Volume 3, Issue 1

Political Risk and Monetary Policy: A Case Study of Turkiye political-risk-and-monetary-policy-a-case-study-of-turkiye Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 Political risk can be defined as political volatility and instability in the domestic as well as the international front, which may impact a certain country. The impact and effect of political risk on the economic stability
and monetary policies of a country cannot be ignored, as an increasingly politically volatile environment can inevitably hit the markets and thus the stability of the financial stage, which pushes financial institutions
to address the issues via monetary policies. This paper is focused on understanding the correlation between political risk and instability and monetary policy, with a specific focus on Türkiye during the 2010-2020 period. This period is deliberately selected as a time of profound political developments and volatility in Türkiye, as well as very impactful economic and financial reforms and transformations. The primary focus on understanding the role of political risk on monetary policy will be through analyzing the inflationary spikes and the policies of the central bank. The findings of the paper portray the importance of political stability
in both domestic and regional sense, highlighting the impact that increased political risk may have, while at the same time, demonstrating the effectiveness of the monetary policies already undertaken, as the
political risk levels steadily increased. While the paper clearly shows a correlation between political risk and monetary policy, the importance of strong financial institutions and decisive policy decisions is also highlighted as a way to mitigate the impact that political risks may create.

]]> Alper, K., Kara, H., & Yorukoglu, M. (2013). RESERVE OPTIONS MECHANISM. Central Bank Review, 1-14.

Avcı, G. (2021). POLITICAL ECONOMY OF TURKISH AGRICULTURE POLICY WITHIN the FRAMEWORK OF EUROPEAN UNION COMMON AGRICULTURE POLICY.

Başçı, E. (2011). The Turkish Ex perience Bank of Indonesia and IMF Joint Conference on Coping with Asia’s Large Capital Inflows in a Multi-Speed Global Economy. IMF Seminar. Bali, Indonesia.

Bulut, U. (2021). The response of monetary policyto the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. The path of a credit-based economic recovery. Theoretical and Applied Economics, 231-238.

Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye. (2026, January 26). CBRT interest rates (%): Central bank interest rates. From Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye Web site: https://tcmb.gov.tr/wps/wcm/connect/en/tcmb%2Ben/main%2Bmenu/core%2Bfunctions/monetary%2Bpolicy/central%2Bbank%2Binterest%2Brates/cbrt%2Binterest%2Brates?

Ferhad, S. (2025). The Impact of Economic Globalization on Income Inequality in Developing Countries: Case Study of Türkiye. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 1257-1261.

Ferhad, S. (2025). The Role of International Financial Institutions on Economic Stability: A Study of Developing Countries. GAS Journal of Economics and Business Management (GASJEBM), 26-32.

Gürkaynak, R. S., Kantur, Z., Taş, M. A., & Yıldırım, S. (2015). Monetary Policy in Turkey after Central Bank Independence. Center for Financial Studies.

Ibish, M. (2016). WESTERN BALKANS AND TURKEY AFTER THE COUP D’ÉTAT ATTEMPT (15TH OF JULY 2016). Adam Academy Journal of Social Sciences, 75-94.

Ibish, M., & Ferhad, S. (2024). Understanding the challenges of the IMF through the case studies of Greece, Argentina, and Turkiye. Journal of Law and Politics, 6-12.

Ibish, M., Ferhad, S., & Kaytan, M. F. (2025). The Political Economy and Historical Context of North Macedonia’s Independence. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 7598-7604.

Öniş, Z. (2009). Beyond the 2001 financial crisis: The political economy of the new phase of neo-liberal restructuring in Turkey. Review of International Political Economy .

Ulutaş, Ö. C. (2025). Migration process in Republic of Türkiye: Changes in push and pull factors over time. Academic Journal of Migration Studies, 1(2), 75–90.

TCMB. (2010 ). MONETARY POLICY EXIT STRATEGY. Ankara.

TCMB. (2015). ROAD MAP DURING THE NORMALIZATION OF GLOBAL MONETARY POLICIES. From TCMB Website.

