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Arguably, one of the most successful campaigns in Air Power history was Operation Allied Force (OAF). In its im mediate aftermath, on June 6, 1999, the preeminent military historian, John [...]

This research aims to contribute to the literature on Ottoman common and by analysing how mid-nineteenth century land codes influenced conflicts regarding common pastures in the Balkans. To accomplish this goal, two sets of primary sources are analysed: legal documents (Land Code of 1858 and Title Deed Regulation of 1859) as well as petition records from the Ottoman Imperial Archives. Case studies of land disputes occurring between commoners and large estate (çiftlik) holders in the Balkans are selected from the years following the enactment of these land codes. This selection enables an examination of the impact of these codes on the arguments presented by the conflicting parties. The central argument of this study points out that the Ottoman Empire's efforts to codify land laws played a crucial role in shaping the disputes over communal pastures. However, it is equally important to underline that these legal changes did not signify an unqualified victory for private property rights over commons. Instead, the rural population countered landholders' efforts by employing petitioning as a proactive strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Comparative Literature / Primerjalna Književnost is the property of Slovenian Comparative Literature Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Functional diversity is a key component of biodiversity that reflects various dimensions of ecosystem functioning and the roles organisms play within communities and ecosystems. It is widely used to understand how ecological processes influence biotic assemblages. With an aim to increase our knowledge about dragonfly ecological requirements in tufa-depositing karst habitats, we assessed functional diversity of their assemblages, various life history traits (e.g., stream zonation preference, substrate preference, reproduction type), and relationship between functional diversity and physico-chemical water properties in three types of karst lotic habitats (springs, streams, and tufa barriers) in a biodiversity hotspot in the western Balkan Peninsula. Dragonfly functional diversity was mainly characterized by traits typical for lotic rheophile species with medium dispersal capacity. Among the investigated habitats, tufa barriers, characterized by higher (micro)habitat heterogeneity, higher water velocity, as well as lower conductivity and concentration of nitrates, can be considered as dragonfly functional diversity hotspots. Functional diversity and most of the life history traits were comparable among different substrate types in the studied habitats, indicating higher importance of habitat type in shaping dragonfly functional diversity patterns in karst lotic habitats. Our results should be considered in the management and conservation activities of vulnerable karst freshwater ecosystems and their dragonfly assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa), having faced a population size reduction during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, is now experiencing a remarkable population recovery, not only confined to natural habitats alone, but also thriving in human-dominated environments. Previously, studies on wild boars predominantly relied on the analysis of supposedly neutral molecular markers (e.g., microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms). In this study, a next-generation sequencing approach was used to examine the adaptive variation at the second exon of the SLA-DRB1 locus in 116 wild boars from the western Balkans. A total of 17 functional SLA-DRB1 alleles were detected which translated into 14 different amino-acid sequences. In 12 individuals, we observed alleles at duplicated SLA-DRB1 loci. Spatial analysis revealed the presence of three genetic clusters, albeit with relatively low overall differentiation (an average FST value of 0.012). Positive selection was detected on only one codon, as indicated by multiple tests, while the presence of shared alleles among related species suggested signals of trans-species polymorphism. Our results indicate the high MHC diversity at the SLA-DRB1 locus in wild boars from the Balkan Peninsula, shaped by a complex interplay of several non-exclusive mechanisms, including balancing selection, recombination, and gene duplications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here describe abundant new fossil material of amphibians and reptiles from different late Neogene localities of northern Greece: the Early Pliocene (MN 14) of Spilia 0, Spilia 1, and Spilia 2; the Early Pliocene (MN 15) of Spilia 3, Spilia 4, Spilia 5, and Vevi; and the Late Miocene or Pliocene of Chalicorrema and Rema Marmara. These new late Neogene herpetofaunas are highly diverse, documenting a considerably rich herpetofauna allowing the identification of at least two salamander, seven frog, two turtle, seven lizard, and eight snake taxa. Salamanders are represented by the salamandrid genera Ommatotriton and Ichthyosaura. Frogs are represented by the bombinatorid Bombina, the discoglossids Latonia cf. ragei and Latonia sp., the pelobatid Pelobates aff. praefuscus and Pelobates sp., the ranids Pelophylax and Rana cf. dalmatina, the hylid Hyla gr. arborea, and the bufonid Bufotes gr. viridis. Turtles are represented by the emydid Emys and an indeterminate geoemydid. Lizards are represented by the scincid Ophiomorus, two lacertids (one of which potentially pertaining to Lacerta), amphisbaenians, agamids, the anguid Pseudopus, and a potential varanid. Snakes are represented by the erycid Eryx, the natricid Natrix aff. rudabanyaensis, a small-sized elapid, an "Oriental viper", the colubriforms Periergophis and Paraxenophis, as well as two further distinct but still indeterminate morphotypes of colubriforms. For the material from Spilia tentatively referred to Ommatotriton, this is only the third occurrence in the fossil record globally. The new material of Ichthyosaura and Bombina mark the first documentation of these genera in the Greek fossil record. Abundant cranial and postcranial material from Spilia is tentatively referred to Latonia ragei, a taxon previously known from the Early Miocene of Western Europe. The new record of Pelobates represents the oldest documented occurrences of the genus in the Greek fossil record. Interestingly, the Pelobates from Spilia bears much resemblance to an extinct taxon, Pelobates aff. praefuscus, which is otherwise known from the Late Miocene of the Caucasus, and not to the extant species that currently inhabits the area. The identification of Pelophylax and Rana adds to the rather poor Neogene record of ranids from Greece. Particularly for the case of Rana cf. dalmatina from Spilia 4, this corresponds to the only documented occurrence of this extant taxon in the Greek fossil record. Similarly, the identification of Hyla gr. arborea in Spilia 1, Spilia 3, and Spilia 4, marks only the third documented occurrence of this genus in the Greek fossil record. The Bufotes material from Spilia 1, Spilia 3, and Spilia 4 represents the first documented fossil occurrence of the extant Bufotes viridis complex in Greece. The material of Emys gr. orbicularis from Vevi marks the only known pre-Quaternary record of the genus in Greece and one of the only few Neogene members of the genus known from Europe. The scincid Ophiomorus is identified in Spilia 4, known from several cranial and postcranial remains, well outside the extant range of the genus. Practically, the Spilia Ophiomorus