BSSR is a semi-annual, peer-reviewed, journal for academics that aims to establish and provide an intellectual platform for international scholars. The main interests of the journal are: 1. interest in the Balkans seen through the prism of different social science disciplines as well as 2. interest in the social changes in the global world seen and analyzed apart from the Balkans or through the way they affect the Balkans.
Goce Delcev University, Stip, North Macedonia
Permissions Authors are expected to obtain permission from copyright holders for reproducing any illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere. BSSR will not be held accountable for any copyright infringement caused by the authors. Copyright The content offered in the BSSR remains the intellectual property of the authors and their publishers respectively. University “Goce Delcev”- Shtip, R. Macedonia and BSSR keap the right to promote and re-publish the texts.
AUTOMATION IN ACTION: EXPERIENCE WITH QUICK AND COST-EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS IN HUNGARY
Automated decision-making can streamline administrative procedures, reducing the burden on authorities in straightforward cases. However, a concerning trend emerges: negative decisions challenged by clients are often so simplified that they render judicial review meaningless, leaving issues unresolved. This is not merely a technical issue but a constitutional one. Clients are frequently deprived of meaningful reasoning, procedural safeguards, and effective legal remedies. Administrative decisions should uphold legality and transparency, ensuring fair proceedings. When a decision lacks proper justification and courts cannot assess its legality, it becomes unsuitable for review, undermining due process. If automation leads to decisions lacking transparency and accountability, it threatens fundamental legal principles. This study aims to show how automated -decision making is done in practice and what legal problems has emerged already by exploring casefiles and judicial decisions to highlight the risks of automated decision-making and calls for a balanced approach to maintain efficiency while safeguarding constitutional rights and judicial oversight.
Copyright (c) 2025 Balkan Social Science Review
PROTEST COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK AFTER THE “JANUARY TRAGEDY” OF 2022 IN KAZAKHSTAN (THE FIRST 7 DAYS AFTER THE RESUMPTION OF WIRED AND MOBILE INTERNET)
The goal of this study is to examine how Facebook comments reflect protest sentiment during the immediate aftermath of Internet resumption in January 2022 in Kazakhstan. The article focuses on analyzing protest comments on Facebook following the “January tragedy” of 2022 in Kazakhstan. Specific tasks include: (1) collecting and analyzing posts and comments from official Akimat Facebook pages during the first week of restored connectivity; (2) identifying and categorizing protest-related comments and their thematic content; (3) comparing regional variations in protest expressions; and (4) deriving insights for improving local government engagement online. To achieve this, I use the data collected on Facebook for the first 7 days after the resumption of wired and mobile Internet service. I am studying 17 official pages of Akimats in regions and cities of republican significance; 507 posts and 912 comments were published from January 10 to January 16, 2022. Using systematic content analysis, I coded each post and its associated comments for protest indicators, thematic categories, and regional patterns. Quantitative frequencies and qualitative thematic interpretation were applied to the collected posts and comments. As a result, I identified 667 comments with signs of protest. Thus, the opportunity to qualitatively examine some of the messaging from that period provides insights not only into the particular concerns of the citizenry but also into the willingness of local government entities, the Akimats, to provide an online forum for the dissemination of public concerns. Practical implications include recommendations for regional authorities on active social media monitoring, transparent communication of policy measures, and mechanisms to address socioeconomic grievances, aiming to reduce the barrier between citizens and political elites and to preempt the escalation of online dissent into offline mobilization.
“A FLURRY OF ARRIVALS BY SMALL BOATS” – FRAMING ALBANIAN IMMIGRATION IN THE BRITISH PRESS
This article investigates the metaphorical representation of Albanian immigrants in the British press between January 2021 and September 2023, a period marked by a noticeable increase in Albanian asylum seekers and a harsh political rhetoric around immigration. Drawing on the framework of Critical Metaphor Analysis, the study examines how metaphors are employed to frame migration and construct public perceptions of Albanian immigrants in the British press. The analysis is based on a corpus of news articles from a range of ideologically different newspapers, such as The Guardian, the Daily Mail, and The Telegraph. Four dominant metaphorical scenarios emerged from the data: the space container scenario, the natural disaster scenario, the commodity scenario, and the war scenario. These metaphors consistently portray Albanian immigrants as dehumanized, threatening, or lacking agency. The space container metaphor scenario presents Britain as a space under pressure, while the natural disaster metaphor scenario emphasizes migration as an uncontrollable and overwhelming force. The commodity metaphor scenario reduces immigrants to objects of trade, often linking them with economic or criminal narratives. Finally, the war metaphor scenario depicts immigration as an act of aggression or invasion, especially prominent in right-leaning media.