The PRS Group . (n.d.). International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) [dataset]. From The PRS Group Web site: https://www.prsgroup.com/whats-new/the-icrg-methodology/

Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). (2026, 01 26). Consumer Price Index (CPI), 2025 release. From Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) Web site: https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?dil=2&p=Consumer-Price-Index-January-2025-54176

]]> Political risk, monetary policy, inflation rates, emerging markets, volatility 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/political-risk-and-monetary-policy-a-case-study-of-turkiye 1 1-11 10.69648/IESH2556 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/AcTv9ZD3Zxo/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-1.pdf Muhammed Fatih Kaytan International Balkan University, Skopje, North Macedonia true Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com

Assessing the Situation of Domestic Violence in North Macedonia: Legal Framework and Criminal Justice Responses assessing-the-situation-of-domestic-violence-in-north-macedonia-legal-framework-and-criminal-justice-responses Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 Manifestations of domestic violence cause considerable legal and social issues in North Macedonia, where specific categories of individuals belonging to a household are often affected with their fundamental human rights being undermined. In response, this paper examines the appropriate legal framework regulating domestic violence, while particularly emphasizing the dimension of criminal law and contemporary legislative reforms. The research performed scrutinizes the global standards established by the Istanbul Convention, as well as their integration into the Macedonian legal system. The research also delves into contemporary amendments made to the Macedonian Criminal Code, especially regarding changes in Article 130 inaugurating ex officio prosecution for criminal cases where bodily injuries have been committed as a result of domestic violence. Furthermore, the present-day circumstances have been investigated through the lenses of official statistical data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and selected observations derived from relevant reports that draw attention to issues such as institutional changes, the prevalence of psychological violence, and underreporting. The research recognizes polarity between prescribed legal provisions and their implementation in practice, while simultaneously acknowledging contemporary legislative attempts to address such drawbacks. The research findings consider that domestic violation still represents a convoluted issue necessitating a more efficient institutional response, despite improvements in the legal framework by recent reforms. The paper concludes with recommendations directed towards strengthening criminal law mechanisms, improvements of their implementation and the enhancement of protection for victims.

]]> Ahmedi, B., & Mero, A. (2025). Raport lokal për rajonin e Pollogut: Gjendja e dhunës në familje dhe dhunës seksuale (2022-2024) [Local report on domestic and sexual violence in the Pollog region]. Mollëkuqja. https://www.mollekuqja.mk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Hulumtimi-Mollekuqja-AL.pdf

Council of Europe. (2011). Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/text-of-the-convention

Council of Europe. (2023). GREVIO’s (baseline) evaluation report on legislative and other measures giving effect to the provisions of the Istanbul Convention (North Macedonia). https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/north-macedonia

Republic of North Macedonia, Ministry of Internal Affairs. (n.d.). Analyses and statistics. https://mvr.gov.mk/en-GB/analizi-i-statistiki/zbirna-analiza

Republic of North Macedonia. (2021). Law on Prevention and Protection from Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. https://mvr.gov.mk/en-GB/analizi-i-statistiki/zbirna-analiza

Republic of North Macedonia. (2026). Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Criminal Code. Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia, No. 16/2026.

Tupančevski, N. (2024). Кривичен законик: интегрален текст, предговор, кратки објаснувања и регистар на поими [Criminal Code: Integrated text, foreword, brief explanations and glossary of terms]. Stobi Trejd.

Xhelili, F. (2025). Hulumtim: Rritje e raportimit të rasteve të dhunës gjinore dhe seksuale në Pollog. Mollëkuqja. https://www.mollekuqja.mk/hulumtim-nga-mollekuqja-rritje-alarmante-e-paraqitjes-se-rasteve-te-dhunes-gjinore-dhe-seksuale-ne-pollog/

]]> Domestic violence, criminal law, Istanbul Convention, North Macedonia, legal reforms 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/assessing-the-situation-of-domestic-violence-in-north-macedonia-legal-framework-and-criminal-justice-responses 1 13-24 10.69648/EIEK1938 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/5qsrVQeBs7c/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-2.pdf Blerta Ahmedi South East European University, Tetovo, N. Macedonia true Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com

Jurisdiction of the Arbitral Tribunal to Decide on Its Own Jurisdiction jurisdiction-of-the-arbitral-tribunal-to-decide-on-its-own-jurisdiction Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 Competence de compétence (German: Gerichtsverfassungsrecht; French: Kompetenz-Kompetenz; Spanish: Competencia para determinar la competencia) is a core concept of arbitration procedural law. It is a specific principle aimed at preventing the arbitral process from being undermined at the outset by state courts, as well as eliminating the possibility of a positive conflict of jurisdictions (between arbitrate and state courts).

