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Back to Issue: No.4, 2025

Current results of international legal cooperation in combating corruption in Eastern European and Balkan countries in the 21st century: Successes and failures

Radostin Vazov

Abstract

The relevance of this study lies in the need to examine the effectiveness of international anti-corruption programmes in Eastern European and Balkan countries, as corruption remains a serious obstacle to their sustainable development and integration into the EU. This study aimed to identify the main achievements and challenges in combating corruption and to assess their impact on the Corruption Perceptions Index. The methodology was based on the analysis of Corruption Perceptions Index data for the years 2014-2024, comparative examination of the region’s political and social conditions, and systematisation of the results of anti-corruption standard implementation. The findings demonstrated that the successful application of international anti-corruption standards depends on the combination of political will, judicial independence, and the involvement of civil society. The analysis of the relationship between international corruption rankings and the foreign policy prospects of Eastern European and Balkan countries revealed a complex dynamic in how anti corruption reforms affect states’ international standing. The Ukrainian experience illustrated the dual nature of such influence: on the one hand, progress in Corruption Perceptions Index indicators strengthened international support, while on the other, the limited effectiveness of anti-corruption institutions restricted tangible achievements. Albania and Moldova achieved moderate progress through the establishment of anti-corruption bodies and EU support. By contrast, Serbia and North Macedonia experienced a decline in performance due to political crises and institutional weakness. The study underlined the importance of a comprehensive approach to combating corruption, combining both national reforms and international support. The results obtained may serve to refine the anti-corruption strategies of Eastern European and Balkan countries, taking into account the key success factors of institutional independence, judicial reform, and public oversight

Keywords

institutional reforms; social trust; digitalisation of governance; European integration; legislative implementation

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Suggested citation

Vazov, R. (2025). Current results of international legal cooperation in combating corruption in Eastern European and Balkan countries in the 21st century: Successes and failures. Foreign Affairs, 35(4), 109-120. https://doi.org/10.59214/2663-2675.35(3).2025.109
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