Twenty years of broken promises have pushed the region toward China, Turkey, and the Gulf states.
Into Europe's absence, others have stepped. China has invested over €9.2 billion in Serbia alone since 2020, building highways, bridges, and a lithium processing plant. Turkish companies are major investors in Albania and Kosovo. Gulf states have poured money into Bosnian real estate and infrastructure. Russia maintains deep cultural and political ties with Serbia.
These partnerships come without the governance conditions the EU attaches. For leaders who want investment without accountability, the alternative offers are attractive. For citizens who want rule of law and democratic standards, it is a different story — but they are increasingly voting with their feet by emigrating west.