Serbia is definitely having issues right now with protests for sure. I’d argue that it’s not exactly surprising that a Russian aligned government has significant issues with corruption. In my view, a Balkanized Russia would be less capable of exporting their toxic politics around the world.
Other than that, most of the Balkan nations are on the higher end of the human development index, are all tending upwards for GDP (with PPP factored in), and are improving their infrastructure. Definitely a mixed bag when you look at specific areas, but they’re largely doing objectively better than they were 30 years ago.
I am not sure if you remember but the process of “balkanisation” was accompanied by certain unfortunate events, that included a genocide, the bombing of Belgrade, among others. Corruption is not the biggest problem here.
You said the balkans aren’t doing well; they largely are now. Those wars were a generation ago. Corruption is the biggest problem in the balkans right now as far as I can tell.
As for Russia, they’re already a genocidal state constantly engaged in war.
Well, yes. Maybe I should have phrased it differently: the “balkanisation of Russia”, like actual balkanisation, will be associated with a series of conflicts and deaths, if it does occur.
Also, genocidal is an overstatement. I do understand that using strong words like “fascism” and “genocide” when they are unwarranted is somewhat in fashion now, but believe it is best not to do that.
the “balkanisation of Russia”, like actual balkanisation, will be associated with a series of conflicts and death
Again, this is already status quo from Russia at the moment.
Also, genocidal is an overstatement.
A few days after the recapture, on 2 April 2022, news reports and videos emerged showing streets in Bucha covered with the bodies of men dressed in civilian clothes. Some of those found had their hands tied.[14][15] Among those killed were women and children. According to first estimations at least 280 bodies were found.[16] There was also evidence that Russian soldiers had systemically tortured, mutilated and executed many Ukrainians in the basement of a summer camp.[17] The event caused the Ukrainian government to call on the ICC to investigate whether or not Russia had committed war crimes.[18] On 7 April, the mayor of Bucha, Anatoliy Fedoruk, reported that almost 90% of the dead residents had bullet wounds, not shrapnel wounds.
In August 2023, the Institute for the Study of Warreported that the Ukrainian Resistance Center had claimed to have gained access to documents detailing Russian plans to conduct a decade-long ethnic cleansing campaign in occupied Mariupol. The ISW reported that the depopulation of Ukrainians through deportation and Russian efforts to attract Russian citizens to move to the city is likely to be an ethnic cleansing campaign in addition to being apparent violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.[83]
Russia has forcibly transferred almost 20 thousand Ukrainian children to areas under its control, assigned them Russian citizenship, forcibly adopted them into Russian families, and created obstacles for their reunification with their parents and homeland.[7][8]
These are genocidal actions, plain and simple. If you have a problem with me characterizing it as such I really don’t have anything else to say to you.
The Balkans are not exactly doing well, are they?
Serbia is definitely having issues right now with protests for sure. I’d argue that it’s not exactly surprising that a Russian aligned government has significant issues with corruption. In my view, a Balkanized Russia would be less capable of exporting their toxic politics around the world.
Other than that, most of the Balkan nations are on the higher end of the human development index, are all tending upwards for GDP (with PPP factored in), and are improving their infrastructure. Definitely a mixed bag when you look at specific areas, but they’re largely doing objectively better than they were 30 years ago.
I am not sure if you remember but the process of “balkanisation” was accompanied by certain unfortunate events, that included a genocide, the bombing of Belgrade, among others. Corruption is not the biggest problem here.
You said the balkans aren’t doing well; they largely are now. Those wars were a generation ago. Corruption is the biggest problem in the balkans right now as far as I can tell.
As for Russia, they’re already a genocidal state constantly engaged in war.
Well, yes. Maybe I should have phrased it differently: the “balkanisation of Russia”, like actual balkanisation, will be associated with a series of conflicts and deaths, if it does occur.
Also, genocidal is an overstatement. I do understand that using strong words like “fascism” and “genocide” when they are unwarranted is somewhat in fashion now, but believe it is best not to do that.
Again, this is already status quo from Russia at the moment.
These are genocidal actions, plain and simple. If you have a problem with me characterizing it as such I really don’t have anything else to say to you.