Freedom House: "Quiet Progress" Made in Balkans
Belgrade | 30 June 2010 |
The 2010 Nations in Transit report from U.S.-based watchdog Freedom House noted a general positive trend in democratic development over the past decade in the Balkans, in contrast to significant declines in Russia and other former USSR states.
In its annual report on the democratic development of 29 countries in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, the organisation noted declines in the democracy scores of 14 countries, including two in the Balkans.
Looking at key factors such as press freedom, governance, electoral process, civil society, judicial independence, and corruption, the report rated the countries on a score of 1-7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest.
It noted that over the past decade Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia have made "steady gains" in civil society and electoral process". In 2009, Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia saw "modest improvements", while in Albania the report noted a slight decline in independent media and in Bosnia a decline in electoral process. Croatia and Montenegro, meanwhile, "held steady overall".
The report warned, however, that progress made over the past decade should not be taken for granted, especially in Bosnia, where it expressed concern over rising nationalism, and in Kosovo, where many challenges lie ahead for the country as it emerges from an international protectorate.
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