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL AGE: SHARENTING AS A LEGAL AND PEDAGOGICAL CHALLENGE
The digital age brings numerous challenges for parenting and childhood. One of these challenges is sharenting. The theoretical foundations of this study, approached interdisciplinarily, combine legal and pedagogical insights and principles. This study, which used a combined quantitative and qualitative research design, was part of a broader research into the trend of parents sharing images, videos, and information about their children on social media. The aim of the study was to explore the perspective of Slovenian parents on sharenting and its specific characteristics. For the analysis of the collected data, descriptive and causal-nonexperimental methods were used, including thematic content analysis of respondents’ answers. The data required for the research were collected via an online questionnaire in 2023, based on a sample of 211 Slovenian parents, anonymously and on a voluntary basis, in compliance with the ethical code. The findings of the study indicate that most parents in Slovenia are unaware of the long-term privacy impacts of sharenting and mostly do not seek their children's consent for posts. Mothers are more active than fathers, and education is not a decisive factor in sharing, highlighting the need for parental digital privacy education.
SOCIAL AND IDEOLOGICAL PRECONDITIONS FOR THE FORMATION OF EUROPEAN NATIONALISM AMID THE RADICALIZATION OF POLITICAL PROCESSES IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN THE EARLY 21ST CENTURY
This article explores the rise of sovereignism in European countries amid the radicalization of political discourse and the ongoing crisis of the European integration project, which has struggled to address the socio-economic and political challenges facing European societies. The research highlights a notable shift in electoral preferences toward nationalist parties, which continue to gain political legitimacy and expand their influence within both national and supranational institutions. The study investigates the underlying causes of the growing ideological confrontation between liberal-integrationist and nationalist forces, the latter of which now represent a significant and organized political presence in Europe. Key characteristics of contemporary nationalist ideology are identified and analyzed. Sovereignism is conceptualized as a socially constructed phenomenon, rooted in evolving national self-awareness and symbolic narratives shaped by historical and political contexts. While the expression of nationalist sentiment varies across regions, its radicalization can contribute to destabilizing political dynamics. In response, European policymakers and scholars are actively seeking strategies to mitigate the rise of polarizing nationalist rhetoric. The author argues that the political legacy of Gaullism offers a potential framework for reconciling national sovereignty with European cooperation and for fostering a more balanced and inclusive political trajectory for the continent.
THE VISEGRAD FOUR COUNTRIES AS AN OBJECT OF CHINA'S GEOPOLITICAL INTERESTS IN THE CONTEXT OF GREAT-POWER CONFRONTATION
This article examines China's geopolitical interests in the Visegrád Four (V4) countries within the context of great-power rivalry. The study highlights how the ongoing global crisis has reshaped bilateral and multilateral relations, with the European Union (EU) emerging as a significant focus of China's strategic influence. The V4 countries, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, have become especially relevant due to their industrial capacities, relatively recent EU membership, and geographical location on the EU's eastern borders. The research reviews previous studies on China's influence in Europe, including soft-power initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), foreign investments, and trade relations. It explores how various political dynamics within V4 states have affected their stance towards China, noting Poland's cautious engagement, the Czech Republic's increasing alignment with Western allies, Slovakia’s political shifts, and Hungary’s deepening partnership with Beijing. Additionally, the article investigates China’s role in Europe's green energy and digital infrastructure, assessing the implications of economic dependencies. The findings suggest that while China perceives V4 countries as gateways into Europe, geopolitical shifts, including the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative and growing concerns over technological security, challenge Beijing's strategies, prompting V4 countries to reconsider their engagement with China and seek alternative partnerships aligned with EU and NATO frameworks. Ultimately, the study underscores the dual pressures faced by V4 states as they navigate economic opportunities from China and political commitments within the EU and NATO.
RETHINKING POWER SHARING: ASSESSING MODELS THROUGH EXPERT INSIGHTS IN THE BALKANS
The paper examines expert assessments of the effectiveness, sustainability, and integrative potential of power-sharing institutions in three post-conflict Balkan polities—Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo—with Montenegro serving as a control case. Drawing on an original survey of 111 scholars and civil-society representatives, the study quantifies expert perceptions of institutional performance, the risk of renewed conflict, and the role of international actors. The findings reveal a common pattern: while power-sharing arrangements have delivered short-term conflict containment and ensured ethnic representation, they have fallen short of fostering durable inter-ethnic integration. By contrasting these results with the more moderate Montenegrin evaluations, the article shows that the lasting intensity of wartime legacies—rather than institutional design alone—shapes expectations of political stability and reconciliation. Methodologically, the study demonstrates the added value of expert surveys for capturing post-conflict dynamics that escape conventional datasets. Substantively, it refines the debate on when and how power-sharing can move beyond elite accommodation to societal integration, providing a baseline against which future longitudinal and comparative research can be gauged.
