Insajder
Following the publication of her latest Brief, 'Too little, too late? Georgia's lessons for Serbia and EU leverage', Bojana Zorić spoke to Insajder about the similarities and differences in democratic backsliding in Georgia and Serbia, and the lessons the EU can draw from its delayed response to Georgia to prevent Serbia from following the same path.
"In both cases, this is not about a single dramatic event, but rather the gradual weakening of institutions, the concentration of political power, and the increasingly pronounced intertwining of state and party interests," she explained.
Although both countries are moving away from democratic norms, Georgia has gone much further in state capture, while Serbia retains stronger economic ties with the EU and greater potential for social mobilisation, she added.
She argued that Georgia's trajectory is not inevitable for Serbia, as the country has not yet reached the same degree of institutional closure. "However, that window of opportunity is not unlimited, and Georgia's experience shows just how quickly it can narrow," she warned. (in Serbian)