Balkans Sliding Towards Illiberalism, Freedom House Warns

The spread of illiberal politics is becoming the "new normal" in the Balkans, Eastern Europe and Eurasia, US-based watchdog Freedom House warned in its annual 'Nations in Transit' report, published on Wednesday.

Freedom House raised serious concerns about several countries, including Serbia and Montenegro, although it praised improvements in Macedonia, which has undergone a change of government.

"In 2018, Nations in Transit registered the broadest score declines in the project's 23-year history," said the report.

Nineteen of the 29 countries assessed showed democratic declines last year, it added.

"For the second year in a row, there are more Consolidated Authoritarian Regimes than Consolidated Democracies," Freedom House said.

Freedom House registered democratic declines last year in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro.

Albania and Kosovo posted small improvements, with Macedonia the only country moving in the right direction, according to the watchdog group.

Freedom House classified Serbia, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria as 'Semi-Consolidated Democracies' and referred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia as 'Transitional Governments or Hybrid Regimes'.

"Serbia's score declined for the fourth straight year, threatening its status as a 'Semi-Consolidated Democracy'," the report warned.

Last year's elections which made Aleksandar Vucic the country's new president were seen by Freedom House as yet another step backwards.
 
"In Serbia last year, Aleksandar Vucic undermined institutions by performing the manoeuvre - known by the chess term 'castling' - that was made infamous by Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly switched between the premiership...