This policy brief examines the abuse of state resources and its deep implications for the democratic governance and electoral integrity. It provides data-driven insights to uncover the critical factors and causes behind the exploitation of state resources during elections in the Western Balkans countries. Understanding the complex character of this phenomenon is imperative to grasp all nuances of the challenges which each Western Balkans country face in their struggle against the misuse of public resources and political corruption.
The policy brief is organized into five chapters. The first chapter offers a concise overview of what abuse of state resources entails, including its various forms. The second chapter introduces important international standards that serve as benchmarks for handling abuse of state resources. The third chapter focuses on the legal and institutional frameworks in Western Balkan countries governing the abuse of state resources. In the fourth chapter, we provide concrete examples demonstrating how these abuses manifest in each of the countries examined. The final policy brief chapter provides evidence-based recommendations on how to mitigate the misuse of state resources and improve electoral integrity across the Western Balkans.