Simultaneously, by acknowledging the arbitral tribunal’s power to rule independently on its own jurisdiction and on any jurisdictional objections raised by the parties, arbitration is affirmed as a separate and autonomous alternative means of resolving disputes. Owing to its efficiency and speed, it increasingly displaces the traditional idea of state court litigation.

For this reason, it can rightly be concluded that the competence de compétence is the cornerstone (pierre angulaire) of arbitration, and thus a challenge for every researcher. This is because, through this doctrine, the autonomy of arbitration vis-vis state adjudication is protected, and the effectiveness of arbitral justice is ensured.

]]> Boucaron-Nardetto, M. (2011). Le principe de compétence-compétence en droit de l’arbitrage. Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (Doctoral thesis).

Boisson de Chazournes, L. (2010). The principle of compétence de la compétence in international adjudication and its role in an era of multiplication of courts and tribunals. In M. Arsanjani, J. Cogan, & S. Weissner (Eds.), Looking to the future: Essays in honor of W. Michael Reisman (pp. 1027–1064). Martinus Nijhoff.

González de Cossío, F. (2007). El principio compétence-compétence revisitado. Revista de Arbitragem e Mediação, 4(13), 100–122.

Gorgieva, D., & Doneva, N. (2025). Prohibition of double and multiple lis pendens in court proceedings: Solutions and dilemmas in Macedonian law. The Review of Law, International Politics and Economics, 1(2), 97–109. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17931126

Herrmann, G. (1994). The arbitration agreement as the foundation of arbitration and its recognition by the courts. In A. J. van den Berg (Ed.), International arbitration in a changing world (ICCA Congress Series, Vol. 6, pp. 41–50). Kluwer Law International.

Jakeli, M. (2023). Competence-competence principle in international commercial arbitration [Master’s thesis, Mykolas Romeris University].

Kalantzi, A. (2023). Parallel arbitral proceedings: An analysis of the issue of parallel arbitrations in international commercial arbitration within the European legal space. The Italian Review of International and Comparative Law, 3(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1163/27725650-03010001

Law on Civil Procedure. (2010). Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia, No. 116/2010.

Law on International Commercial Arbitration of the Republic of Macedonia. (2006). Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia, No. 39/2006.

Samuel, A. (1989). Jurisdictional problems in international commercial arbitration: A study of Belgian, Dutch, English, French, Swedish, Swiss, U.S. and West German law. Schulthess Polygraphischer Verlag.

Stanković, G. (1999). Arbitražno procesno pravo. Pravni fakultet, Niš.

Triva, S., & Dika, M. (2004). Građansko parnično procesno pravo [Civil procedural law]. Narodne novine.

Triva, S., & Uzelac, A. (2007). Hrvatsko arbitražno pravo [Croatian arbitration law]. Narodne novine.

Zoroska-Kamilovska, T. (2015). Арбитражно право [Arbitration Law]. Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Faculty of Law “Iustinianus Primus”.

]]> Competence de compétence, arbitral jurisdiction, autonomy, state courts, dispute resolution 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/jurisdiction-of-the-arbitral-tribunal-to-decide-on-its-own-jurisdiction 1 25-35 10.69648/RNFD2777 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/AYL2r1JcAvB/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-3.pdf Dijana Gjorgjieva International Vision University, Gostivar, North Macedonia true Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com

Social Media Usage Across Generations: Evidence from North Macedonia social-media-usage-across-generations-evidence-from-north-macedonia Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 Social media is now integrated part of every life for most of us, yet people from different generations engage and interact differently with these platforms. It is very important to understand these differences for researchers, business professionals and policy makers. This paper examines the social media patterns of use present among Generation Y (born in 1981-1996) and Generation Z (born in 1997-2012) in North Macedonia. The study investigates generational differences in time spent on social media and platform preferences. Data is gathered from 574 participants and analyzed through Pearson's Chi-Square tests and the results show statistically significant differences between the two generations at the level of p < 0.001. The results are interpreted using key theoretical frameworks, including Uses and Gratifications Theory and the Honeycomb Framework of social media. Generation Z spends more time on social media on daily basis while Generation Y use of social media is shorter and more moderated. Regarding the platform preferences Generation Y shows a stronger preference for Instagram and Facebook, while Generation Z mostly uses Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Instagram is the most popular and most used platform across both generations. This paper contributes to empirical evidence on generational social media use in North Macedonian context as an area that remains underrepresented in the existing literature.

]]> Akbuğa, F. (2025). Social comparison behaviors of Gen Z on social networking sites. Yeni Medya, 19, 70–86.

