Thursday

23rd Mar 2023

Opinion

Balkan Putinism

  • Putinism is essentially the mix of authoritarian rule and crony capitalism widespread in the Balkans (Photo: Wolfgang Klotz/Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung)

That ‘Putinism is threatening Europe’s borders’ has become a fashionable statement to make. Far less popular is the question it raises: where, exactly, do these borders lie?

This is obviously not because there is some universal agreement on the matter; the separatists in Donetsk and Lugansk have made that quite clear. It is rather due to the all too frequent misunderstanding of "Putinism" in its present, bellicose form.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Vladimir Putin - "Thinly veiled dictatorial structures and lawlessness are the core features of Putinism" (Photo: kremlin.ru)

Putinism was in place in Russia long before Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian endeavour, before the narrative of Russia’s ‘historic mission’ and Western decadence, the military invasions and the nationalist hysteria.

The state of "illiberal democracy" which Fareed Zakaria defined back in 1997 (nowadays more often termed "guided" or "managed" democracy) describes much more adequately what Putinism essentially is: a mix of authoritarian rule and crony capitalism. A society where all-pervasive corruption has reduced democratic institutions to facades.

An economy paralysed by a clientelistic, tax-evading oligopoly, and a labour market determined by nepotism and partisan hiring. And, perhaps most pertinently, it is a political system where elections are staged and where the regime’s grip on power is periodically reaffirmed by the certainty of the results.

The question of demarcation

If this is an accurate portrayal of what Putinism looks like, it is evident that the "threat to Europe’s borders" is ideological as much as it is military.

The matter of demarcation, then, becomes that much harder if we ask it about a troubled region such as the Western Balkans.

Wherever Europe’s borders in the Balkans are intended to stand, the ideological question is the following: will the resulting European sphere encompass societies whose internal structure is undeniably Putinist?

Take a look at Serbia – a candidate country for EU accession, whose Government’s ties with Nato are at an all-time high.

In 2012, the corruption was so rampant and the economy in such a dire state that the post-Milosevic regime had squandered all of its credibility.

A big-tent party of former ultranationalists-turned-Europhiles took power and, instead of delivering on the reformist promises, it focused on cultivating idolatry of prime minister Aleksandar Vucic, fortifying party lines, monopolising the scheme of partisan hiring, privatising major state holdings under shady conditions, and establishing unprecedented media censorship.

Or consider Montenegro – another candidate for EU membership in the Union - which prides itself on being the "regional leader in Euroatlantic integrations". It has been ruled in continuity for 25 years by Milo Dukanovic's regime (from 1991 onwards, Dukanovic has either served as the country's prime minister, president or held de facto power).

Most industry has been privatised to phantom firms with ties to Dukanovic's cronies, the intelligence service is linked organised crime, institutional corruption is endemic at all levels of governance and party loyalty is the foremost requisite for finding a job.

Last year, the ruling party leadership was caught on tape discussing various methods of buying votes – there have been no criminal charges.

Finally, look at Macedonia - yet another aspiring EU member state where corruption is widespread. For the past six months, the government of PM Nikola Gruevski has been at the centre of a major wiretapping scandal.

The leaked conversations of various government officials suggest that the prime minister and his spymaster (who is his cousin) have been coordinating a surveillance scheme which, by some estimates, included 20,000 people.

In response, Gruevski accused the opposition of allying with foreign intelligence services to plot a treacherous coup.

Anti-European ideology

These regimes, with their thinly veiled dictatorial structures and culture of lawlessness, exemplify the core features of Putinism, and illustrate why it is such a threatening anti-European ideology.

But this brand of Putinism generally falls in line with EU's foreign policy priorities and stresses its European affiliation. It is 'illiberal democracy' with its claws retracted – Balkan Putinism.

Should the status quo persist, and EU partners in the region remain regimes such as Vucic’s, Dukanovic's or Gruevski's – what, then, will Europe's borders signify?

A permanently unstable pact, one that may easily be revised with the next geopolitical shake-up. The 'Putinism ante portas' phrase will be passé – because Putinism will already have entered through the back door.

Fedja Pavlovic is a philosophy student at Leuven university in Belgium. Send him a tweet at @FedjaPavlovic.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author's, not those of EUobserver.

How much can we trust Russian opinion polls on the war?

The lack of Russian opposition to the Russo-Ukrainian War is puzzling. The war is going nowhere, Russian casualties are staggering, the economy is in trouble, and living standards are declining, and yet polls indicate that most Russians support the war.

Turkey's election — the Erdoğan vs Kılıçdaroğlu showdown

Turkey goes to the polls in May for both a new parliament and new president, after incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan decided against a post-earthquake postponement. The parliamentary outcome is easy to predict — the presidential one less so.

Column

When geopolitics trump human rights, we are all losers

The EU must back the UN's Human Rights 75 initiative at the end of the year to rekindle the spirit of the original declaration made in 1948 — and also demand a similar recommitment from all its 27 members.

How much can we trust Russian opinion polls on the war?

The lack of Russian opposition to the Russo-Ukrainian War is puzzling. The war is going nowhere, Russian casualties are staggering, the economy is in trouble, and living standards are declining, and yet polls indicate that most Russians support the war.

Turkey's election — the Erdoğan vs Kılıçdaroğlu showdown

Turkey goes to the polls in May for both a new parliament and new president, after incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan decided against a post-earthquake postponement. The parliamentary outcome is easy to predict — the presidential one less so.

Latest News

  1. EU leaders agree 1m artillery shells for Ukraine
  2. Polish abortion rights activist vows to appeal case
  3. How German business interests have shaped EU climate agenda
  4. The EU-Turkey migration deal is dead on arrival at this summit
  5. Sweden worried by EU visa-free deal with Venezuela
  6. Spain denies any responsibility in Melilla migrant deaths
  7. How much can we trust Russian opinion polls on the war?
  8. Banning PFAS 'forever chemicals' may take forever in Brussels

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality
  5. Promote UkraineInvitation to the National Demonstration in solidarity with Ukraine on 25.02.2023
  6. Azerbaijan Embassy9th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and 1st Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us