is only the fourth known fossil occurrence of this extant genus globally and also represents one of its oldest known occurrences. Material from Spilia 1 and Spilia 3 is tentatively referred to cf. Lacerta sp., and this would mark the first known occurrence of this emblematic extant genus in the Greek fossil record, denoting the presence of the genus since at least the Early Pliocene. The new amphisbaenian specimens from Spilia 4 add to the recently described single vertebra from the same locality, and represent the youngest occurrence of amphisbaenians from continental Eastern Europe. The new agamid material from Vevi and Chalicorrema add substantially to the record of this group, which was in Greece so far known exclusively from the latest Miocene/earliest Pliocene of Maramena. A similarly important addition is the record of Pseudopus from Spilia 4, as this genus had been known in the Greek fossil record only from a very few localities. The potential varanid from Spilia represents one of the few Pliocene occurrences of this group in Europe. We identify Natrix aff. rudabanyaensis among the material from Spilia 0, Spilia 4, and Vevi, adding to the previously known record of this taxon from Maramena, however, its precise species level assignment should await a revision of Neogene European Natrix spp. The find of a small elapid from Spilia 4 represents the youngest occurrence of a coral snake from Europe, extending their statigraphic range up to the Early Pliocene (MN 14). Periergophis and Paraxenophis, two bizarre snakes, so far exclusively known from their type locality in Maramena, could be also present here, even if tentatively identified. Most notably, the new material from these localities comprises forms that are now extinct (e.g., Periergophis and Paraxenophis) or extirpated from Europe (e.g., Latonia, Varanidae, Elapidae) but at the same time also loudly attests the emergence of the extant genera that dominate the extant herpetofaunas of Greece (Ichthyosaura, Bombina, Pelobates, Pelophylax, Rana, Hyla, Bufotes, Emys, Ophiomorus, Lacerta, Pseudopus, Eryx, and Natrix), for some of which their fossil record is documented here for the first time in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of Italian nationalism in general, and in Habsburg Dalmatia in particular, has escaped any systematic theorizing in the field of nationalism studies. In the 1860s, changing geopolitical scenarios, resulting from the process of Italian unification, triggered a heated debate among Italian- and Slavic-speaking Dalmatian politicians and intellectuals over the introduction of equal status for the Italian language and Slavic-Dalmatian. Although Italian-speaking Dalmatians constituted a very tiny minority of the population of the Austrian province, the Italian language had a dominant role in public life as a legacy of previous Venetian colonial rule. While the majority of the Slavic-Dalmatian intelligentsia and political elites sought rights for the local Slavic language in public life without undermining the existence of Italian, Italian-speaking elites opposed measures aimed at language equality in their attempt to maintain their privileged position within Dalmatian society. In the same period, Niccolò Tommaseo emerged as the leading figure against any concessions to Slavs, thus distancing himself from his previous "multinational" ideas and igniting anti-Slavic Italian nationalism in the region. And the nationalist tropes used by Italian-speaking Dalmatians, Tommaseo included, mirrored the very same primordialist rhetoric of modern-day nationalist leaders, from Russia to China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the story of a balloon accident in the Bihke region of Bosnia in 1803, this article evaluates the balloon technology of the period through the life of Francesco Zambeccari, who was the aeronaut of that balloon, as well as the anxiety caused by the falling balloon both in Bosnia and the Ottoman centre, in the context of the Napoleonic threat. It first focuses on the balloon technology of the period and considers the mobility and network of relations it created by focusing on Zambeccari, a Bolognia notable. Secondly, it tries to understand how local people interpreted this event and the methods local administrators used both in managing the public's reactions and deciding what to do with the falling balloon. Thirdly, the article examines how, under the shadow of the Napoleonic threat, tensions grew steadily for the Ottoman centre which believed the falling balloon to be linked to a French military advance towards the Bosnian border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the end of the 20th century there was a growing interest among political leaders on the one hand and intellectuals on the other regarding the interference of politics at the cultural issues. The issue of culture raises a problem between peoples and the creation of political ideas that will be a challenge for the new century. Thus, the clash of civilizations by Huntington who sees the danger of the future in cultural terms, a war that will take place between the most influential cultures in the world, and the end of history by Fukuyama who argues that history should be seen as an evolutionary process and that the end of history, in this sense, means that liberal democracy is the ultimate form of government for all nations. However, this process was preceded by developments from the 90s with the wars in the Balkans, as well as with September 11 as a starting point for different political orientations. The destruction of the Bridge of Mostar will be the first event for the cultural crisis, which will continue with the attacks in the USA that question the security of the states. These two issues will open new fronts in the world. First, the cultural crisis will be cut by the dynamite of the Afghanistan regime and the destruction of the monumental statues carved in the Bamyan valley, then the wars that will take over Afghanistan and Iraq. Then would follow the Arab awakening with the so-called "Arab Spring" that until today did not flourish in any country, they remained hostage to the cultural crisis and cultural identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the scope of this study, we delved into a thorough exploration of the intricate relationship between PISA study outcomes and a spectrum of socio-economic variables across 33 diverse countries. Our analytical approach harnessed the power of multivariate linear regression models, executed using STATA, a reliable and robust statistical software. These models served as a precise tool to effectively gauge the influence of a multitude of factors on PISA scores, thereby offering a nuanced understanding of the dynamics at play. However, we didn't stop at mere regression analysis. We further enriched our investigation by embracing the K-means clustering method. This clustering approach allowed us to classify countries into distinct groups based on shared characteristics related to PISA scores and socio-economic factors. By doing so, we unlocked a deeper layer of insight into the unique patterns and commonalities within the dataset, shedding light on the complex interplay between education, socio-economic variables, and the broader landscape of economic development. The amalgamation of these two analytical methods presented a holistic perspective, enabling us to unravel the multifaceted interactions that underlie education outcomes and socio-economic conditions. These findings, ripe with implications, offer valuable guidance for policymakers, educators, and researchers alike, as they grapple with the challenges of enhancing educational quality and promoting sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides in soils raise concerns about the biodiversity, food safety, and contamination of watercourses, contributing to unsustainable land management practices. Monitoring the residue levels in agricultural soils is essential, as this offers valuable insights into the current extent of soil contamination and potential environmental risks attributed to their application. This study aimed to address the occurrence of the currently used herbicides in soil under intensive crop production, comparing the results of monitoring at two depths (0–30 and 30–60 cm) in 2013 and 2023. The research concerned the main agricultural area in Vojvodina Province (Serbia) and evaluated the presence of 41 herbicides in 128 localities. Pesticides were found in all samples, finding even more than six different herbicides per sample. The significant concentrations of s-metolachlor, etofumesate, clomazone, diflufenican, pendimethalin, and terbuthylazine found can be attributed to application practices, as they are typically applied pre-emergence, either through direct soil treatment with or without incorporation. Moreover, the correlation between different depths, herbicide residues, and soil properties was not significant. The decrease in the herbicide residues found in 2023 compared to the residues found in 2013 can be attributed to the implementation of good agricultural practices, which promote sustainable agricultural strategies through controlled pesticide application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of foreign aid in the Western Balkans countries' economic growth between 2009 and 2021. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a panel data approach to examine the effects of foreign aid on economic growth in the region and incorporates a random-effects model to accommodate the unique cross-country variations and time-specific factors, as well as a pooled OLS and fixed-effects model for a comprehensive, comparative analysis. Findings: The in-depth regression analysis shows that foreign aid has not had a significant impact on the economic growth of the region. Further evidence suggests that trade openness exhibited a significant positive correlation with economic growth, while gross capital formation, although positively associated, did not significantly impact it, indicating the complexity of its role in the region's economies. Practical implications: The analysis presented in this study has significant practical implications, particularly for policymakers in the Western Balkans. Given the region's ambitions for European Union membership and the challenges of high unemployment and inflation, understanding the role of foreign aid is crucial. Originality/value: This research provides a unique contribution to the field of development economics by examining foreign aid effectiveness within the context of a region often overlooked in the literature. The analysis also offers fresh insights into the complex dynamics of foreign aid and its implications for policy and development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and environmental pollution are major global challenges that make environmental sustainability a high priority in the tourism industry. Hotels that implement green practices play an important role in promoting sustainable tourism by implementing policies and measures that protect and preserve the environment. This study examines the attitudes of hotel managers towards green practices, with the aim of understanding their impact on the development of sustainable tourism in the region. For this purpose, a survey was conducted that included 618 managers of 3-5 star hotels in the countries of the Western Balkans: Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Statistical tests applied to analyze differences in managers' attitudes included the Kruskal-Wallis test to identify general differences between groups. To find out which groups were different from each other, Dunn's method was used for post-hoc comparisons. The results reveal significant differences in the attitudes of managers regarding sustainable practices, highlighting the need for broader promotion and standardization of these practices across the region to support more successful sustainable tourism development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper gives information about spring dolichopodids collected from April to June in Vitosha Mountain, Bulgaria. Twenty-five species were found, as thirteen are new for the studied area and one of them (Achalcus cinereus (Haliday in Walker, 1851)) is new to the fauna of Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula too.

In this paper, we provide additional data on the orb-weaver spider fauna (Araneae: Araneidae) of Kosovo. Three species are reported for the first time from this country: Araneus grossus (C.L. Koch, 1844), Argiope lobata (Pallas, 1772) and Cyclosa oculata (Walckenaer, 1802). In consideration of the findings and the updated checklist of Araneidae in this study, the documented number of spider species in Kosovo has now increased to 251. Given that the spider fauna of Kosovo is still not fully explored, our study emphasizes the necessity of ongoing exploration to better comprehend the diversity of spider species within the region.

This article compares the development of two capital cities in Southeastern Europe, paying particular attention to the political context of this process. The two cities examined in this article are Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria, established as an autonomous principality in 1878, and Sarajevo, the main city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the same year. The comparison of these two cases aims to reveal their transformations from towns in imperial borderlands into primary cities of the Balkans in the second half of the 19th century. This article focuses on key planning and architectural projects, instruments that represent ideas about nascent states, and the material legacy of Ottoman times in Sofia and Sarajevo to demonstrate how political conditions influenced the attitudes to heritage and urban development. This article aims to demonstrate that the creation of capital cities is a complex process that impacts the nation-building processes. Keywords: capitality, late 19th century, Sarajevo, Sofia, architecture, urban planning Cet article compare le developpement de deux capitales du sud-est de l'Europe en accordant une attention particuliere a son contexte politique. Les deux villes en question sont Sofia, capitale de la Bulgarie devenue principaute autonome en 1878, et Sarajevo, ville principale de la Bosnie-Herzegovine sous occupation austro-hongroise a partir de la meme annee. La comparaison de ces deux cas cherche a reveler les elements d'une transformation qui les a vues passer, dans la deuxieme moitie du XIXe siecle, de villes excentrees de l'Empire a villes de premier plan des Balkans. L'article s'interesse a certains projets majeurs d'urbanisme et d'architecture, instruments revelateurs des idees concernant les Etats naissants, et au legs de l'ere ottomane a Sofia et a Sarajevo, dans le but d'illustrer l'influence des conditions politiques sur les attitudes a l'egard du patrimoine et du developpement urbain. L'article entend montrer que l'etablissement d'une capitale est un processus complexe qui se repercute sur la formation de la nation. Mots-cles : statut de capitale, 19e siecle tardif, Sarajevo, Sofia, architecture, urbanisme, The goal of this article is to compare the development of two capital cities in Southeastern Europe, paying particular attention to the political context of this process. The two cities [...]

