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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]

The article discusses a unique case of the EU's application of rule of law conditionality vis-à-vis Ukraine, while the latter is in active war with Russia. It is demonstrated that the EU utilized momentum, created by the confluence of the invasion and Ukraine's EU candidateship, to apply ambitious rule of law conditionality in its relations with Ukraine. Despite the unique strategic and political context, the conditionality is path-dependent, strongly relying on the achievements and outstanding tasks of the EU's pre-war rule of law promotion in Ukraine. Also, both the design and substance of EU conditionality vis-à-vis Ukraine strongly resemble the one the EU applied vis-à-vis Western Balkans. This concerns specifically the contents of conditionality, focusing on building effective anticorruption institutions and judicial reform. Current geostrategic pressures have not yet led to major changes in the philosophy behind the enlargement process or the EU's framing of the rule of law concept. Yet, changes to be underscored include the EU's focus on specific benchmarks within pre-defined realms and strong alignment between political and financial instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is missing in our understanding of the stagnation and/or regression in the Europeanisation of the Western Balkan candidate countries? The current paper aims to present a conceptual novelty, coined as 'state-captured Europeanisation', which is based on rational choice institutionalism (RCI). The proposed alternative concept traces its origins to the literature on state capture and the episodes observed in the Western Balkan (WB) countries through state capture assessment diagnostics (SCAD). Designed as an article, this paper offers an in-depth literature review of the main concepts surrounding Europeanisation and state capture. It examines corruption from the perspective of the literature on rational choice institutionalism. In this theoretically inclined research paper, the references to the Western Balkans reveal a resistance to Europeanisation. In fact, Europeanisation in the WB countries can be, and has been, hijacked or manipulated by vested interests within the state apparatuses, resulting in what we have termed as 'state-captured Europeanisation'. State capture can be described as an evolutionary institutionalisation of corruption relations. Adapting the conceptualisation that explains how Europeanisation is seized by an illegitimate monopoly on the governance and economy of the countries on track to EU accession, the paper builds on the literature that explored the rationale behind the institutionalisation of corruption to advance an additional view about the effects of state capture on Europeanisation. The methodological framework used is that of rational choice institutionalism, focused on unveiling the causes of stabilitocracy, stagnation, and regression in Europeanisation. To contrive arguments and identify the episodes of state-captured Europeanisation, the article uses SCAD, bringing into the spotlight several instances in which political elites, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups have acted as driving forces for mimicking Europeanisation (with examples from Serbia between 2007 and 2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the vaccine diplomacy efforts of China, Russia, and the EU in the Western Balkans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on Schmitt’s (2018) framework, it explores how recipient countries selectively chose evidence in support of political myth-building. Quantitatively, the EU was the largest vaccine donor to the region during the pandemic, yet survey data reveal no significant improvement in public attitudes toward the EU. To explain this paradox, the paper explores the reception in the Western Balkans, particularly in Serbia, arguing that the selective evidence processing and response played a critical role in shaping public perceptions. The selective reception of external narratives hindered the EU’s ability to shift public sentiment, despite its substantial vaccine contributions. Furthermore, the paper highlights the well-crafted strategic narratives and the follow-up interventions by China and Russia, which capitalized on local political myths to reinforce their influence, effectively countering the EU’s efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has become one of the greatest security crises since World War 2, with profound geopolitical and socio-economic implications for Europe and beyond. The upsurge of political and media attention to this war may have increased public support for EU enlargement, with new countries in the