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The six Western Balkan countries – Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania – are “captured states” by corrupt politicians linked to organized crime.
These facts have been documented by various international reports, which raise serious concerns among EU officials regarding the enlargement process.
These countries are expected to meet the social, political and human rights standards that are fundamental conditions for joining the EU. However, the EU increasingly doubts that Balkan countries can meet these standards, because their social and political life is deeply tainted by corruption.
Nevertheless, efforts to root out corruption should not stop as the Balkans’ EU membership serves the geostrategic interests of both parties.
Cornelia Abel, Southeast Europe expert at Transparency International, said before the publication of its latest corruption index, that links between politicians and businesses or organized crime “endanger, and in some cases even suspend to a large extent, the rule of law and the division of power” .
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has urged leaders to do more to fight corruption, but to no avail.
Lavdim Hamidi, editor-in-chief of the Kosovar newspaper Zeri, who has investigated corruption in the Balkans, says that “the Balkan states undoubtedly top the list of the most corrupt countries in the world.”
The corruption perception index
The 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index stresses that the majority of Balkan countries are making little or no progress in ending corruption.
In these countries, journalists and activists risk their lives every day to expose corrupt leaders. The index ranks 180 countries and territories based on their perceived level of political corruption, with 1 being the lowest level and 180 being the most corrupt.
Of all the Balkan countries, Macedonia is the most corrupt, ranked 107th. Two months ago, former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski sought asylum in Hungary following a wiretapping scandal for which the court found him guilty.
Xhemal Ahmeti, an expert on Balkan political affairs, says Macedonia and other Balkan countries are the same as in Nigeria or anywhere else, corruption takes place behind the mask of tribal, family, clan and ethnic ties.
“The ‘elites’ of these countries,” says Ahmeti, “have always worked to convince their public opinion that they are wrongly accused of corruption by the West.”
As a result, the EU and international observers in Macedonia will not succeed in combating corruption without direct and active monitoring on the ground.
The rich politicians of Kosovo
Kosovo is the second most corrupt country in the Balkans, ranked 85th. Since declaring independence in 2008, Kosovo has offered its political leaders numerous opportunities to become extremely wealthy.
“No matter where they served, all seemed to benefit far more than their salaries indicated. Top party officials became so wealthy that they could afford to hire personal drivers and bodyguards without declaring the source of funding,” says Jeton Zulfaj, who has spent the last two decades in Kosovo focus on anti-corruption strategies.
In Kosovo, where unemployment reaches an alarming 30%, politicians constitute the richest class in the country. Many large companies have grown significantly thanks to the support of politicians – who received millions in return for “their efforts”.
According to the corruption index, Albania moved from 83rd to 91st place. Progress has been made in combating petty corruption in the public sector, but much remains to be done, particularly with regard to corruption in the justice system.
Gjergj Erebaja, an Albanian journalist, says:
The justice system, including prosecutors and courts, is subject to the extreme influence of the political elite. Politicians… use the unlimited power of the state to blackmail voters… Large private corporations are, to some extent, an extension of the political system.
No progress in a decade
Bosnia and Herzegovina has made no progress in the fight against corruption over the past decade, on a par with Albania. In this country, political corruption at all levels of government remains a major concern. The British Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Matt Field, recently wrote about corruption, stating:
The final cost of corruption is harder to quantify, but it includes millions of dollars in corrupt government spending, stolen funds and missed foreign investments. And this price always weighs on the taxpayer, the citizen, who does not benefit from the quality public services for which he pays.
Cornelia Abel, head of Transparency International, cited Serbia as an example of a “captured political system.” quoting the excessive influence of its president, Aleksandar Vucic. “Serbia… is becoming a great example of one person in a position of power influencing everyone,” she said.
Serbia fell five places in the corruption perception index, from 72 in 2016 to 77 in 2017.
The anti-corruption portal for businesses, supported by the European Union, States that:
Corruption is a problem in Serbia and its prevalence exceeds the regional average. Foreign companies should be aware of conflicts of interest within Serbian state institutions. Public procurement, natural resource extraction and the justice system are particularly vulnerable to fraud and embezzlement.
Montenegro’s fight against corruption
Montenegro has also made little to no progress in its fight against corruption and remains in 64th place. Transparency International experts said the 2016 alleged coup attempt only “halted anti-corruption efforts to some extent.”
Montenegro is often criticized for not doing enough to fight organized crime and corruption, with Brussels demanding concrete results in the fight against corruption at the highest political level as one of the main conditions for the country to join the EU.
Integration into the EU
The endemic political corruption of the Balkan states is certainly one of the main obstacles that significantly slows down the EU integration process.
However, given that the Balkan states are eager to join the EU and the EU wants to attract them into its orbit and keep them away from Turkey and Russia, both parties must take specific measures to resolve the problem of corruption.
The EU is in a strong position to use its influence by offering investments, loans and access to the European market, against which neither Russia nor Turkey can compete effectively – nevertheless, they will stop at nothing to integrate into their sphere of influence.
In return, the Balkans should be invited to implement political, economic and social reforms. The EU should also insist on greater transparency and accountability, which would reduce widespread corruption among elected officials.
To this end, the EU should re-establish a police and judicial presence not only in Kosovo (which recently ended after ten years), but in all Balkan states seeking EU membership.
The role of civil society
Civil societies in the Balkans have a major role to play in protesting and organizing massive rallies and demanding an end to the corruption that has infected all layers of government, including the judiciary and law enforcement.
If their respective governments fail to take clear and decisive action to combat corruption, the public may be forced to resort to civil disobedience, which could include strikes, student walkouts and civil servant slowdowns.
Addressing the problem of corruption in the Balkans is essential for the geostrategic interests of the EU as well as for the future well-being of the Balkans within the European community.
The accession of the Balkans to the EU must be seen as a marriage of necessity which will considerably strengthen their collective security while significantly improving quality of life and respect for human rights throughout the Balkans.
Editor’s note: This article was co-authored by Arbana Xharra
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