For centuries, the Balkans have been a special zone of
Turkish influence. The destruction of the Ottoman Empire, world wars and
the socialist experiment significantly changed the place and role of Turkey
in the region. Another reformatting of the Balkan space at the end of the
twentieth century opened a new window of opportunity for the Turkish Republic
– slowly but persistently it regained lost positions. On the example of
the Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia,
Serbia, Montenegro and the polity of Kosovo), the article analyzes the
methods and points of support for Ankara’s foreign policy influence; it also highlights objective constraints for strengthening its presence in the region.
The main focus is on a set of social and humanitarian measures (first of all,
in the spheres of religion, migration, self-identification mechanisms, education),
thanks to which Turkey takes up a special place among influential regional
actors.
The personal factor of R.T. Erdogan plays an equally significant role
in promoting a positive image of the country in the region. The pragmatism
and political energy of the Turkish leader largely determine the autonomy of
the republic’s foreign policy and the ability to play the role of a potential and
real mediator. In the context of the intensified Ukrainian crisis, the research
interest in Turkey’s political activity in the Balkans comes not only from a
heuristic, but also from a practical point of view – this is important for determining
Russia’s strategic prospects in this direction.
Turkey, Western Balkans, foreign policy, Neo-Ottomanism, Soft power, Erdogan