The September 2022 edition of the IRMO Brief, authored by Thomas Brey, deals with the Russian influence in the Western Balkans in economic, political and media spheres. Over the past years, Russian companies have spread their business, primarily in energy sector, in countries like Serbia and Montenegro. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU condemned the aggression and imposed sanctions on Russia, but Serbia, the candidate country for membership in the Union, didn’t follow this move. Moreover, the latest public opinion polls conducted months after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine show that the majority of the Serbian population supports closer ties with the Russian Federation rather than with the West. The author also analyzes what should the EU do in order to suppress Russian influence in the countries of the Western Balkans, and to inform the citizens of these countries about the benefits of membership in the Union. The author also analyses what the EU should do in order to suppress Russian influence in the Western Balkans, and to inform their citizens about the benefits of membership in the Union.
Thomas Brey is a lecturer in political science and journalism at the University of Duisburg, Germany and former chief correspondent of DPA (Deutsche Presse-Agentur – the German Press Agency) for South East Europe.
