicus, Ph. mascittii, and Ph. papatasi. Records of seven sand fly species known to be endemic were plotted onto distribution maps based on 101 datapoints, identifying Ph. neglectus as the overall predominant species. The environmental analyses of sand fly species indicated variation in altitudinal, thermal, and precipitation conditions across the sand fly-positive sites. Phlebotomus simici, Phlebotomus tobbi, and Sergentomyia minuta are typically found exclusively in Mediterranean and subtropical climate zones, whereas other species typically inhabit continental regions. The Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation of sand fly species numbers and Shannon entropy values suggested the southeastern coastal region of BIH as a primary focus for sand fly occurrence. This finding was corroborated by modeled average climatic suitability patterns for sand flies, depicting four distinct meso-regions for sand fly occurrence. The results of the ensemble method highlight the importance of annual precipitation to distinguish between positive and negative sand fly trapping sites in BIH. In total, 55 blood meals of two sand fly species, Ph. neglectus and Ph. balcanicus, were analyzed and five host species identified.Our comprehensive assessment of ecological and environmental preferences of sand flies in BIH may support further entomological surveys and help to better understand and evaluate potential hot spots of disease transmission in the country.

Summer daily activity patterns of mountain rock lizards of the Balkan Peninsula (Dinarolacerta spp.)

Summer daily activity patterns of mountain rock lizards of the Balkan Peninsula (Dinarolacerta spp.)

Co-evolutive Resilience: The Hidden Identity of Phoenicia

Finiq is the biggest town in its municipality and has served as an administrative center for various years. Most of the dwellings are placed during the 1990-2000 decade, referring to the previous and the current maps. Because of massive emigration trends in the past, there are many abandoned and unfinished houses. The uninhabited villages that have been abandoned in recent decades make up a serious problem, which is all too common in many Balkan countries. As a result, various buildings are semi-finished and in a degraded state, both architectural and structural. Also, on top of the hill of Finiq, there is an archeological site of the old Phoenicia city. It serves as the main touristic attraction for the town, along with the bucolic scene of the countryside. By analyzing the territory of Finiq we figured out that there is a hidden identity of the urban structure. As the town lays morphologically on the strip, it fragmentises from the second and third row of buildings, showing a “missed typological block”. On the other hand, it shows the creation of spontaneous empty spaces, that suggest this hidden spirit of the town, created imaginatively by connecting them. The simple disposal of each building to the nearest one creates what Franco Purini calls the “border distance”, a distance that, like in Michelangelo’s fresco, creates a necessary situation for one to feel the magnetic force of attraction or repulsion between the two bodies. The space where this magnetic force is exerted is the key point from which to draw the hidden spirit of Finiq. It is precisely the shape of that space that will determine the rules for the evolution of the town's identity. We will analyze in this paper how this space "between" can “co-evolve” if the institutions and the people who live there find a common language to reinvent a new but existing architecture of the place. As spotted in the analysis, we can confirm that there is an identity in Finiq. A “hidden spirit” lies in empty and fragmented spaces. It’s a millennial town, therefore something stronger than the constructions exists there. The resilience of the context’s form, space, and time coexist in lost identity, which we can strongly expose by intervening surgically. the co-evolution of these public spaces must start from precise rules which, through the careful analysis of the architect and urban planner, must be able to direct the inevitable spontaneity of the place’s history, without having a drastic top- down effect.

The Territorial Space of Green Transition / Transitioning from One Territorial System to Another through Nature-based Solutions - The Case of Finiq Municipality

Climate change has been recognised by many, be it nations or international organizations, as an existential threat to the world. In this context, the EU has introduced the European Green Deal, with the aim of transforming the continent into a modern, climate- neutral, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. In this scenario, the goals set by the EU are: no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050; economic growth decoupled from resource use; no person and no place left behind. The new growth strategy of the EU was also recognized by the Western Balkan Countries (nonmembers of the EU) through the Sofia Declaration in November 2020, acknowledging the need for transformation of the region to turn sustainability and resilience challenges into opportunities and transpose elements of the European Green Deal in all interrelated priority sectors. Those sectors are represented by five main pillars: Climate, energy, mobility; Circular economy; Depollution; Sustainable agriculture and food production; and Biodiversity. Even though it is a multi-sectorial approach, it does not directly address the territorial aspect. The territory is rather seen as a common dominator of the five pillars. This resizes the question, what is the spatial domain of green transition in a given territory? In the Albanian context, after the territorial reform of 2014, the territory was consolidated into 61 municipalities. In the framework of the General Local Plans, each municipality cat- egorized its territory into five main territorial systems: Urban; Nature; Agriculture; Water; and Infrastructure. Through the case of Finiq Municipality, we will further analyze the complexity of territorial systems in a given territory. For the purpose of analysis, a buffer of 1 km was ap- plied to the territory of Finiq Municipality (Bistrica River Basin) where the predominance of a territorial system over another and the mixture of them was evaluated. After this evaluation, an operational framework was conceptualized using the most relevant documents related to climate change, from the international level to the local level, that are pertinent to the case of Finiq Municipality. Taking into account the evidenced framework of green transition for the selected area, it is easier to propose effective nature-based solutions to be implemented in the transitional space between territorial systems. This was done by analyzing the concept of nature-based solutions, at first, and by reviewing case studies that deal with similar societal challenges as the ones identified in Finiq Municipality. The main focus will be the area surrendering the Bistrica River, for the simple fact that it flows from the east, where we find a high predominance of the natural landscape, to the west where a predominance of human activity is more evident. Through the river, we will illustrate the unfolding of what was explained above.