Political and Economic Challenges and Opportunities of Small States in the Chapter of Re-Building Infrastructure of International Relations: A Case Study of Serbia and N Macedonia

Jelisavac Trošić, Sanja and Arnaudov, Mitko (2025) Political and Economic Challenges and Opportunities of Small States in the Chapter of Re-Building Infrastructure of International Relations: A Case Study of Serbia and N Macedonia. In: Cooperative Multipolar System: In Quest of a New World Order. Bomat Graphics, Skopje, pp. 205-220. ISBN 978-608-4825-16-6

Text InQuestofaNewWorldOrderFINAL-1-207-222.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (363kB)

Abstract

Structural realism as a theoretical approach in this paper rep- resents a good basis on which the authors analysed the foreign policy actions of the case study states and initiatives (in the context of regional cooperation). On the other hand, classical realism is also applicable to the case of N. Macedonia, especially if the foreign policy actions of this country in the context of the Ukrainian war are analysed in isolated conditions. For a comprehensive demonstration of the stated thesis, structural realism serves as the ideal theoretical foundation. Analysed from the perspective of empirical examples, the authors managed to prove that foreign policy actions, and thus the positioning of small states in current international relations, are to a significant extent achievable, without predicting how much such sovereign action is guaranteed and predictable in the long term. The period from the beginning of the Ukrainian war to the present day represents, in a qualitative sense, a significant indicator on the basis of which the capacities of foreign policy actions of small states can be established. Most states have taken a position in relation to conflicting and opposing parties. Therefore, it was possible to quantitatively measure the “space” that small states “enjoy” in their foreign policy positioning. On the other hand, in a quantitative, time frame, this is a very small space on the basis of which a solid thesis can be built that the foreign policy sovereignty of small states is the rule, rather than the exception, in given historical chapters of international relations. Therefore, the authors, using the example of N. Macedonia and Serbia, conclude that the foreign policy sovereign action of small states in contemporary and current international relations is realistic and feasible if the positioning in question is not fundamentally opposed to the interests of the great powers and if small states, on the internal level, have a consensus according to the model of the lowest common political, social and institutional denominator, on the key foreign policy priorities of the country based on national interests. There are several factors that can determine the “degree” of for- eign policy independence of small states: medium-term adjustment of foreign policy strategies depending on current international circumstances (these are subjects of international law that do not have the capacity and resources to maintain long-term foreign policy strategies, therefore a medium-term adaptive model, aligned with unchanging national interests, is a quality basis on the path to creating “foreign policy independence” a stable and sustainable internal institutional framework, protected and resistant to phenomena such as politicization, corruption and clientelism (this is the basis for independent action, protected from potential external threats, challenges and risks which, in current international relations, are one of the key instruments for “interference” in sovereign decision-making processes) creating realistic “pictures” of the situational interests of the great powers in a given geographical area, general (comprehensive) and individual (a dual understanding of the comprehensive and individ- ual interests (security, political and economic) of the great powers in the Western Balkans can represent the basis for understanding Serbia’s foreign policy actions in the context of the Ukrainian War, but also the actions of N. Macedonia and Albania in the context of the Open Bal- kans) regional cooperation and coordination based on the “lowest common denominator” (because historical experience shows that regional disagreements largely contribute to “interference” in the foreign policy decisions of small states, and thus to the impossibility of their foreign policy independence and effectiveness).

Actions (login required)

View Item