Garčević Published Op-Ed on Chinese & Russian Influence in the Balkans
Ambassador Vesko Garčević, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, published an op-ed in Balkan Insight and Remaker discussing Chinese and Russian attempts to gain political and economic influence in the Balkans.
In the op-ed, titled “Russia and China are Penetrating Balkans at West’s Expense,” Garčević outlines how China has sought to increase its economic and political footprint in the Balkans at the expense of regional stability and well being. He goes on to explain how Russia has also tried to gain increased foothold in the region by asserting it’s economic influence and employing media campaigns that use historical, cultural, and religious ties with the region to spread narratives against integration into European structures. In closing, Garčević argues that the U.S. and European Union need to re-engage with the Balkans because, as they are providing aid and playing the long game, China and Russia are providing more timely and public-facing aid to build good will.
An excerpt:
With the EU and US both in retreat from the region, Moscow and Beijing appear a preferred alternative to demands for painful democratic reforms. Neither Moscow nor Beijing ask difficult questions or push for restructuring of inefficient state-owned enterprises…
They often offer easy but risky solutions to a region burdened with multifaceted problems. This creates an environment conducive for white-collar corruption that has little in common with EU standards and procedures. Eventually, it leads to the erosion of already weak institutions and increases state dependency.
The Balkan Insight copy of the op-ed can be read here. The Remaker copy of the op-ed can be read here.
During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Vesko Garčević dealt with issues pertinent to European security and NATO for almost 14 years. In 2004, he was posted in Vienna to serve as Ambassador to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He had been a Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO from 2010 until 2014 and served as a Montenegro’s National Coordinator for NATO from 2015 until he joined the faculty at the Pardee School. Learn more about him here.