Publications

China has “arrived” in Southeast Europe. Beijing’s assertive new foreign policy, the hallmark of President Xi Jinping’s six year reign as the executive of the People’s Republic, has seen the country accelerate and deepen its foreign ties with states all over the world, including in Europe’s East and Southeast, at a previously unimagined pace. It is not a stretch to say that a decade ago, China was simply not a major actor – in any sector – in Southeast Europe. Today, Beijing has emerged as one of the leading economic actors in the region, investing and supporting everything from energy and infrastructure projects to arms procurement.

The research report identifies, documents and analyses patterns and characteristics of irregular migration in thirteen states along the so-called Balkan route in the period from 2011 to 2017. These states are Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia (now North Macedonia), Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

Both Europe-wide inequality and the at-risk-of-poverty rate again fell slightly from 2016 to 2017. This was largely due to the strong growth in the poorer new EU member states between the Baltic and the Balkans. In particular, the number of people below the poverty threshold of 60 per cent of European median income fell by several million. Inequality and the at-risk-of-poverty rate Europe-wide, however, remained well above the level in individual EU member states.

In the light of recent events, it is becoming clear that at present that basic deal for Western Balkan countries in the EU enlargement process— reform for membership — has collapsed. Some may argue that EU policy towards the region was never as transparent as all that, but whatever its details, even the broadest version of this bargain has now dissolved. Combined with the ongoing crisis of leadership in the U.S., and the growing political and economic clout of foreign powers like Russia, China, Turkey, and others, the contemporary Western Balkans find them-selves tossed about in the most tumultuous international waters since the end of the Yugoslav crisis.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is publishing a fact sheet based on ground-breaking reports on the experiences and aspirations of youth in Southeast Europe, presenting youth demands for a decent future.

The 2018/2019 FES survey results confirm that young people in most countries of SEE share what has become an almost universal experience of young people everywhere: they are struggling to find quality jobs. This struggle may have dire consequences for a young person in various aspects of their lives. This political economy insecurity is one of the core elements shaping the attitudes and values of the SEE youth.

Young people’s increasing political and civic disengagement has been a consistent preoccupation of scholars and policy- makers over the past few decades due to its negative implications for the future of democratic citizenship and political systems. This policy paper offers main points on the attitudes of SEE youth on political and civic participation.

The issue of young people’s emigration from South-eastern Europe (SEE) has recently drawn considerable public and scholarly attention. Predominantly fuelled by economic uncertainty at home,

youth emigration has especially picked up the pace during the last ten years in the Western Balkans’ six (WB6) countries.