THE IMPACT OF CULTURAL POLICY ON NATIONAL IDENTITY IN KAZAKHSTAN: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
The nation-building process in modern Kazakhstan faces the challenge of forming a consolidated territorial community. Citizens of the country are confronted with a choice between Kazakh and Kazakhstani identity, navigating between its ethnic and nation-state variations. Cultural policy is intended to facilitate national consolidation by minimizing ethnocultural contradictions within the state. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of cultural policy on Kazakhstan’s national identity through empirical analysis. The study adopts a cultural and politico-cultural approach, focusing on the influence of Kazakh culture and the mentality of the Kazakh people on state formation. Additionally, a constructivist methodology is applied to analyze the role of governmental and non-governmental institutions in shaping political reality. A survey was conducted using a quantitative research method. Data collection was carried out through the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing) technique and a structured questionnaire developed in advance. The findings reveal that ethnic Kazakhs exhibit a strong attachment to the Kazakh language and cultural events, whereas ethnic Russians tend to maintain a closer connection to their own language and traditions. Ethnic Russians demonstrate lower participation in Kazakh cultural life and significant resistance to the transition of the Kazakh language to the Latin alphabet.
LEGISLATIVE REMEDIES TO ENSURE THE REASONABLE TERM IN A CRIMINAL TRIAL. THE PLEA AGREEMENT: ROMANIA'S EXPERIENCE
Resolving a criminal case within a reasonable time is an important element of the right to a fair trial. The need to respect the reasonable term is succinctly expressed both in a frequently quoted British adage of justice delayed, justice denied, and in a French saying with a similar content, justice rétive, justice fautive. The purpose of the criminal process is not achieved by merely punishing the guilty. The prosecution must be carried out within a timeframe that proves that the state is taking prompt action to to ensure compliance with the law. Only in this way can the preventive purpose of the punishment be achieved and the confidence of the citizens in the ability of the state to protect them can be preserved. Legislatures are frequently choosing to introduce elements of negotiated justice in order to solve the problem of the length of criminal proceedings. The plea agreement procedure is thus seen in more and more countries as an important means of achieving this objective. The plea agreement was introduced into Romanian law as of January 1, 2014. Previously, court proceedings had become overly formalistic, cumbersome, costly and not expeditious. At the same time, the strict application of the principles of establishing the truth and the direct administration of evidence by the court often led to an unjustified prolongation of the criminal proceedings and an unnecessary waste of state resources in some cases where the guilt of the defendant was obvious. In this study we will try to see whether these objectives have been achieved in any way. To this end, we examined the existing situation in the municipality of Bucharest within the six sector courts and the Bucharest Tribunal from January 1 to September 3, 2024. We verified the number of criminal cases that were resolved by these courts during this period of time. We also researched how many of these cases were solved on the basis of a plea agreement. In the cases where plea agreements were reached, we wanted to find out which offenses were targeted and how long the prosecution lasted. In terms of the time taken to solve the case, we took into consideration the time elapsed between the moment when the prosecution had evidence that the defendant had committed the crime and the time when the plea agreement was concluded. Based on these data, we tried to establish whether the introduction of the plea agreement in the Romanian legislation has really contributed in ensuring a reasonable timeframe and what are the reasons why the institution does not generate the same results as in other countries. The conclusion we have reached is that the institution of the plea agreement did not have the desired effects at the time of its regulation. The time taken to resolve cases has not been reduced, with many cases taking years to resolve, even though their complexity would allow a final solution to be pronounced in a few months.
FUNDAMENTAL BREACH OF CONTRACT AND DEBTOR’S CONDUCT: WHAT’S FAULT GOT TO DO WITH IT?
Although an autonomous legal institute of international contract law, the seeds of the doctrine of fundamental breach of contract may be followed to the ‘seriousness’ requirement present in comparative contract law. Notwithstanding its autonomous notion, the article examines the role of debtor’s conduct in finding a case of fundamental breach. Comparative, international and European legal rules and practice are hence analyzed by putting emphasis on the role of debtor’s conduct. In terms of current legal rules, one may certainly draw a conclusion that debtor’s conduct, especially where it amounts to a fault of a greater degree, makes the finding of a case of fundamental breach of contract more probable. Available case law demonstrates the continuous relevancy of debtor’s fault for finding that fundamental breach has occurred. Such a relevancy, in the view of the authors, is inherent to the morality of promising and cannot be bypassed by introducing a neutral concept of fundamental breach of contract. Analyzed case law shows that courts and arbitrators do consider debtor’s fault; although by omitting its express mentioning. The authors contend that debtor’s fault does and should play a role for the purposes of establishing a uniform notion of fundamental breach of contract. At the end of the day, this is an inevitable consequence of the inherent morality of contractual obligations.
CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE EU INTEGRATION PROCESS – CASE STUDY: NORTH MACEDONIA, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
An effective fight against corruption is a condition for the rule of law, building a state with functional institutions and respecting human freedoms and rights. Achieving positive results is a challenge for both developed democracies and countries in transition. The paper analyzes the normative and institutional frameworks for fighting corruption in three countries from the Western Balkans, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as their strategic documents for fighting corruption. Despite the results achieved in the last few decades, the problems with corruption are still complex, and in this direction the focus of this paper is research into the reasons for such a situation as well as the challenges for the future. In the efforts for faster integration into the EU, the three countries are implementing reforms with the aim of more effectively fighting corruption, but there is one key factor for achieving this goal, and that is the existence of political will to fight corruption. This aspect is particularly emphasized in the paper because without political will it is impossible to achieve visible successes in the fight against corruption. The authors emphasize that the best laws can be written, quality strategic documents can be adopted, but if they are not implemented, it is as if they do not exist. The paper pays special attention to the transition process in North Macedonia as well as to the implementation of the current National Strategy for the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interest. In addition, the authors present several proposals for changes in the normative and institutional framework of North Macedonia for the fight against corruption. The methodological approach is a combination of several methods, content analysis, comparative legal research, historical and statistical methods.
THE STRUCTURE OF PRISON SENTENCING AS A MECHANISM FOR ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WOMEN’S RESOCIALIZATION
This study examines how the organization of daily activities and leisure time in women's penitentiary institutions can enhance their rehabilitation and preparation for reintegration into family and societal life. The research argues that structured time management in correctional facilities, when properly implemented by institutional staff, serves as a crucial factor in successful resocialization of female inmates. Through qualitative methods including open-ended interviews with 31 incarcerated women and expert evaluations with 40 correctional professionals, the study identifies five primary activity domains: vocational work (weight coefficient 0.39), peer socialization (0.26), educational programming (0.17), family communication (0.11), and sports/skill development (0.07). The analysis reveals significant institutional barriers to effective rehabilitation, particularly inadequate recreational facilities (identified as the most pressing issue with 0.41 weight), insufficient health considerations (0.28), and poor compliance with rehabilitation-focused legislation (0.19). The findings demonstrate that current penitentiary practices in Kazakhstan frequently fail to meet international standards for female offender rehabilitation, particularly regarding proximity to family locations and implementation of vocational training programs. The study concludes with specific recommendations for improving correctional programming, emphasizing the need for enhanced educational opportunities, family visitation policies, and structured leisure activities that collectively support post-release social integration.
THE APPLICATION OF THE ECHR AND ITS JURISPRUDENCE BY ALBANIAN CONSTITUTIONAL JUDGES IN CRIMINAL DISPUTES
The application of human rights is one of the main variables that measure the democratic status of a country. While in traditional literature, public law, which includes human rights, and criminal law were divided, in recent years, judges have also applied human rights in legal decisions related to criminal cases. This is more evident in the case of Albania, where an individual constitutional complaint against the violation of human rights has also been established in the Constitution. In other words, after the decision of the Supreme Court, citizens have direct access to the Constitutional Court, if their human rights have been violated. This paper studies the individual constitutional complaints in criminal cases in Albania. The case of Albania was chosen as one of the countries with a previous totalitarian regime.
ADAPTING TO NEW REALITIES: FINANCIAL CRIMES AND EMERGING AI TECHNOLOGY IN GLOBAL AND EU PERSPECTIVE
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in financial markets has brought both opportunities and risks. While AI-driven tools enhance efficiency and profitability, they also introduce potential threats, particularly in the realm of financial crimes. This paper explores the role of AI in financial markets, focusing on its potential to facilitate fraudulent activities such as market manipulation, price fixing, and collusion. The unpredictability of AI, coupled with its ability to autonomously make trading decisions, raises complex legal and regulatory challenges. A key issue discussed is the difficulty in attributing criminal liability when AI autonomously engages in illicit financial activities. Traditional legal frameworks rely on human intent (mens rea) as a cornerstone of financial crime prosecution. However, AI-driven misconduct challenges this notion, as existing laws are often inadequate in addressing cases where no clear human perpetrator can be identified. Through a comparative legal analysis of the US, UK, and European legal systems, this paper highlights the limitations of current regulations in holding AI developers, financial institutions, or corporate entities accountable for AI-induced financial crimes.
EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF COURT EFFICIENCY: THE CASE OF FIRST INSTANCE COURTS IN NORTH MACEDONIA
This paper explores the performance and efficiency of first instance courts in North Macedonia by assessing the key performance indicators: clearance rate and disposition time. Our work contributes to a better understanding of court efficiency in North Macedonia by analyzing geographical disparities between first-instance courts. The study encompasses data for 27 first- instance courts organized into four groups based on which appellate area they belong to. The analysis covers the period from 2015 to 2023. The primary goal of our study is to ascertain whether a disparity exists in the efficiency of courts. Our empirical strategy includes the utilization of the Kruskal-Wallis non- parametric test; thus, we do not aim to explore which courts exhibit superior or inferior performance. The results suggest that both clearance rates and disposition time did not differ substantially from 2015 to 2022 in civil cases. However, in 2023, there were statistically significant differences among the observed indicators. Concerning criminal cases, until 2021, the clearing rates and disposition times did not significantly differ among various court groups; however, findings from 2022 and 2023 revealed statistically significant disparities. We propose conducting further research at a first-instance court level to evaluate individual courts’ efficacy and determine the underlying reasons for divergence of the key performance indicators between the different appellate areas.
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES IN THE ACTION FOR ANNULMENT OF THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE COMMERCIAL COMPANIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
The general meeting is the supreme body of any commercial company, which takes the main resolutions on all necessary and essential matters relating to their management, operation, and development. In order to ensure the lawful exercise of these powers, the legislator has provided for a special action on the basis of which partners/shareholders may challenge the resolutions of the general meeting and seek their annulment. In this context, the provision of Art. 74 of the Commercial Act grants each of the partners/shareholders a right of action for the annulment of resolutions which are unlawful or contrary to the memorandum of association or the articles of association. The action for annulment of the resolutions of the general meeting of commercial companies is widely used in the jurisprudence, raising numerous legal issues related to its content, scope, and prerequisites for its granting. Some of these controversial issues have been resolved by Interpreting Judgement No. 1/2002 of 06.12.2002 of the Supreme Court of Cassation; however, there are still outstanding issues that require further analysis and discussion. This study aims to examine the meaning, content, and scope of the action under Art. 74 of the Commercial Act for the protection of the rights of partners/shareholders, as well as practical problems arising in connection with its exercise. To achieve this goal, the relevant jurisprudence and doctrinal opinions which contribute to the clarification of the basic principles that guide the management of commercial companies and their interaction with legal entities, while seeking a balance between the protection of the rights of each partner and the principle of stability of the resolutions taken shall be analysed.
INTRODUCING ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE (ESG) IN A CORPORATE DISTRESS SCENARIO: THE EU OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS
In the last few decades, there is a lot of legislative and soft law instruments and policies on environmental, social and governance (hereinafter: ESG) elements. Althoughth, mentioned intruments and polices do not directly apply to the distress scenario, according to the existing regulation, EU insolvency practitioners, directors, debtors, creditors, insolvency courts, competent authorities, and other stakeholder must in a wider context apply ESG standards regardless of whether they are at the pre-bankruptcy proceedings, bankruptcy with liquidation, or in restructuring with a bankruptcy plan. This paper first explains the relevant terms and their synonyms and moves on to define ESG issues and why they may be relevant in corporate distress scenarios. Next, it analyzes the existing international and European binding and soft-law regulatory framework related to ESG and insolvency law. The regulatory framework is the starting point for answering the question of whether ESG goals can be applied to corporate distress scenarios, and if so, how it can be accomplished in practice within the framework of the traditional objectives of pre-bankruptcy proceedings, bankruptcy with liquidation, and restructuring with a bankruptcy plan. Therefore, the central part of this paper assesses and critically analyzes the risks and opportunities that can arise from the introduction of ESG elements in corporate distress scenarios. The concluding section provides an overview of the status quo, with recommendations for future development. The authors conclude that the introduction of ESG elements in a distress scenartio is not always an option. However, if the introduction of ESG goals are carefully examined and implemented in the appropriate type of insolvency proceedings, it may bring many benefits to all insolvency stakeholders.
