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Opinion&Analysis
IsEuropelosingtheBalkans?
MILJENKOJERGOVIĆ
TepriceofEuropeanisingtheBalkanstodayisprobably
higherthanitwas20yearsago–whenagolden
opportunitytobringstabilitytotheregionwasmissed.
Butitstillremainsincomparablycheaperthantheprice
tobepaidintheeventoftheBalkanisationofEurope.
WhentheTurkishpresidentgavehisdaughterawayinMaylastyear,thewed-
dingguestsincludedhigh-rankingpoliticians,governmentministersandmembers
oftheTurkishgeneralstaff.Asignificantinternationaltriowasalsoinattendance:
theAlbanianandPakistaniprimeministers,EdiRamaandNawazSharif,and
theBożnjak*leaderandmemberofthepresidencyofBosnia-Herzegovina,Bakir
Izetbegović.
AcombinationofIslamicritualandsecularspectacle,theceremonywasvery
muchinkeepingwiththegeneralnatureoftheRecepTayyipErdoğanregime.Te
bridewaswearingahijab,butalsothekindofweddingdressthatwasnotexactly
typicalforMuslimwomenandmighthavebeenmoreinkeepingwiththenup-
tialsofaEuropeanprincess.Tereceptionincludedashortfilmrevealingthefair
Sumeyye’s(Erdoğan’sdaughter)privatepreoccupations,whatshehadlookedlike
asachildandwhatshewasinterestedinasateenager.
SharifisakeysupporterofErdoğan’sdrivetopositionhimselfasleaderofthe
world’sMuslims,amodern-dayCaliphwhowouldcombinetheauthorityofan
AmericanpresidentwiththatofthePopeofRome.Rama’sworldview,however,is
alongwayfromErdoğan’sandhisunderstandingofparliamentarydemocracyis
significantlydifferent.Yettheybothsharethesamepragmaticinterests.Turkeyis
*TetermBożnjakhereisdesignatedfortheBosnianMuslimethnicitywhichmakesuponeof
threemainethnicitiesofBosniaandHerzegovina(alongwithSerbsandCroats).