Hearing Homer's Song: The Brief Life and Big Idea of Milman Parry. By Robert Kanigel. New York: Knopf, 2021. Pp. 325, acknowledgments, photographs, notes, index. $28.95, hardbound. Wild Songs, Sweet [...]

The purpose of this research paper is to determine factors of credit risk expressed in terms of non-performing loans in six countries of the Western Balkans (Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia). The research uses different econometric techniques for the presentation of econometric models, where 4 models are used: OLS, fixed-effects model, random-effects model, and Hausman Taylor IV estimators. The results from the empirical analysis presented show that unemployment and the real interest rate have a positive impact on the growth of non-performing loans where both coefficients are statistically significant at the 1% level, while other variables (financial stability, economic growth, and inflation) show a statistically significant negative impact. These findings are important for the decision-makers of the financial systems of these countries, especially countries that have limited use of monetary policy, making decisions to create greater financial stability to reduce credit risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I investigate the attempts of the European Union to promote and entrench the rule of law standards in the Western Balkans countries. I examine the failures of legal reforms in key policy areas, such as the regulations of judicial independence, the legislative branch of government, vetting and suppression of corruption, that prevent progress in achieving the rule of law standards. I demonstrate how a narrow focus on the judiciary and its performance has harmed the standards. I propose a more specific focus on socio–economic reforms that, at first glance, appear less relevant to the rule of law. These are: higher education reforms, digitalization, decarbonization, and better targeting of anti-corruption measures. More focus on these areas allows a refocusing from a narrow conception of rule of law to other good governance reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three moss species are recorded for the first time in the Republic of North Macedonia. These are Brachytheciastrum dieckei, Kiaeria starkei and Orthotrichum schimperi. Details on records are given including distribution, georeferences and ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between working capital management and the sustainable growth rate, using profitability as a mediator. The research analyzes a dataset comprising 122 SMEs that operated within selected Western Balkan countries from 2013 to 2022. By employing ordinary least squares regression models, the study displays an indirect connection between working capital management and the sustainable growth rate, facilitated through the mediation of profitability. The outcomes of the mediation effect analysis classify "indirect-only mediators" as the net profit margin. The findings underscore SMEs' importance in tactically managing their working capital, particularly by shortening their inventory turnover and cash conversion periods. A more efficient inventory turnover period and cash conversion period can substantially increase the SMEs' capacity to generate profits, as it enables them to generate more internal funds. This internal financing is crucial for achieving a sustainable growth rate. Maintaining a sustainable growth rate is critical for SMEs to successfully manage, control, and strategize their financial operations and activities. A constant growth rate has the potential to boost profitability and provide significant information to management for prudent financial decision-making. The results of this study can be used in future research attempts to analyze many aspects of the sustainable growth rate. This goes beyond individual activities and embraces the entire industry, to understand how SMEs can improve the efficiency of their financial operations and strategic initiatives, thereby contributing to their overall success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern green lizard (Lacerta viridis) is a mostly insectivorous species, based on multiple studies from across its range. However, for Bulgaria the published data of such kind are limited to five publications. We investigated faecal samples from a total of 60 individuals of free-ranging L. viridis obtained from two localities in western Bulgaria. Our aim was to clarify the diet regarding its taxonomic composition, as well as some physical characteristics of the prey like hardness and evasiveness. For one of the study sites we compared the realised trophic niche (prey items from the faecal pellets) with the fundamental niche (invertebrates collected via pit-fall traps exposure). In our results, two invertebrate taxa had the largest share (both in frequency and abundance) in the food spectrum of L. viridis: Araneae and Coleoptera), respectively 21.2% and 17.6%. Regarding specific prey selectivity, analysis showed that Lepidoptera are most preferred (E* = 0.68), and Formicidae - most avoided prey items (E* = -0.79). We registered several cases of saurophagy (in four samples) and keratophagy (in two samples), two types of dietary items, which have not been reported for L. viridis so far.

This study aims to analyze the position of Balkan countries in international migration movements targeting Türkiye and the distribution of the Balkan-born population residing in Türkiye. In line with this objective, the study sought answers to the following questions: What is the position of Balkan countries in international migrations targeting Türkiye? Is there a spatial relationship between the preferences related to provinces and the distribution of the Balkan-born population living in Türkiye? In this context, the time period of the study was determined to be 2016--2022. In the study prepared using a quantitative research design, descriptive and inferential statistics of migration movements from Balkan countries have been conducted. This analysis aims to reveal the place of Balkan countries in migrations towards Türkiye and establish the relationship between the preferences of immigrants for specific provinces and the Balkan-born population residing in Türkiye. Furthermore, to reveal the spatial relationship between the immigrants' provincial preferences and the current distribution of the Balkan-born population in Türkiye, global Moran's I and local Moran's I (LISA) techniques have been applied. As a result of the analyses, fluctuations were observed in the temporal trend of migrations originating from Balkan countries; migrations from Balkan countries constitute a low proportion of the overall migration movements to Türkiye, and the historical and cultural background plays a significant role in the rankings of countries sending immigrants. Furthermore, it was concluded that the Balkan-born population living in Türkiye and the immigrants residing in the provinces they prefer are spatially clustered and that there is a strong and positive relationship between the provincial preferences of immigrants and this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a comparison of the neophyte flora in three cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Banja Luka, Mostar and Sarajevo, in order to assess the role of neophytes in the flora of cities located in different phytoclimatic regions. The results indicate low similarity of the neophyte flora in the investigated cities. A total of 123 neophytes have been recorded, only 27 (21.95%) of which are common for all three cities. The invasive component includes 58 taxa (47.15%), 20 (34.48%) of which are common for all three cities. The highest percentage of invasive plants was recorded in Banja Luka (58% of the neophyte flora of the city), followed by Mostar (55.55%) and Sarajevo (53.12%). A total of 43 families have been recorded, with Compositae being the richest (31 taxa), followed by Poaceae (9), Amaranthaceae and Solanaceae (7 taxa each). A comparison of the biological spectrum reveals that therophytes are represented best in all three cities: Banja Luka (27 taxa - 54%), Mostar (50 taxa - 55%), and Sarajevo (34 taxa, -53.12%). A study of the geographical origin shows dominance of the taxa originating from the Americas in all three cities (34 taxa - 68% in Banja Luka; 62 taxa - 68.89% in Mostar and 39 taxa - 60.94% in Sarajevo). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution presents the first record of the invasive non-native red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) in Greece and the Balkans. The crayfish was found during a fish monitoring expedition in the lower reaches of the Vosvozis River, near the city of Komotini, Thrace (northeastern Greece). The finding of P. clarkii in Greece expands the southernmost geographical range of the species in the Balkans and calls for immediate actions in preventing its further expansion to other water bodies and towards strict control of aquarium trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Energy production, supply and consumption are global issue with many economic, environmental and social implications. Mentioned issue is even more expressed in remote rural areas, in particular in developing countries, as are the countries of the Western Balkans (WB). Renewable energy sources (RES) could represent optimal energy alternative for sustainable performing of agricultural and other activities, as well as for improving the current state of living conditions in rural communities. The main goal of research is to mark the most suitable RES alternative (six alternatives) for wider implementation in rural space of WB. The applied methodology framework implies experts' opinion (engagement of eight experts) and the use of multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM), (specifically fuzzy-rough LMWA and fuzzy-rough CRADIS methods) under the predefined criteria (nine criteria). Derived results show that the implementation of the solar energy plants could play an optimal solution, while as the relatively unsuitable alternative could be marked the use of energy potential of watercourses. Gained final result, i.e. ranking order of the considered alternatives is additionally verified by the appliance of other MCDM methods, while the sensitivity analysis was also performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact Theory suggests that interaction across ethnic lines can erode prejudices and lessen interethnic conflict. Hypotheses drawn from the theory have a mixed empirical record, however, with negative results commonly attributed to the presence or absence of conditions that mediate contact’s effects. Analyzing survey data collected in the Balkans, we test Contact Theory’s observable implications using a case that offers unique theoretical leverage: Albanian attitudes toward Greeks. It is an especially appropriate case due to the historical isolation of Albanians from their Greek neighbors, as well as the elite-level cultivation of anti-Greek prejudice that took place during that period. And it is an especially tough test for Contact Theory due to the presence of multiple circumstances thought to weaken (if not reverse) the estimated benefits from contact. Nevertheless, our results largely support Contact Theory. Albanian respondents who’ve personally met at least one Greek feel more warmly toward the group than those who have not, and that warmth tends to be greatest among Albanians who spent time living in Greece. The benefits of contact do not appear, however, among those who consider Greeks to be a national-security threat, supporting the belief that ideological or instrumental motives can neutralize contact’s ameliorative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies of territorial cooperation, including macro-regional strategies, have been a crucial component in the making of the EU space, and constitute an element of the approach adopted by the Union towards its neighbouring countries. Based on the results of in-depth interviews with 37 stakeholders from different countries and EU institutions, the article explores the potentialities and limits of the European Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) to contribute to the EU enlargement towards the Western Balkan countries. Despite the limits that still hinder the full potential of the strategy, we argue that a de-centred perspective may contribute to overcoming the stalemate of the enlargement process, as long as the potentiality of a territorial approach is fully recognized and boosted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the depiction of the Balkans in two Slovenian translations of Karl May's Orientzyklus. This hexalogy was translated for the first time at a time when most of the Slovenian ethnic territory was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and it was later retranslated when Slovenia was a republic in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. A textual comparison of the originals and translations shows that in the first translations, numerous interventions were made to portray the Balkans in a more negative manner than in the originals, whereas in the retranslations, May's frequently negative depiction of the region was somewhat mitigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omer Seyfettin’s story “Beyaz Lale” was serialized in the Donanma (Navy) magazine between July and October 1914. The text discusses the massacre and rape committed by the Bulgarians against the Turks in Serres, at the extremes of brutality and sadism, during the First Balkan War, in the context of genocide. When Radko entered Serres and took control, he was aware that he had two sensitive and important duties: to plunder the city and massacre the people in accordance with procedure and order. He has no worries about being able to do this. Whether everything he plans to do constitutes genocide is not an issue for him to focus on. The important thing is to establish and keep the Great Bulgarian Empire alive. He sees it as a fundamental duty to destroy every obstacle that may stand in the way of this goal. Radko Balkaneski, the cruel and murderous protagonist of the story, is a negative character; Lale is also the victim type who is raped by this negative type. Ömer Seyfettin wrote his story, which follows a chronological course from beginning to end, as a Maupassantstyle story. In this context, the event is more important than the people, and through the narration of this event, the narrator sees it as his main goal to present his thesis strongly. Examples of almost all of the provisions in the “Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” are found between the lines of “Beyaz Lale”. In this article, the objectified human element is described as both the object of genocide and the object of rape, from sadism to necrophilia. Christianization, destruction of architectural structures, and plunder of Turks’ wealth are also among the crimes of genocide. The story very successfully presents genocide crimes taken from real life to its readers with the power of fiction and the ability of the imagination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nish joined the Ottoman administration in 1386. Ottoman rule continued in the region until 1878. In the 19th century, various rebellions against the Ottoman State took place in Nish and its neighbourhood. The 1841 Nish Rebellion is one of the most notable among them. For this reason, the related rebellion was determined as the subject of the study. In the study were investigated which the activities of Serbian prince Milos Obrenovic, main prince of the period Mihail and Miliyo (Miloje Jovanović) in the region during the Nish Rebellion, the tax issue that emerged after the Tanzimat, and the misconduct of some Ottoman officials. Especially Serbia’s encouraging and provocative attitudes towards the people of the region against the Ottoman State were analysed. Nish, Leskovac Sehirkoy, Kamaniche and Mutafcha villages, Vidin and Kula regions were identified as the spread areas of the rebellion. It was observed that