Eastern neighbourhood and the Western Balkans receiving the official EU candidate status. By drawing on mechanisms of securitisation and solidarity, this paper tests to what extent the Russian invasion has generated a positive politicisation of EU enlargement. While this crisis may have indeed fostered a permissive consensus in EU public opinion regarding Ukraine's future accession, I observe no such effects for the Western Balkans or Turkey. This finding also remains robust to identity and socioeconomic controls, which have traditionally structured public support for European integration. The empirical part is based on descriptive and regression analyses of data from a representative survey of 7678 respondents in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain conducted at the end of 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating renewable energy sources into the power system is essential for rapid and cost-effective decarbonization. This study evaluates the potential of a wind farm by analyzing three turbine models – VESTAS, GAMESA, and W2E – with power capacities from 2.5 MW to 8 MW. The analysis focuses on Region III, characterized by wind speeds below 7.5 m/s. Using the RETScreen model, the study identifies an optimized wind-rated power (OWRP) that balances financial viability, technical performance, and capacity factors. Monte Carlo simulations and sensitivity analyses assess financial indicators such as the levelized cost of energy, net present value, and equity payback period. The framework also considers greenhouse gas (GHG) credits. Results show that turbines with 4.5 MW power, rotor diameters of 105–128 m, and hub heights of 150 m are the most feasible. The project would reduce annual CO2 emissions by 187,097 tons and avoid 82,031 tons of fossil fuel consumption, equivalent to 17,559 hectares of forest CO2 absorption or 190,915 people cutting energy use by 20%. Without GHG credits, the equity payback period is 6.2 years; with a €50/tCO2 credit, it drops to 2.7 years. These findings offer policymakers in Albania and similar low-wind regions a guide to meeting 2050 energy and climate targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is frequently used in efficiency analysis, has also been applied to the measurement of entrepreneurial efficiency for the attainment of desired values of macroeconomic indicators (such as the objectives of sustainable economic growth). For this application, DEA takes into account the economic, environmental, and social impact of entrepreneurship as the three dimensions of sustainability. This paper aimed to investigate the potential for a scalable (in diversity, equity, and inclusion dimensions) DEA application in sustainable entrepreneurship performance (SEP) assessment through three channels (assessing SEP without ESG activities; ESG→SEP; ESG (DEI)→SEP) and present an empirical study related to economic growth assessment and its environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) determinants across selected Western Balkans (WB) and European Union (EU) companies, based on the use of the proposed scalable DEA. It highlights how crucial a scalable nonparametric approach to macroeconomic efficiency analysis is and provides a more comprehensive perspective to the researchers on this issue. This study used a non-oriented DEA model with variable return-to-scale in a group of 60 WB and 60 EU companies, all of which adopted ICT/Blockchain (BC) technologies (the 11 ESG metrics). The annual corporate data was collected for seven years from 2017 until 2023. We projected the selected data to three country particularities (mass acceptance, adoption, and implementation of ICT/BC; mass labor force return from overseas; and ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities) and performed statistical analysis. Our findings estimate the influence of these three particularities on economic growth potential. In all countries’ cases, we found a statistically sound (significant, positive) correlation between ESG and SEP’s economic growth quality performance. Particularly, when corporate social and DEI initiatives mediate (channel III), SEP’s economic growth gains the best performance (+18%) in countries with ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities (BiH, NM), a +17% in countries enjoying massive labor force return from overseas (AL) and performs well in quality (particularly in the innovation and integrity) SEP performance success dimensions (all WB and EU countries). The proposed scalable DEA shows clearly, by performing an empirical analysis, which modern business (adopting ICT/BC) is the most effective in achieving sustainability projected to country particularities, helping corporate management to improve economic growth efficiency.