Bassiouni, D. H., & Hackley, C. (2014). Generation Z children’s adaptation to digital consumer culture: A critical literature review. Journal of Business Research, 67(4), 456–460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.08.003

Baym, N. K. (2010). Personal connections in the digital age. Polity Press.

Boyd, D. (2014). It's complicated: The social lives of networked teens. Yale University Press.

Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x

Dimock, M. (2019, January 17). Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media: A critical introduction. Sage.

Hallinan, B. K., Scharlach, R., Trillò, T. M., & Shifman, L. (2023). Mapping the transnational imaginary of social media genres. New Media & Society, 559–583.

Howe, N., Strauss, W., & Matson, R. (2000). Millennials rising: The next great generation. Vintage Books.

Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59–68.

Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and gratifications research. Public Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509–523.

Kemp, S. (2026, April 30). Digital 2026: North Macedonia. DataReportal. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2026-north-macedonia

Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, B. S. (2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media. Business Horizons, 54(3), 241–251.

Kullolli, T., & Trebicka, B. (2023). Generation Z and the evolution of social media: A two-decade analysis of impact and usage trends. Interdisciplinary Journal of Research and Development, 10(3), 77–87.

Lev, T. A. (2021). Generation Z: Characteristics and challenges to entering the world of work. Cross-Cultural Management Journal, 23(1), 107–115.

Lipschultz, J. H. (2020). Social media communication: Concepts, practices, data, law and ethics. Routledge.

McCrindle, M. (2014). The ABC of XYZ: Understanding the global generations. McCrindle Research Pty Ltd.

Raslie, H. (2021). Gen Y and Gen Z communication style. Studies of Applied Economics, 39(1).

Șchiopu, A. F., Nica, A. M., Pădurean, A. M., & Ţală, M. L. (2023). Generation Z vs. Generation Y: Different from or similar? A comparison of centennials and millennials regarding the use of social media for travel purposes. Cactus Tourism Journal, 5(1), 20–35.

Sharma, S., Sachdeva, D., Malhotra, J., & Juneja, T. (2023). Social media usage, fear of missing out and personality: A comparative study of Gen Z and Millennials. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 11(3).

]]> Social media, Generation Y, Generation Z, platform preference, North Macedonia 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/social-media-usage-across-generations-evidence-from-north-macedonia 1 37-47 10.69648/KKFQ2220 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/K5mav2LsGoM/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-4.pdf Lumturije Mehmedi -Sinani South East European University, Tetovo, N. Macedonia true Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com

Artificial Intelligence and Business Law: Challenges, Regulation, and Future Perspectives in North Macedonia artificial-intelligence-and-business-law-challenges-regulation-and-future-perspectives-in-north-macedonia Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fully transforming business aspects and other legal aspects while creating both a lot of opportunities and also complex regulatory challenges. AI technologies become fully integrated into the decision-making processes, many issues such as lack of transparency accountability and other problematic issues related to legal aspects are huge concerns for the business law. Most focusing part of this paper has to do with the examination of the AI and business law, while focusing in the need for a broader analysis of the cases that concern the business law and all aspects of the regulatory frameworks that would have addressed future risks and also current developments. It evaluates the traditional forms of the learning systems and concludes that traditional forms of the learning systems are way too unpredictable and often operates beyond aspects of human predictions. Having in mind our existing literature this paper will try to analyze many concepts on the legal aspect and business law and also other aspects of regulatory frameworks that will need to be in place for a less risk base and flexible AI governance. In the global economy with many problems and other current difficulties this paper will evaluate ecosystem and its role on the strategic importance on the of AI in business law. As a conclusion part will be evaluated a balanced approach as a base of this paper with the focus on the fundamental basic principles of business law and legal aspects of it and AI.

]]> Burgess, P. (2021). Algorithmic augmentation of democracy: Considering whether technology can enhance the concept of democracy and the rule of law through four hypotheticals. Springer Nature.

Fenwick, M. (2018). Business and regulatory responses to artificial intelligence: Dynamic regulation, innovation ecosystems and the strategic management of disruptive technology. In M. Corrales, M. Fenwick, & N. Forgó (Eds.), Perspectives in law, business and innovation (pp. 81–105). Springer.

Gordon, J.-S. (2021). AI and law: ethical, legal, and socio-political implications. AI & Society, 36(2), 403–404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-021-01194-0

Jones, L. (2025). Business law and practice. The University of Law Publishing Limited.

