Geopolitics, State Capture and Peak Corruption provides a regional diagnostic of corruption vulnerabilities and governance gaps in the Western Balkans. Produced by the SELDI coalition, the report examines the dynamics of corruption victimisation, state capture risks, and institutional resilience across the region.
The study situates anticorruption reform within a shifting geopolitical environment marked by EU enlargement pressures, growing authoritarian influence, and economic instability following the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Corruption levels and stalled reform
The report finds that corruption victimisation remains persistently high across the Western Balkans, with between 20% and 40% of citizens reporting having paid a bribe. While some administrative reforms have been introduced over the past decade, progress has stalled and, in some cases, reversed.
A central concept in the report is state capture — defined as the systematic distortion of public institutions and regulatory frameworks in favor of entrenched political and economic networks. The analysis identifies structural weaknesses in procurement systems, judicial independence, media oversight, and institutional enforcement capacity.
The report also highlights growing vulnerabilities linked to geopolitical pressures from Russia and China, particularly where corruption networks intersect with strategic infrastructure, energy projects, and public procurement.
Media and corruption coverage
The report includes a comparative media analysis of corruption coverage across six Western Balkan countries. It assesses the frequency and distribution of corruption-related reporting in different categories of media outlets, identifying disparities between independent and pro-government sources.
While independent outlets tend to report more actively on corruption, overall media coverage remains fragmented and often lacks sustained investigative depth. Media capture and political influence continue to weaken the accountability function of journalism in the region.
Sensika’s contribution
Media monitoring data used in the report was collected through Sensika’s platform, enabling keyword-based analysis across selected media outlets in the Western Balkans. The tool supported the identification of article frequency, topic prevalence, and time-based trends related to corruption and governance themes.
The analysis focused on measuring coverage volume rather than evaluating sentiment, accuracy, or intent of the content.
All findings, interpretations, and policy recommendations remain those of the SELDI coalition.
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Geopolitics, State Capture and Peak Corruption offers a comprehensive regional assessment of corruption dynamics, state capture vulnerabilities, and institutional reform prospects in the Western Balkans.