NEO-AUTHORITARIAN INTERVENTION: PURPOSE, SUBJECTS, TOOLS, CONSEQUENCES
This paper will explore the purpose, system of subjects, principal tools and consequences of neo-authoritarian intervention. The peculiarities of the neo-authoritarian regime, neo-authoritarian intervention, and export of neo-authoritarianism are clarified. China and Russia are selected as the main cases for analysis. The purpose of neo-authoritarian intervention is defined as the intention to strengthen the internal stability of non-democratic regimes and to broaden their influence on international processes, the effort being to change the world order and destroy liberal-democratic values. It is argued that the key subjects of neo-authoritarian intervention are the governments of neo-authoritarian states and a great number of actors (puppet parties; government-organized non-governmental organizations; marginal, ultra-radical social and political movements; state-controlled media; unscrupulous analytical centres; and international multilingual networks of TV, radio broadcasts, news agencies, which are financed by neo-authoritarian governments). The system of tools of neo-authoritarian influence includes tools of: power; influence within the soft power; subversion; value modification; election tampeering; and pressure on international organizations. The tools of neo-authoritarian intervention are based on the classic tools of authoritarianism, but are modernized due to digitalization, information and communication progress, and the other technologies. Neo-authoritarian intervention is proven to increase the risks to global security. The main consequences of the strengthening of neo-authoritarian intervention on a global scale are the growth of threats to democracy, the risks of changing the world agenda. The consequence of neo-authoritarian interference in the internal affairs of non-democratic states is the growth of dependence on neo-authoritarian exporter states, further socio-political instability, increased use of force in solving socio-political problems. The research states that in the case of neo-authoritarian intervention in the affairs of democratic states, the consequences may include both effective counteraction to neo-authoritarian interventions and thus strengthening of the quality of democracy, and destructive tendencies including the growth of populism, radicalism,corruption, and hate speech.
Copyright (c) 2024 Balkan Social Science Review
EXPLORING THE ROLE OF AI IN CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMUNICATION A CASE STUDY ON CHATBOTS IN DELIVERY APPS IN UAE
This research covers the adoption of AI within the customer service communication domain, focusing on the effectiveness of AI chatbots used in delivery applications within the United Arab Emirates. It probes into the user's interaction with several leading delivery services operating within the region, such as Talabat, Zomato, and Deliveroo. The application of AI chatbots has been considered a popular way to promote customer support through the possibility of speed and efficiency, especially in handling inquiries and resolving basic issues. However, users' perception of the efficacy of chatbots remains mixed, and levels of satisfaction vary greatly. Data were collected from 58 delivery application users to get a better understanding of these experiences. Results show that while many users appreciate the speed of chatbots when resolving order issues, significant challenges persist. These include irrelevant/incorrect responses, overall limited functionality, and difficulty in managing complex queries. These conditions highlight the areas of vital concern where improvement in the chatbots is urgently needed, at least in terms of understanding context, personalization, and even response accuracy. The research then outlines recommendations that can be taken to reduce these shortcomings. Increasing the chatbot's ability to understand the user's intent, making the interaction more human-like and empathetic, and personalization in responses based on particular users' preferences would be considered key ways to increase customer satisfaction. Moreover, enhanced NLP might help chatbots capture incomplete or colloquial inputs of users more accurately, hence leading to smoother, more effective communication. However, although this study has been useful in providing a variety of insights, some of the accompanying limitations include: the limited sample size of 58 respondents prohibits generalizing such findings to the whole population, and the focus on just three specific delivery platforms limits the scope of the study. This research furthers the new understanding of AI chatbot adoption in the delivery industry and lays a foundation for further investigations. Food delivery services can, therefore, develop improvements regarding the identified challenges, enhance user experience, instill trust in chatbot technology, and consequently guarantee customer loyalty. This study has underlined the need to balance automation with user-centered design to ensure AI solutions meet shifting consumer expectations within a more digitized world today.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: A SURVEY ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN TURKEY
Freedom of expression is one of the most important foundational elements of individual realization and democratic society. Social media is the current most preferred and primary form of communication for young people. Social media is thus a crucial component of young people's freedom of expression. On the other hand, social media offers a platform for disinformation, violations of privacy and hate speech. This survey aims to explore how young people exercise their freedom of expression and how they respond to abuses on social media. For this purpose, a questionnaire survey with Turkish university students is used in conjunction with an in-depth interview technique. The research will collect data on the familiarity of students about the definition and content of the freedom of expression, and use of social media by students, and the findings will be analyzed with the results of in-depth interviews.