Lukings, M., & Habibi Lashkari, A. (2022). Understanding cybersecurity law and digital privacy: A common law perspective. Springer.

Means, B. (2026). The principles of family business law. Cambridge University Press.

Pagallo, U., Corrales, M., Fenwick, M., & Forgó, N. (2018). The rise of robotics & AI: Technological advances & normative dilemmas. In U. Pagallo, M. Corrales, M. Fenwick, & N. Forgó (Eds.), Robotics, AI and the future of law (pp. xx–xx). Springer.

Staffler, L. (2021). Business criminal law: A primer for management and economics. Springer.

Vig, Z. (2023). International business transactions. Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

]]> AI, business law, AI regulation aspects, legal responsibility, digital governance 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/artificial-intelligence-and-business-law-challenges-regulation-and-future-perspectives-in-north-macedonia 1 49-62 10.69648/ZFVP6845 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/FNFwbhitZ3s/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-5.pdf Seher Mustafa International Balkan University, Skopje, N. Macedonia true Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com

Legal-Criminal Analysis and Practical Judicial Application of the Criminal Offense “Reckless Driving of a Motor Vehicle” Sanctioned Under Article 297-a of the Criminal Code of the Republic of North Macedonia legal-criminal-analysis-and-practical-judicial-application-of-the-criminal-offense-reckless-driving-of-a-motor-vehicle-sanctioned-under-article-297-a-of-the-criminal-code-of-the-re Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 Road traffic safety represents one of the most sensitive and at the same time most important areas of criminal legal protection in modern societies. The increase in the number of motor vehicles, the intensification of road traffic, and frequent violations of traffic rules have resulted in an increase in accidents with serious consequences for human life and health. In this context, the legislator of the Republic of North Macedonia, through the amendments of September 2023 to the Criminal Code, introduced the criminal offense “reckless driving of a motor vehicle,” sanctioned under Article 297-a of the Criminal Code as a continuation of Article 297 “Endangering Traffic Safety,” with the aim of sanctioning particularly dangerous conduct in road traffic.

This paper examines this criminal offense in an expanded and analytical manner, focusing on the object of criminal protection, the subject of the offense, the objective and subjective elements, the forms of guilt, as well as its distinction from traffic misdemeanors and other criminal offenses related to traffic safety. The paper also analyzes the relationship of Article 297-a with criminal offenses that produce concrete consequences, as well as the role of this provision within the criminal system and in the prevention of accidents and traffic-related crime. The analysis is based on legislative, doctrinal, and judicial practice sources, with the aim of contributing to a clearer interpretation and more effective application of this criminal offense.

]]> Basic Court Debar. (2026). Case No. К-7/2026.

Basic Court Tetovo. (2025). Case No. К-750/25.

Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia. (1991). Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Criminal Code of the Republic of North Macedonia. (1996). Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia (with subsequent amendments and supplements, No. 08-629/1, January 28, 2026, effective February 1, 2026).

Kambovski, V., & Tupanceski, N. (2011). Criminal law – Special part. Skopje.

Kambovski, V., & Zejneli, I. (2018). Criminal law – General part. Tetovo.

Law on Misdemeanors. (2019). Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Law on Road Traffic Safety of the Republic of North Macedonia. (2015). Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia, No. 169/2015 (with subsequent amendments).

Salihu, I. (2014). Criminal law – Special part. Prishtina.

World Health Organization. (2018). Global status report on road safety 2018

]]> Reckless driving, traffic safety, criminal liability, Article 297-a, Criminal Code 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/legal-criminal-analysis-and-practical-judicial-application-of-the-criminal-offense-reckless-driving-of-a-motor-vehicle-sanctioned-under-article-297-a-of-the-criminal-code-of-the-re 1 63-79 10.69648/ZZEJ8525 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/5SivyDYPMkx/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-6.pdf Shpati Croj South East European University, Tetovo, N. Macedonia true Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com

The Role of the Probation Officer in the Criminal Justice System: A Comparative Analysis between Kosovo and the Countries of the Region the-role-of-the-probation-officer-in-the-criminal-justice-system-a-comparative-analysis-between-kosovo-and-the-countries-of-the-region Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 Recent developments in criminal justice systems indicate a gradual transition from strictly punitive approaches toward more balanced models that emphasize rehabilitation, reintegration, and long-term social protection. Within this evolving framework, the probation officer has assumed an increasingly important role, functioning as an intermediary between judicial institutions, correctional authorities, and the community.

