Most residents of the six Western Balkan countries continue to see the West as the best ally with which to develop relations. This is according to the latest poll by the International Republican Institute (IRI), which shows broad support for European Union (EU) membership and an overwhelming majority considers Russia’s war against Ukraine unjustified, reports The Geopost.
The majority of respondents in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina believe that Russia’s war against Ukraine is completely or partially unjustified. In Serbia, however, a different mood continues to prevail. A majority of 49% of respondents in Serbia believe that Russia is fully or somewhat justified.
“While these figures are largely positive, the reactions from Serbia are worrying,” said Paul McCarthy, European Director at IRI. “If peace and security are the long-term goals in the Balkans, the best option for Serbia is to reject Russian proposals and build stronger relations with the West.”
The results of the survey show that 10% of Serbs believe that the country should only maintain relations with the West, as opposed to 12% of them who think that the country only needs relations with Russia. The rest believe that the country should maintain relations with both poles of geopolitics.
In Montenegro, 36% think that their country’s foreign policy should only have pro-EU and pro-Western relations, while 3% think of Russia. This ratio in North Macedonia is 31% for the West, 4% for Russia, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina it is 39%, with 8% in favor of the West.
Greater support for the West is found in Kosovo, where 87% of respondents believe that their country should have a foreign policy that maintains exclusively good relations with the West, while only 1% want this only with Russia. In Albania, on the other hand, 87% demand exclusive relations with the West in foreign policy, compared to only 2% for Russia.
In the foreign policy section, Serbia and the USA are named as the two biggest allies of North Macedonia and Montenegro, while Russia and China are seen as Serbia’s allies. For Kosovo (80%) and Albania (56%), the USA is the most important ally, while Albania ranks second as the most important ally in Kosovo and Italy in Albania.
On the other hand, BiH, Kosovo and Albania see Serbia as the greatest danger for their country, Montenegro and Serbia see the USA and North Macedonia – Bulgaria. Russia is ranked second as a danger for North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania, while in BiH it is ranked third. Russia is not seen as a danger only by the respondents in Serbia, where Albania, Kosovo, Croatia and Great Britain are ranked after the USA.
Only in Serbia does integration into the European Union (EU) have an approval rating of 40%, while the overwhelming majority in the other five countries responded that they would vote in favor of joining the Union if there were a referendum for this purpose. This integration is supported by 68% in North Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and up to 92% in Albania. The exception is Serbia, where a majority of 40% are in favor of EU membership.
“There is a strong desire across the Balkans to strengthen economic ties with Western countries and join the EU,” said Paul McCarthy, Director for Europe at IRI. “This broad support shows that people across the region are convinced that further integration with the European Union can contribute to sustainable prosperity.”
Indeed, economic issues dominate citizens’ priorities for the governments of the Western Balkans. Apart from Albania, where unemployment was the main problem, high prices and cost of living were the main concerns for citizens in the other five Western Balkan countries. In addition, corruption became a high priority issue in all six countries /The Geopost