EXAMINING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ALBANIA: A CRITICAL REFLECTION
This paper delves into the critical media freedom situation in Albania. Acknowledged now as the fourth pillar of democracy, media not only is crucial in informing the citizens but also acts as a watchdog by holding the authorities in power accountable and protecting democratic principles. Despite the several obstacles that media has faced in Albania dating back to the Ottoman era and exacerbated by the communist regime that lasted for almost half a century, the Albanian media started to flourish during the transition era, nevertheless facing persistent challenges when it came to media freedom. Through qualitative and quantitative data, this paper examines the contemporary state of media in Albania by emphasizing its effect on the country’s democracy. While a robust legal and institutional framework for media freedom exists, its implementation in the case of Albania remains deficient, and that has resulted in numerous violations throughout the years. The widespread cases of self-censorship among journalists coupled with the political and economic interest of media owners, have further exacerbated the issue. The attempts made by the Albanian government to control media outlets with new laws and institutions have been scrutinized by international bodies as well. Overall, the aim of this research is not only to merely analyze the state of media freedom in Albania but also to bring more attention to this urgent situation which is threatening democratic principles in the country.
THE RISE OF THE FREELANCE ECONOMY: A POLICY-FOCUSED APPROACH TO EMPOWERING MEDIA FREELANCERS IN THE UAE
High-quality freelance media professionals are currently in high demand and stand for years to come. The difficulties faced by media professionals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to new job openings where innovation can freely express itself in the marketplace. Media professionals have never had a better chance to operate autonomously as independent contractors, freely supplying the market with their creative talents. Even if there were freelancing jobs before the COVID-19 outbreak, the confining scenario has created many new self-employment opportunities. With more independent workers emerging every year, freelancing has become a global trend. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), with its unique approach, is no exception to this global trend. The government is consistently paving new paths for independents, and networks of these entities are expanding both nationally and internationally, making the UAE a fascinating case study in the world of freelancing. This study employs a qualitative research approach, focusing on policy analysis. This paper's primary data sources are government policies, laws, regulations, and reports that address various aspects of freelancing within the media sector in the UAE. These sources are gathered from governmental sites, legal databases, and associated publications. By exploring the UAE's government policy, laws, and regulations on the freelance workforce, the advantages and disadvantages of freelancing, and the future of freelance media workers in the UAE, this research determines the present and future states of freelance media workers in the UAE.
EUROPEAN ELECTIONS IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC (2004–2019): BETWEEN WEST AND EAST
The year 2024 will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Slovakia’s European membership. However, the country has continually displayed the lowest interest in European politics – the turnout in the European elections is only roughly 18%. Moreover, the Slovaks’ confidence level in the European Parliament ranges from 50% to 70%. The “Second-Order Elections” theory only partially accounts for the causes of the low turnout in “European elections”. The electoral differentiation between the western (capital) Bratislava region (preferences for liberals and social democrats) and the eastern Slovak Prešov region (Christian democrats and populist conservatives) showed differences in the European orientation of the Slovak voter. The results of four elections to the European Parliament (2004–2019) confirmed the electoral cleavage between the western and eastern regions. Since the powerful Slovak parties frequently vary in their level of Euro-optimism/Euro-pessimism to obtain more significant electoral benefits (ĽS-HZDS, SMER-SD, OĽaNO). To comprehend the nuances of Slovak voters’ electoral behaviour, it is reasonable to determine the public aspects of Euro-optimism/Euro-pessimism in Slovak regions at different geographical extremities. The students’ political socialization in the Bratislava and Prešov regions demonstrated the delegitimization of parties as political institutions and the highest level of mistrust in Slovak politicians. In this light, Slovak voters began to search for “new faces” in politics. The Prešov region displays unconditional trust for regional politicians (parties) (63%). According to the survey findings, we observe the disparity in confidence in social institutions: public organizations in Bratislava versus the church in Prešov. We believe that the level of conservatism, rather than specific party ideologies, is the primary factor influencing individuals’ perceptions of European politics.
BALANCE OF POWER AND REGIONAL COMPLEXITIES: NAVIGATING THE SECURITY DILEMMA IN THE BLACK SEA REGION
This article elaborates on the theoretical framework of the security dilemma concept through the lenses of regionalism by applying it to the geopolitical dynamics of the Black Sea region. The overall purpose of this study is to examine the strategic perceptions of the major regional actors and their impact on Eastern European security architecture. It explains how the parties' behavior, indirectly involved in strategic competition and seeking to maximize their own security, unintentionally exacerbates regional tensions. Through empirical evidence and theoretical analysis, the research provides a deep understanding of the balance of power and the security challenges in this strategically significant area.
POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL STABILITY AS A PREREQUISITE FOR NORTH MACEDONIA TO ACHIEVE THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Small states, such as North Macedonia, in contemporary and globalized international relations, face security challenges and threats that cannot be managed by traditional national defense and security infrastructure. In fact, small states in contemporary international relations face risks that require strong institutional frameworks, political stability and predictable and comprehensive strategies, instead of military doctrines, war tactics and huge military forces with heavy weapons. Pervasive corruption, institutional weakness and political instability are the leading internal security challenges for transitional and small states, such as North Macedonia. In this context, on the case study of North Macedonia, this paper will analyze peace, justice and strong institutions, as a prerequisite for internal political and social stability, as well as an important instrument in the process of realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This study will show the interconnection and conditionality between the stable political and institutional framework and the process of realization of the aforementioned global goals. Specifically, using the example of North Macedonia, the study will show that the Macedonian authorities must include individuals, community, internal and transnational security, and multidimensional factors, including the environment, global security, and non–state actors, as a focal point in establishing a new approach for effectively dealing with contemporary and emerging global, regional and local challenges, including achieving the UN SDGs.
POLISH MILITARY DIPLOMACY CONCERNING UKRAINE IN 2022-2024: BETWEEN CENTRISM AND PERIPHERALITY OF DIRECTION
The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the approaches, principles, and measures of the political and military leadership of the Republic of Poland in the field of military diplomacy, the importance of which increased in 2022-2024, when the Russian Federation carried out a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which changed the hybrid war into a modern total war. The research methodology is based on objectivity and historicism, within which the principles of generalization, analysis and synthesis, statistical method, as well as retrospective and systemic approaches were applied. The article for the first time comprehensively reflects the main practical approaches and decisions of Polish political, diplomatic, and military leaders against the background of geopolitical, geo-economic, and socio-cultural processes in Eastern Europe at the present stage. Having understood the Russian threat, the Polish political leadership chose the path of resistance in the diplomatic, military, and economic spheres. The diplomacy of official Warsaw operated within the framework of Polish strategic interests, the intentions of leading NATO countries in Central Europe, and Ukrainian national interests. It has been determined that as a result of the influence of the alliance, represented by Washington and Berlin, which is based on an unnatural reaction to the Russian information attack on the use of nuclear weapons and refusal to openly confront the axis of evil (Russia, North Korea, Iran and its proxy, China), Polish politicians are gradually avoiding placing the Ukrainian case in the center of security structures, leaning towards classifying it as peripheral. This change in the approaches of the Polish leadership is caused by the demands of the allies, who fear the transformation of the Russo-Ukrainian War from a local one to a regional one.
FROM LIBERAL PEACE TO LOCAL PEACE: TRANSDISCIPLINARY THEORETICAL APPROACHES
The peace research turn from approaches of liberal peace to those of post-liberal and local requires an understanding of the conceptual and theoretical foundations on which both of these approaches were built. This paper seeks to overcome the conceptual gaps and cognitive misperceptions between these two approaches. This paper began with a preliminary introduction of the uses of the definition of the concept of peace focusing on studying the intertwined conceptual relationships. In its second phase, this paper will attempt to analyze the levels of interaction between local and liberal peace by showcasing the limitations of the perspectives concerning the liberal practices of peacebuilding. In the third stage, the paper suggests a procedural and conceptual key point for crossing between local and global levels.
CHINA'S STRATEGIC NARRATIVES IN RELATIONS WITH THE US, THE EU, AND THE RF
This article provides an analysis of the Xi Jinping’ statements regarding China’s relations with the United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the European Union in the period from 2017 to 2023. Applying quantitative semantic analysis tools, such as Voyant Tools and the GPT-4 language model, made it possible to identify key topics, and visualize the relations between terms. The analysis of the bilateral relations events and the international environment that influenced the subject of Xi Jinping's official rhetoric is offered. The findings show how China positions itself as a responsible major power interested in building a “community with a shared future for mankind” and actively promotes global stability and development. The article also highlights how China uses diplomatic discourse to strengthen its strategic alliances, particularly with Russia, to manage complex relations with the US and the EU and to respond to global challenges, particularly Russia’s war in Ukraine.
POST-RETURN MONITORING OF PERSONS IN NEED OF INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION - LEGAL BOUNDARIES AND IMPACT ON MIGRATION POLICY IN SERBIA AND THE REGION
The expanding numbers of returned persons in need of international protection have led the UN Committee against Torture to indicate obligations of post-return monitoring for sending states. In its general practice and a well-known infamous case against the Republic of Serbia, the Committee gradually, yet inconsistently, put forward the contents of this obligation. The article explores several intriguing legal and policy questions that this decision raises since it essentially binds Serbia to act outside of its jurisdiction to monitor the rejected asylum seeker’s well-being upon return to the country of origin. It questions migration policy implications of such an obligation for the states involved, with repercussions also for other states in the region that lay on the current migratory routes. Through an analysis of current state practice, the authors inquire into the potentials of post-return monitoring to outweigh its presumable role of a rather weak redress and to instead serve as a valuable tool for non-refoulement prevention used to the benefit of larger numbers of persons seeking international protection.