The Western Balkans

Abstract

The break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991 following proclamations of independence by the republics of Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, and in 1992 of Bosnia and Herzegovina established several new states in the region. It was followed by a decade of conflict. Wars broke out in Croatia in 1991, in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995, in Serbia and Kosovo 1999, and serious insurgency occurred in Macedonia in 2001. Albania, already well established as an independent state, did not escape a violent civil conflict following the collapse of a number of pyramid savings banks in 1997. The turbulence in the region calmed down following the intervention of international institutions, including armed intervention by NATO in the Kosovo conflict, and active diplomatic intervention by the EU in resolving the Macedonian conflict in 2001.

Earlier versions of this chapter were presented at the 13th Research Seminar of the MET Network, held at the Jean Monnet Centre for Excellence, University of Cambridge, Friday 12 March 2004, and at a seminar of the Baltics to Balkans Research Workshop, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bristol, 1 February 2006. I am grateful to the participants at these events and to Peter Sanfey, for helpful comments and suggestions.