Turkey’s influence in the Western Balkans

During the Cold War, Turkey's interest in the Western Balkans remained relatively dormant, yet the wars that accompanied the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s and the active diplomacy pursued by the Turkish AK political party from 2002 onwards triggered greater Turkish involvement in the region. Nevertheless, Turkey's influence in the Western Balkans remains mainly based on cultural and educational programmes offered to those countries with a large Muslim community and steadily developing trade.

Author: Philippe Perchoc

ESO: Background information: An Overview of Turkish Foreign Policy in the Balkans: 1990-2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/an-overview-of-turkish-foreign-policy-in-the-balkans-1990-2016/

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