Sixty-one species taxa of land gastropods are known for Mavrovo National Park, and 34% of them are species taxa of high conservation value. Considering the unsystematic surveys in the area, it can be assumed that in the future the number of species taxa will significantly increase. The status of Mavrovo as a national park under high protection, and there are no immediate threats to the malacofauna. Potential problems for invertebrate communities, including snails, would be big destructive changes in their habitats and especially the presence of hydropower projects and stone quarries. The protection of the species habitats from human activity and different types of modification is the best protection measures for the mollusk fauna in Mavrovo National Park.

The Western Balkan region has faced challenges stemming from the dissolution of the socialist Yugoslavia and ongoing ethnic-nationalistic tensions. Cultural heritage has been a central point of dispute. Despite nominally implementing the same UNESCO heritage safeguarding policy framework, ICH systems in the Republic of Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were found to differ significantly. Examining and contrasting ICH systems with comparative critique in mind, we searched for a common model for regional cultural policies. ICH safeguarding systems in the three countries were also analysed according to additional guidelines for inventorying ICH that were provided by UNESCO in 2021, in order to help streamline regional heritage management towards the implementation of sustainable development goals. Our research shows that all three states struggle with inclusivity, but in different ways. Comparative implications for preventing the renewal of heritage-based conflicts in postconflict societies are considered and the regional policy model proposed for further testing.1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research problem and purpose are the importance of scientific theories in the scientific study (Haliti-Mustafa et al., 2023) of the system in the Western Balkans. In a modern legal system, in harmony with the criteria and directives of the European Union (EU), the faster provision of legal services and the expansion of the forms of protection of interest rights in the current conditions are almost impossible to realize without the existence of a segment new law -- Institute of the Notary Service in the Western Balkans. The methods used in the paper to achieve the objectives are alternative methods and analysis of results as well as comparative and inductive, and deductive methods. The main findings of the paper are notarial systems, which analyze and present an overview of the role of notaries and their impact on issues and changes in notarial acts, and an overview of high-impact research for young researchers in the field of notarial systems. As a conclusion, the research results show the effectiveness of notaries in dealing with legal issues (Sariyev, 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is frequently used in efficiency analysis, has also been applied to the measurement of entrepreneurial efficiency for the attainment of desired values of macroeconomic indicators (such as the objectives of sustainable economic growth). For this application, DEA takes into account the economic, environmental, and social impact of entrepreneurship as the three dimensions of sustainability. This paper aimed to investigate the potential for a scalable (in diversity, equity, and inclusion dimensions) DEA application in sustainable entrepreneurship performance (SEP) assessment through three channels (assessing SEP without ESG activities; ESG→SEP; ESG (DEI)→SEP) and present an empirical study related to economic growth assessment and its environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) determinants across selected Western Balkans (WB) and European Union (EU) companies, based on the use of the proposed scalable DEA. It highlights how crucial a scalable nonparametric approach to macroeconomic efficiency analysis is and provides a more comprehensive perspective to the researchers on this issue. This study used a non-oriented DEA model with variable return-to-scale in a group of 60 WB and 60 EU companies, all of which adopted ICT/Blockchain (BC) technologies (the 11 ESG metrics). The annual corporate data was collected for seven years from 2017 until 2023. We projected the selected data to three country particularities (mass acceptance, adoption, and implementation of ICT/BC; mass labor force return from overseas; and ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities) and performed statistical analysis. Our findings estimate the influence of these three particularities on economic growth potential. In all countries' cases, we found a statistically sound (significant, positive) correlation between ESG and SEP's economic growth quality performance. Particularly, when corporate social and DEI initiatives mediate (channel III), SEP's economic growth gains the best performance (+18%) in countries with ethnic, cultural, and religious particularities (BiH, NM), a +17% in countries enjoying massive labor force return from overseas (AL) and performs well in quality (particularly in the innovation and integrity) SEP performance success dimensions (all WB and EU countries). The proposed scalable DEA shows clearly, by performing an empirical analysis, which modern business (adopting ICT/BC) is the most effective in achieving sustainability projected to country particularities, helping corporate management to improve economic growth efficiency. [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]

Crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war, and challenges associated with sustainable development have emphasized the need for local food to increase the food system's resilience. Therefore, this research analyzes the food self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) and revealed comparative advantage (RCA) of cereals in Western Balkan countries (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia) and compares them with the same indicators for all European countries. The methodological framework of this research examined the food self-sufficiency and macro-level competitiveness for cereals in Western Balkan countries, as well as in Europe. The results of the research showed that all European countries have higher self-sufficiency in cereals (109.12%) and higher revealed comparative advantage (2.21) compared to the group of Western Balkans countries (71.89%; 1.53), which have lower values of the mentioned indicators. The results of econometric modeling for the Western Balkan countries showed that GDP per capita negatively influences the SSR of cereals, and agriculture value added per worker and area harvested under cereals positively influence the SSR of cereals. When it comes to the influence on the RCA of cereals in the Western Balkan region, the critical influence is GDP per capita, political stability, and agriculture value added per worker, all of which positively influence the RCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood undernutrition affects both physical and cognitive growth and is strongly associated with morbidity and mortality. United Nations’ pledge to ‘leave no one behind’ requires prioritizing policies that address inequalities and reach the most marginalized communities. Yet, undernutrition among Roma children is widely higher than that among children of the majority of the population, particularly in the Western Balkans. In light of this, we explore the determinants of the gap in undernutrition among Roma and non-Roma children in four Western Balkan countries, using several rounds of Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys data. In the countries considered in this study, the prevalence of undernutrition among Roma children is nearly three times higher than that among non-Roma children. Even after controlling for key socioeconomic and demographic factors, Roma children remain particularly vulnerable to undernutrition. While the probability of stunting decreases in the non-Roma population as age progresses, it remains persistently high at all ages among Roma children. Our findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to develop effective interventions to address the issue of undernutrition among marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of culture in democratization processes has increasingly been emphasized by the EU. Insisting on the value of culture for peaceful inter-community relations, the European Commission argues that cultural and artistic spaces can function as spaces for deliberation facilitating alternative engagement with politics through debate, education and free expression. The need for such spaces has become more urgent in a time in which democracies have come under pressure. This article examines how civil society actors in the Western Balkans create spaces of deliberation by engaging in EU funded cultural initiatives. In the projects that are being developed, civil society actors experiment with different forms of community-based management of resources and co-production, opening up new perspectives for social and political transformation. Their insistence to generate radical imagination through culture and arts and to create instances in which a different world can be prefigured has led to a boost of citizen participation in cultural projects which resulted in the emergence of 'counter-public', self-managed, post-Yugoslav spheres. In indirect, unexpected and contradictory ways, the EU funding schemes are both subject as well as facilitators of the discussions held at these spaces adding new dimensions to European democratization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Montenegrin climate is characterised as very heterogeneous due to its complex topography. The viticultural heritage, dating back to before the Roman empire, is settled in a Mediterranean climate region, located south of the capital Podgorica, where climate conditions favour red wine production. However, an overall increase in warmer and drier periods affects traditional viticulture. The present study aims to discuss climate change impacts on Montenegrin viticulture. Bioclimatic indices, ensembled from five climate models, were analysed for both historical (1981–2010) and future (2041–2070) periods upon three socio-economic pathways: SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5. CHELSA (≈1 km) was the selected dataset for this analysis. Obtained results for all scenarios have shown the suppression of baseline conditions for viticulture. The average summer temperature might reach around 29.5 °C, and the growing season average temperature could become higher than 23.5 °C, advancing phenological events. The Winkler index is estimated to range from 2900 °C up to 3100 °C, which is too hot for viticulture. Montenegrin viticulture requires the application of adaptation measures focused on reducing temperature-increase impacts. The implementation of adaptation measures shall start in the coming years, to assure the lasting productivity and sustainability of viticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine changed the European Union's attitude towards enlargement. Whereas five years previously European leaders had suggested that any expansion of the EU should be put on hold, suddenly they embraced potential membership for Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and the Western Balkans. Enlargement is the strongest instrument that the EU has to bring stability to and foster reform in bordering countries. But that strategy invites risk. Countries might join before their democracies are stable and before European institutions are ready to accommodate a wider and more diverse membership. Nevertheless, enlargement is better than the alternative. Russian victory over Ukraine would threaten not only the security of the EU but also the functioning of the single market, efforts to fight inflation and the stability of the financial system. The EU needs enlargement to protect the European commons. [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.)

