Criminal and networked state capture in the Western Balkans: the case of the Zemun clan. Issue 4 (1st October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prezelj, Iztok; Vogrinčič, Nina Otorepec
• Is Part Of: Journal of southeast European and Black Sea studies. Volume 20:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 547
• Page End: 570
• Publication Date: 2020-10-01
• Subjects: Organized crime -- state capture -- corruption -- networks -- politics -- security -- Zemun clan -- Western Balkans -- Serbia; Balkan Peninsula -- Economic conditions -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Balkan Peninsula -- Politics and government -- 1989- -- Periodicals; Geopolitics -- Balkan Peninsula -- Periodicals; Black Sea Region -- Economic conditions -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Black Sea Region -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Geopolitics -- Black Sea Region -- Periodicals; 330.9496
• DOI: 10.1080/14683857.2020.1845010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1468-3857

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Organized crime and corruption have become the biggest security threats in the Western Balkans since the major wars there ended. They have slowed down the transition and accession progress of several countries. We argue in this paper that the Western Balkans occasionally faces the problem of networked state capture based on a corrupt nexus among organized crime, business, politics, security services and the judiciary. First, the concept of multidimensional and networked state capture is developed in order to identify the roles played by typical actors (captors) and their mutual relations (nexus). Second, the very complex nexus of circumstances leading to state capture in the Western Balkans is explained. In the empirical part, the network established by the Zemun clan, one of the worst examples of state capture in the entire region, is reconstructed using social network software. The case reveals the strong and deadly interconnections among the mentioned captors.