Serbia carried out many activities against the Ottoman State before and during the Nish Revolt, and the Ottoman State tried to take certain measures. The aim of this study is to reveal the activities of Serbia in the face of the 1841 Nish Rebellion and the measures taken by the Ottoman State against this rebellion. In the research, archival documents, newspapers of the period, research and research works were utilised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A detailed, comparative DNA‐barcoding and morphospecies‐based overview of the vertical and horizontal distribution of Lake Ohrid's endemic Gammarus species flock is provided. Re‐evaluation of the time frame for the onset of the species flock and identification of events that putatively influenced diversification processes. Location: Lake Ohrid, Balkan Peninsula, Europe. Taxon: Gammarus species flock (Amphipoda, Crustacea). Methods: Extensive sampling and DNA barcoding of 600 individuals was carried out. DNA sequences were analysed using species delimitation methods, haplotype network reconstructions, Bayesian molecular dating and demographic analyses. The COI‐based species delimitation results were validated with nuclear 28S RNA data. Results: The species flock distribution has a weak horizontal but clear vertical structure. The diversity along bathymetric gradients correlates with temperature and salinity; and the highest diversity is observed in sublittoral and springs on the lake's shore. Two new molecular units representing putatively new species are revealed and supported also by the nuclear marker. The onset of flock radiation overlaps with the time of lake formation. The COI gene shows signs of positive selection and an acceleration in substitution rate. The demographic changes within the flock happened during the last thousands years. Main Conclusions: Distribution of the Gammarus species flock is vertically structured, reflecting habitat zonation. Parapatric speciation is one of the possible mechanisms behind the flock's diversification. Detection of new MOTUs suggests that the flock's diversity is still not fully revealed. Simultaneously, failure to collect three previously known MOTUs suggests a loss of gammarid diversity in the lake. This represents, together with the current threats to the lake ecosystem (i.e. climate changes, development of tourism), a clear call for conservation efforts. The speciation events and demographic changes within the flock relate presumably to glacial and postglacial water level changes and to the colonisation of new depth ranges and the associated springs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monachoides is a genus of medium‐sized European land snails in the family Hygromiidae. Systematics of this family was until recently based on traits of the genital system that were shown to be uninformative, resulting in revisions of classifications at the genus and family levels. Up to six species were recognized in Monachoides lately, but the inclusion of three of these species was questionable. Our phylogenetic analysis and morphological examinations show that the genus includes species previously classified in two different Hygromiidae subfamilies. After transferring three Balkan species to the unrelated genus Xerocampylaea, Monachoides emerged as a group that diversified relatively northerly, at the boundary between the Balkans and Central Europe. One species, Monachoides bacescui, is synonymized here and a previously overlooked one is redescribed, leaving only three valid species in Monachoides as currently understood: M. incarnatus, M. vicinus and M. welebitanus. These can be distinguished from other hygromiid species by their distinctive microsculpture of the shell surface, which also allows for identification of juveniles or fragmented fossil material. However, the clade comprising the three above species was found to also include the two species currently classified in Perforatella. As a result, the two genera are synonymized, with Perforatella having priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, the largest and most floristically diverse ultramafic (serpentine) outcrops are located on the Balkan Peninsula. In Greece, the Northern Pindus mountain range is characterized as a floristic diversity hotspot, due to the presence of large ultramafic outcrops that harbor a large number of nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulators with potential use in agromining. The work presented here is part of a more in‐depth study of floristic composition and ecology of plant communities in ultramafic grasslands of the Northern Pindus mountain range. In 2021–2022, 120 relevés in three subareas (sA1, sA2, and sA3) were sampled according to the Braun‐Blanquet method. We identified 493 plant taxa belonging to 61 families. The most abundant families were Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Caryophyllaceae. A total of 22 plant taxa are endemic to Greece. Ninety‐five taxa are of Balkan origin while 158 taxa are distributed to the broader Mediterranean region. The highest number of plant life‐forms are hemicryptophytes (56.39%) and therophytes (23.33%). Eight Ni hyperaccumulators including Centaurea thracica, Bornmuellera baldaccii, Bornmuellera emarginata, Bornmuellera tymphaea, Noccaea boeotica, Noccaea tymphaea, Odontarrhena chalcidica, and Odontarrhena smolikana were recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic structure and dispersal dynamics of reptile populations are profoundly influenced by natural processes and human activities. While natural dispersal is shaped by species' characteristics and paleogeographical features, human-mediated translocations have become increasingly prevalent, posing ecological challenges. Mitochondrial genetic markers have been pivotal in untangling invasion pathways for various species. Our study focuses on the Dalmatian Algyroides, Algyroides nigropunctatus (Duméril & Bibron, 1839), a lizard species endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, where recent observations in the Apulian region of Italy suggest an introduced population. Genetic analyses employing two mtDNA markers (16S and ND4 genes) elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of the Dalmatian Algyroides and trace the geographic origin of the introduced population. Our findings reveal areas in western Greece and southwestern Albania as the most probable areas of the source population, while we identify two previously undetected geographical lineages in the native range, highlighting the complex evolutionary history of the species in the region. Additionally, indications of potential glacial refugia and post-glacial dispersal patterns shed more light on the species' demographic dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we provide additional data on the orb-weaver spider fauna (Araneae: Araneidae) of Kosovo. Three species are reported for the first time from this country: Araneus grossus (C.L. Koch, 1844), Argiope lobata (Pallas, 1772) and Cyclosa oculata (Walckenaer, 1802). In consideration of the findings and the updated checklist of Araneidae in this study, the documented number of spider species in Kosovo has now increased to 251. Given that the spider fauna of Kosovo is still not fully explored, our study emphasizes the necessity of ongoing exploration to better comprehend the diversity of spider species within the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two decades after the Thessaloniki Summit – a milestone in the European Union’s relations with the Western Balkans, when the European perspective for the countries of the region was announced, only Croatia became an EU member in 2013. The disappointment with the slow progress towards EU accession, the economic stagnation, the declining political will for reforms in the candidate countries for membership from the Western Balkans and the so-called “enlargement fatigue” create opportunities for other geopolitical players, most notably the Russian Federation and China, to intervene. Russia has long cultivated close ties with Serbia and other Slavic allies in the Balkans, a region at the crossroads of East and West. Russian influence in Serbia is based on three pillars: 1) Russia as a permanent member of the UN Security Council; 2) The Russian Federation as the main supplier of energy in the region; 3) historical, cultural and political ties between the country and countries with an Orthodox tradition. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has forced the governments of the Western Balkan countries to take a clear stand against the aggressor, while the EU tries to give a new impetus to the enlargement process and strengthens its presence in the region. However, Serbia continues to follow a complex and contradictory policy. Although the country supports the UN resolutions condemning the aggression of the Russian Federation and the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories, it refrains from applying the EU sanctions in response to the actions of the Russian Federation. The reason for this is the Russian support on the issue of Kosovo, which is of primary importance for the Balkan country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Native medicinal plants contribute essential health benefits to populations globally, constituting a major natural resource that human societies rely on. Being an integral part of terrestrial biodiversity, medicinal plants are detrimentally affected by ongoing climate and land‐use change, yet comprehensive studies on the risk that extinction will pose to medicinal biodiversity are lacking. Responding to ongoing scientific calls for conserving medicinal biodiversity, this study provides an integrated assessment of the impacts of environmental change on ironwort (Sideritis), a group of closely related endemic plants of great cultural significance as local medicinal resources in the Balkan Mountains. Summary: Mountain habitats harbour unique biodiversity and provide vital resources for human well‐being, including natural medicinal resources, yet they are amongst the environments most impacted by global change. While there is ample evidence of recent rapid climate and land‐use change on mountain ecosystems, the impacts of these processes on the habitats of culturally important medicinal plants are still poorly understood. Here, we assess the potential loss of mountain habitats for medicinal plant resources over the past four decades using the culturally important ironwort, a group of endemic medicinal plants of the Balkan Mountains extensively used by local human populations and the pharmaceutical industry for treating cough and cold and gastrointestinal disorders.We used information collected from major European natural history museums to guide extensive field campaigns across 15 separate mountain ranges. We integrate field data with thousands of satellite images, station‐validated climate reanalysis data and habitat suitability modelling. We finally used machine learning to assess the relative roles of climate and vegetation rates of change in driving rates of habitat suitability change.We show that rising temperatures and 'mountain greening' erode the habitats of ironwort at alarming rates. About 50% of the total habitat area across all considered mountain ranges shows a significant decline in habitat suitability.These past trends will most likely continue in the future and could lead to widespread local extinction of the species and other medicinal plants that share similar ecological preferences, threatening their future contributions to societal well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent imagological scholarship about the Balkans has revised the Balkanism thesis by examining the sympathetic lens through which British liberals viewed the peninsula's Christian and Slavic nationalities following the 1903 establishment of the Balkan Committee. Revisionist historiography has, however, overlooked how non-Christian and non-Slavic communities were represented in Britain beyond overgeneralized orientalist stereotypes of 'the villainous Turk'. This article aims to correct this imbalance by examining representations of Albania in the travel writing and political commentary of Mary Edith Durham and Aubrey Nigel Henry Molyneux Herbert, Britain's most notable supporters of Albania's national movement in the early twentieth century, who came to sympathize with the country because of their own peripheral position in relation to the British cultural and political mainstream, by virtue of gender and an unfashionably conservative worldview. Focusing on their published travel writing and political commentary between the 1904 publication of Durham's first narrative, Through the Lands of the Serb, and Herbert's untimely death in 1923, this article proposes that they articulated a counter-discourse to liberal writing on south-eastern Europe and that their representations of Albania foregrounded the capacity for self-governance, in contrast to the cultural chaos attributed to the country by liberals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The European Union, as a community, concept, and sui generis entity, is highly attractive to all Western Balkan countries. One of the strategic goals of all these countries is accession to and membership in the European Union. On the road to the European Union, there are many standards, criteria, and conditions that each candidate and potential candidate country must fulfil. The EU conditionality principles were established in 1993 at the Summit held in Copenhagen, Denmark, and amended at the Madrid, Luxembourg, and Helsinki summits in 1995, 1997, and 1999, respectively. Besides the general criteria for membership in the European Union, there are also specific criteria related to each country with candidate or potential candidate status for EU accession. In this paper, using descriptive, comparative, content analysis, historical, and other relevant methods, the authors will try to explain the EU's specific conditionality towards the Western Balkan countries by analysing the Macedonian case. The expected results of this paper will show whether these specific criteria for membership are justified and necessary or if they are merely political tools in the hands of the European Union that can often be misused and which can hinder the Euro-integration processes of the Western Balkan countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of workers' rights in bankruptcy proceedings is a matter of supreme importance in every country. Comparing national laws, one could conclude that the predominant solution is to grant workers the position of privileged creditors. In Serbia, workers are protected by means of two laws: the Labour Law, which is the lex generalis for this area, and the Bankruptcy Law, which has the role of lex specialis. In addition to protection during bankruptcy proceedings before commercial courts, workers can appeal to the state's national guarantee institution, namely, the Solidarity Fund. Serbia is, therefore, among the countries which employ a mixed - protectionist system. By analysing the legal solutions related to these issues, the authors want to determine the correlation between national legal solutions and those at the European Union level, and to consider the problems in bringing these claims in legal practice. They have also reviewed the current legislation in some Western Balkans countries including Croatia as a member of the EU, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has candidate status akin to Serbia. The authors conclude that Serbian law has a modern, hybrid approach in securing the rights of workers in bankruptcy proceedings, but that there is room for improving regulations in this area. This could be achieved by, inter alia, increasing the volume of claims guaranteed to workers, restricting the reasons for initiating bankruptcy proceedings, making preliminary payments to workers in the initial stages of the proceedings, and keeping court records on the percentage of workers' claims being realised in bankruptcy proceedings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author