Air pollution remains a major public health concern globally, especially in the Western Balkan countries facing severe air quality problems. This study investigates the relationship between air quality, news media sentiment, and public discourse in Macedonia over a ten-year period (2014–2023). We employed sentiment analysis to examine the emotional tone of news coverage related to air pollution, and topic modeling to uncover recurring themes within news articles. Our analysis revealed a distinct seasonal pattern, with negative media sentiments peaking during winter months when PM10 levels were the highest. This finding aligns with the increased reliance on polluting fuels for winter heating. Interestingly, despite a stable number of neutral articles, a rise in positive-sentiment articles suggests a potential decrease in pollution levels or the effectiveness of new government policies. We identified recurring topics like air quality concerns in specific cities, public unease regarding factories, and ongoing scrutiny of government policies. Emerging topics included the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air quality, public discourse surrounding heating practices, and growing concerns about waste management. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between air pollution data, public discourse, and media framing, offering valuable insights for policymakers and media outlets in Macedonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serbia preserves a high number of local grape varieties, which have been cultivated across thecountry forcenturies.Now, these ancient varieties are in the spotlight, and there is a global trend towards their recovery and characterization because they can revitalize regional, national and international grape and wine sectors. In addition, their genetic study can be useful to find new pedigree relationships to reveal how local varietal assortment evolve dover time. Here, thegeneticcharacterizationof138 grapevines from old Serbian vineyards revealed 59 different genetic profiles, 49 of which were identified as grapevine varieties whose origin in the country could be linked to some major Serbian historical periods.Most of the genetic profiles found in this work arranged in a complex pedigree network that integrates numerous grapevine varieties from diverse Balkan countries, agreeing with an intense exchange of plant material among Balkan regions for centuries. This analysis identified some varieties as important founders of Balkan genetic resources, like 'Alba Imputotato', 'Braghina Rosie', 'Coarna Alba', and 'Vulpea'. After deepening into their genealogy, these major direct founders might have ultimately derived from 'Visparola', an ancient variety of likely Balkan origin with a major founding role in some European regions. Our results also indicated the genetic singularity of the grapevine resources fromthe Balkanswhen compared to those fromother relevant winemaking regions, supporting the interest of their detailed study to evaluate their oenological potential and for the eventual identification of useful traits tocounteract current viticulture challenges. [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]

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]

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]

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]

The further enlargement of the European Union is in a critical phase due to the changed political circumstances both internally in the EU member states, but also in the geopolitical context. The experiences from the past cycles of enlargement, both positive and negative, motivated some of the member states and the European institutions to revise the process of the European integration of the candidate countries, primarily the accession negotiations as a central part of the process, by setting the Rule of Law as a fundamental and most important criterion for the accession. The Rule of Law is set as a crosscutting issue in the new revised Methodology for the accession negotiations, adopted in 2020. It is part of the first cluster “Fundamentals” with which the accession negotiations start and end. The paper analyzes the current situation and challenges in the area of the Rule of Law in North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania, all of them candidate countries from the region of the Western Balkans, following the 2024 Rule-of-Law Report prepared by the European Commission that included beside the member states, also the mentioned candidate countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes post-socialist industrial development and policy in the Western Balkans through the lens of its regional specialization and spatial concentration. Against a conceptual framework revolving around place-based industrial policy, and using the Concentration index (modified Herfindahl-Hirschman index) and location coefficients (Balassa index), a comparative analysis over three decades (1990–2020) highlights weak regional diversification and intra-regional integration of industrial activity. The findings offer a new industrial policy that transcends regional specialization and spatial concentration to address regional development, planning and governance. The concluding remarks reveal some basic paths toward effective and pro-European regional industrial policy in the Western Balkans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enlargement of the European Union (EU) towards the Western Balkans contains challenges. Although the EU's goal is its enlargement, some EU countries present skepticism. The Western Balkans have not yet reached the appropriate stage of economic development. The rule of law has been among the main barriers that have hindered their EU integration advancement. This paper is based on the work of Osmani et al. (2022a), Leka et al. (2022), and Qorraj and Jusufi (2018). The aim and objective of this paper are to analyze the enlargement policy of the EU towards the countries of the Western Balkans, focusing on Kosovo. Historical research methods were used to collect facts and chronological data. The main finding of this paper is that the rule of law is the main factor that positively affects the integration of the countries of the Western Balkans into the EU, as well as the increase in the level of economic development. Therefore, as a conclusion, it can be affirmed that integration in the EU is essential for the existence of this region. The relevance of this paper lies in the fact that it deals with an important topic from the field of European integration for small countries like Kosovo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Political Science Studies / Studia Politologiczne is the property of University of Warsaw 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.)

Copyright of Political Science Studies / Studia Politologiczne is the property of University of Warsaw 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.)

