Albania in the Western Balkans: Toward an Enhanced Regional Role

Bošković, Stefan (2025) Albania in the Western Balkans: Toward an Enhanced Regional Role. In: Geopolitika malih država. Institut za međunarodnu politiku i privredu, Beograd, pp. 95-114. ISBN 978-86-7067-357-1

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Abstract

Seeking to answer how Albania, as a small state in the international system, politically benefits from its geographic position, this paper examines the development of its foreign policy in the Western Balkans over the past decade. The main argument of the paper posits that Albania, leveraging its geographic position, has demonstrated a commitment to strengthening political stability in the Western Balkans, thereby enhancing its role in managing regional dynamics. Albania’s contributions to fostering stability in the Western Balkans have been realized through a proactive bilateral and multilateral foreign policy approach, made possible by its alignment with Euro-Atlantic regional priorities and emphasizing the absence of outstanding issues in bilateral relations with regional neighbours. Albania’s enhanced role in the Western Balkans has primarily stemmed from constructive efforts in broader concerns affecting the Albanian population. Additionally, this role has arisen from initiating and promoting declarative local frameworks within regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, while maintaining commitment to initiatives that enjoyed comprehensive EuroAtlantic support.

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