Challenges to stability in the western Balkans
Publisher: Liz Ebrey
Volume: 16 pages, pdf
Description:
The Western Balkans is defined as including the nation states of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (henceforth referred to as Macedonia), Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo (if recognised as a separate state by the definer)1 Only a few decades ago, the political layout of the Western Balkans was completely different, with the majority included under the state of Yugoslavia, Albania being the exception . This region has been through political upheaval throughout the last century, resulting in several wars during the 1990s. While the wars have ended and each resulting state has a democratic government, the legacy from these conflicts is an underlying cause of instability throughout the Western Balkans. Displaced persons and refugees are a serious issue even now, and this is linked to ongoing higher rates of poverty.