In 2022 Greece became the fifth country in the world to ban harmful interventions and treatments on intersex infants and children. Previously, Malta, Portugal, Germany and Iceland also legally banned harmful interventions on intersex persons. A crucial difference between Greece and the rest of the aforementioned countries is that it is a Christian Orthodox country located in Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Drawing from a contextual approach to law, in this comparative analysis the authors will use „contextuality“ to explore the meaning behind legal developments that took place in Greece regarding intersex rights and how they could potentially impact the overall situation of intersex rights in the Balkans. In addition, with this paper the authors seek to relocate the dominant focus of intersex rights from Western and Northern Europe with the aim to boost awareness of intersex issues in the Western Balkan region, especially Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization and automation are restructuring the geographical landscape of operations and labor, significantly altering operations in global value chains (GVCs). Digital technologies are expected to boost resilience, enhance transparency, and foster sustainability in GVCs. In this context, this paper looks at how the application of fintech solutions fosters the creation of regional value chains (RVCs), increasing attractiveness and generating new opportunities for enterprises in the Western Balkan region to participate in GVCs To fill the existing gap for granular analysis at the industry level, the paper examines if enterprises in the Western Balkans that apply of fintech solutions in financial management have better opportunities to create RVCs than the ones that resist fintech implementation. Using a benchmarking instrument on fintech solutions implemented on 370 enterprises, this paper tries to identify industries with the highest potential to create RVCs and higher prospects for integration in GVCs. Our findings indicate that fintech solutions and applications can be one of the main driving forces in transforming and upgrading RVCs in Western Balkan countries.

The brutal start of Russia's invasion in Ukraine in February 2022 had numerous unexpected consequences. One of them was that it brought enlargement back at the top of EU's agenda. This was also followed by a revitalisation of EU's own internal dilemma between prioritising deepening or widening, together with the increasing contradictions between member states on how should enlargement proceed. It is thus relevant to assess whether this geopolitical shift had an overall positive or negative impact on the EU. In this context, the main aim of the article is to assess the various forms of 'wartime politicisation' between 2022 and 2024 among the main policy actors in EU's public sphere around the topic of advancing its enlargement policy. In end, the article demonstrates that 'wartime politicisation' can have both stabilizing and destabilizing effects on EU and discusses future avenues of research.

The Hawala system, an informal and traditional money transfer mechanism, has been a subject of concern for counterterrorism and counterintelligence agencies worldwide due to its potential exploitation for illicit financial activities, including terrorism financing. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the Hawala system’s presence in the Western Balkans, a region historically characterized by geopolitical complexity and a complex security landscape. Drawing on empirical data and regulatory analysis, this study explores the challenges posed by the Hawala system in the context of counterterrorism and counterintelligence efforts in the Western Balkans. It examines the system’s vulnerabilities, its exploitation for terrorism financing and the difficulties faced by intelligence agencies in monitoring and disrupting Hawala networks. Moreover, the paper assesses the regulatory frameworks implemented by countries in the region and offers practical policy recommendations to enhance counterterrorism and counterintelligence strategies, fostering greater security and stability in the Western Balkans.

The following research paper conducts a comprehensive analysis into the intricate dynamics governing the relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and International Trade, with a specific focus on the Western Balkan Countries-6 (WB-6). This research spans the period from 2000 to 2020 and seeks to shed light on the interplay between FDI and International Trade within this region. To analyse and interpret these dynamics, various regression models, including Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Fixed Effects, Random Effects, and the Hausman-Taylor model, are employed as analytical tools. Moreover, the research takes into consideration the influence of specific institutional factors within each country, which play a pivotal role in shaping foreign investors' decisions to invest in a particular country. The study's results reveal that gravity factors, in conjunction with institutional determinants such as economic integration, control of corruption, political stability, and other indicators of governance quality, significantly impact the attractiveness of the WB-6 countries to foreign investors. The findings of this paper hold substantial relevance for the development of an analytical framework aimed at evaluating national policies and institutions geared towards enhancing the appeal of Western Balkan countries to foreign investors. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of these host countries prioritizing efforts to bolster the effectiveness of governmental institutions, combat corruption, streamline bureaucratic processes, and improve overall economic conditions to attract and retain foreign investment.

Book Review: Ponomareva E., Arlyapova E. 2024. The Western Balkans in the run-up to and during the current crisis: players and figures. Moscow: Prospekt Publishing House. 318 p. (in Russian)