​Erdoğan's influence in Croatia: A warning sign for the EU

Višeslav Raos / 20 Jun 2023

Recent developments in Croatia have indicated a growing Turkish impact in the region, posing a significant threat to the European Union’s efforts to expand its influence in southeastern Europe. Turkey’s neo-ottoman foreign policy, under president recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has focused on the Western Balkans, including Croatia, as a primary area of interest. This multi-pronged approach includes spreading its political, economic, and cultural influence in Croatia, the youngest EU member state.

The article was written as part of the project "The Western Balkans at the Crossroads: Democratic Backsliding and External Actors’ Influence" led by the Prague Security Studies Institute, sponsored by National Endowment for Democracy (NED). For more information, visit: www.balkancrossroads.com.