This paper examines the role and significance of probation officers within the criminal justice system of Kosovo while providing a comparative analysis with the probation systems of Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study underlines the contribution of probation services to reducing recidivism, easing prison overcrowding, promoting restorative justice, and facilitating the reintegration of offenders into society.

The paper employs a comparative legal and analytical methodology based on national legislation, institutional reports, international standards, and regional practices. Particular attention is devoted to the legal framework regulating probation services, the practical implementation of alternative sanctions, and the institutional challenges faced by probation officers in Kosovo and neighboring countries.

The findings indicate that although Kosovo has established a relatively solid legal framework for probation services, several structural and practical challenges continue to affect the effectiveness of the system, including limited institutional capacities, insufficient professional training, weak inter-institutional coordination, and the absence of comprehensive statistical mechanisms for measuring recidivism and rehabilitation outcomes.

The study concludes that strengthening probation services is essential for the development of a modern and sustainable criminal justice system based on rehabilitation and social reintegration. It further recommends increased investment in professional training, digitalization, institutional cooperation, and evidence-based criminal policies.

]]> Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania. (1995). Official Gazette of the Republic of Albania (consolidated version as amended up to 2023).

Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo (Code No. 06/L-074). (2019). Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo.Criminal Code of the Republic of North Macedonia. (2021).

Juvenile Justice Code (Code No. 03/L-193). (2010). Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo.

Kambovski, V., & Zejneli, I. (2018). E drejta penale: pjesa e përgjithshme [General criminal law: general part]. SEEU.

Law No. 08/L-002 on the Execution of Criminal Sanctions. (2021). Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo.

Law No. 78/2020 on the Organization and Functioning of the Probation Service in Albania. (2020).

Perteshi, S. (2021). Baseline assessment for the Kosovo Probation Service. Kosovar Centre for Security Studies.

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]]> Probation officer, criminal justice, alternative measures, rehabilitation, recidivism 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/the-role-of-the-probation-officer-in-the-criminal-justice-system-a-comparative-analysis-between-kosovo-and-the-countries-of-the-region 1 81-90 10.69648/BIAT2758 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/CLxyuygEjuN/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-7.pdf Fat Mustafa South East European University, Tetovo, N. Macedonia true Ismail Zejneli South East European University, Faculty of Law, Tetovo, N. Macedonia Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com

Hybrid Warfare and Persistently Contested Sovereignty in the Western Balkans: The Role of Regional Cooperation hybrid-warfare-and-persistently-contested-sovereignty-in-the-western-balkans-the-role-of-regional-cooperation Volume 3, Issue 1 Research Article 2026 3 This study examines how hybrid warfare undermines state sovereignty in the Western Balkans and evaluates the role of regional cooperation in reducing vulnerability gaps and strengthening regional security. It argues that hybrid threats, particularly disinformation and the exploitation of transnational organized crime networks, operate as interconnected mechanisms that amplify structural weaknesses in institutionally fragile states. The research adopts a qualitative approach based on academic literature, policy documents, and regional security reports, focusing on the interaction between hybrid interference, governance deficits, weak intelligence capacities, and fragmented institutional responses. The findings show that hybrid warfare functions as a continuous and multidimensional process that erodes institutional authority and reinforces contested sovereignty. Transnational organized crime emerges as a key intermediary, facilitating political influence and destabilization through financial and operational networks. Fragmented national responses increase exposure to hybrid threats, while regional cooperation enhances resilience through intelligence sharing, coordinated law enforcement, joint early-warning systems, and policy harmonization. The study contributes to theoretical debates by conceptualizing sovereignty as a dynamic and continuously contested process under hybrid threat conditions. It concludes that effective security governance in the Western Balkans requires the integration of national institutional capacities, intelligence-led resilience, rule-of-law strengthening, and institutionalized regional cooperation.

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]]> hybrid warfare, contested sovereignty, regional cooperation, transnational organized crime, Western Balkans 2026-05-31 https://brj.ibupress.com/articles/hybrid-warfare-and-persistently-contested-sovereignty-in-the-western-balkans-the-role-of-regional-cooperation 1 91-109 en CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://brj.ibupress.com/file/FHMIC3ypPds/ibu-journal-brj-3-1-8-1.pdf Denur K. Paçaku South East European University, Tetovo, N. Macedonia true Balkan Research Journal 2955-2516 2955-2524 Balkan University Press https://brj.ibupress.com