Urging Youth Problems in the Western Balkans Region

Sanin Bilić, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Some of the major problems in the Western Balkans Region include high unemployment rates, education and skills mismatch, emigration and “brain drain”, political disengagement, social exclusion and inequality. The causes of these problems are often multifaceted and very complex as well as deeply ingrained in the society and its institutions. Here, I will briefly analyse the situations in these countries when it comes to the problems.

The WB region is a complex region, enmeshed in diverse and often hectic dynamics marked by identity politics constrained by past events of conflict. This region was once under the government of the now Ex Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which suffered a volatile dissolution in the 1990s.

 The number of youth (individuals aged 15 to 24) in the countries of the WB is the following[1]:

  • Albania: Approximately 500 000
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina: Approximately 600 000
  • Kosovo*[2]: Approximately 400 000
  • