Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0

Author-Name: Tamas Ginter
Author-Workplace-Name: Magyar Nemzeti Bank, Andrassy University Budapest
Author-Email: gintert@mnb.hu
Author-Person: 

Title: Geoeconomic Fragmentation in the Western Balkans

Abstract: Geoeconomic fragmentation has become one of the timeliest topics in international
economics. This paper focuses on geoeconomic fragmentation in the Western
Balkans by applying a descriptive analysis of trade flows with each of the region's
major trading partners between 2010 and 2023. In addition to painting a detailed
picture of the trading partner structures of the economies in the region, I examine
whether geoeconomic fragmentation (growing trade within a geopolitical bloc)
can be identified. I find that the Western Balkans trades predominantly with the EU
and intraregionally. Trade patterns with Russia and China show mixed signs, and
there are no clear signs of geoeconomic fragmentation. Thus, this paper supports
the literature stating that so far in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe,
geoeconomic fragmentation has rather been a possible policy narrative than an
economic reality.

Classification-JEL: F4, F5, F6
Keywords: geoeconomic fragmentation, trade fragmentation, Western Balkans
Pages: 27-46
Volume: 24
Issue: 2
Year: 2025
File-URL: https://hitelintezetiszemle.mnb.hu/sw/static/file/fer-24-2-st2-ginter.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:mnb:finrev:v:24:y:2025:i:2:p:27-46