conducts an analysis of China's means of influence in the Western Balkans region, and places special emphasis on the state's economic investment in infrastructure and energy, studying its connection with Beijing's foreign policy and that of the Balkans themselves. The main objective is to study China's influence on the development of the region, and to ask ourselves about the role of the Balkans in the BRI, and to analyse how this investment has materialised as well as the challenges it entails for the EU. This will primarily be done through a review of data obtained both from specialised literature and from open institutions' databases. The author concludes by pointing out that Chinese investment has not played a particularly key role in the development of the region, but that it entails risks for the EU as regards China's cultural and political influence when presenting itself as an alternative model to the West, and that the EU faces the challenge of counteracting this influence with inclusive and attractive policies for the Balkan countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) is known to have positively affected the EU accession of several central and eastern European states. The fairly modest progress of EU accessions of Western Balkan states is in stark contrast to the processes of the EU accession of the parties to the original version of CEFTA. This article analyses the role of WTO membership as an external factor determining the efficacy of CEFTA in advancing the process of EU integration in the Western Balkans (2007-2024). The article identifies two key advantages of WTO membership in the context of CEFTA's role in the process of EU accession. The first advantage is related to the use of WTO dispute settlement to ensure compliance with standards either identical or similar to those established by CEFTA. The second advantage is based on the relatively new WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), aimed at eliminating many of the barriers to international trade, which happen to be the key problems as regards regional economic integration in the Western Balkans. The article concludes that WTO membership could play a decisive role for the coordinated and efficient process of the European integration of Western Balkan states on the basis of CEFTA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term "Balkanisation" is used in the description of unstable regions where actors of international relations (states and peoples) are most often in continuous and intractable conflicts. Why did the Balkans become the birthplace of this term? Why do the conflicts in the Balkans last and seem intractable in the long term? In searching for answers to these research questions, the author relies on the methods of discourse analysis (examining perceptions) and comparative analysis (comparing perceptions that are mutually opposed and irreconcilable). The theoretical framework of this research is based on a combination of theses of social constructivism (perceptions that shape ontological security) and structural realism (as perceptions materialise in certain foreign and security policies of states). The hypothesis being proven is as follows: conflict potential in the Balkans is determined by ontological factors that represent important factors of security perceptions of different nations and geopolitical conceptions of different states. As a result, different perceptions influence the formation of opposing geopolitical conceptions, which leads to continuous appearances of aspirations for a territorial reconfiguration of space and changing borders, which is why a high level of interstate and/or interethnic mistrust is maintained over a long period of time. The concluding remarks are devoted to the presentation of views on how there are several reasons for Balkanisation, since this process is influenced not only by Balkan actors, but also by non-Balkan actors (big and regional powers with their own perceptions and geopolitical conceptions). That is why the attempts to stabilise the region initiated during the previous century were generally short-lived and were limited in scope. The tangle of different perceptions and mutually irreconcilable geopolitical goals of Balkan and non-Balkan actors results in ongoing Balkanisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trends in the EU and NATO are certainly a part of global international efforts and communications along with being integral parts of the actions of those progressive forces that strive towards global peace, security, and social progress. Therefore, European trends cannot be taken out of the global context of international relationships or any other efforts to make positive changes in the world. The countries of the Western Balkans are faced with important political, economic, and security challenges, and should support one another in the process of their accessions to the EU and NATO and create the necessary conditions for the development of a better European defense and security relevant as regards the security interests of NATO. As part of democracy and humanity, their friends should help in the building of a safer geopolitical environment. In the search of a better solution, it is recommended to focus on the values and goals of all citizens and peoples of the Western Balkans. This primarily includes dignified living in a modern, prosperous, and democratic country. A country of this kind in the Western Balkans can exist only by being fully integrated in the European and global organisations and by respecting contemporary global standards. The future of the countries of the Western Balkans cannot rely on negative, narrow-minded concepts or approaches. Their future should be founded on universal human values. And not only the future of the Western Balkans, but the entire region where it is situated. All of us should understand that happiness and prosperity of one people in this region should not be built upon the misfortune of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to offer an insight into the phenomenon of multipolarity, a phenomenon that appeared on the global scene after the end of a unipolar moment that has lasted since the early 1990s. The paper is an attempt to present the main thesis of multipolarity as well as the correlation between multipolarity and realism as a theory in international relations. For this purpose, the most important explanatory achievements of realism have been reviewed. This was a springboard for analysing one of the world players and an active participant of the new multipolar order in the form of China, using all the realist instruments suggested, in its relations with selected countries of the Balkan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the phenomenon of intermarriages in the Western Balkans, shedding light on their intricate relationship with the region's tumultuous history, ethnic diversity, and socio‐political dynamics. Through a comprehensive exploration of interethnic unions across different areas, the study delves into how these marriages have historically served as symbols of coexistence and integration, particularly during the mid‐20th century, when they were encouraged by the newly‐formed states to unite the different nations living in them. However, the rise of ethno‐nationalism and the Yugoslav Wars significantly impacted these marital patterns, underscoring the complex interplay between politics, culture, and traditional norms. The paper highlights the decline in mixed marriages post‐war, persistent ethnic tensions, and varying dynamics in different locales, suggesting that comprehensive approaches are needed for sustainable peace and unity in the Western Balkans. Through this lens, intermarriages emerge not just as personal unions but as potent symbols and potential catalysts for broader societal transformations, albeit within a context of considerable challenges and the need for nuanced, multifaceted approaches to fostering lasting interethnic harmony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]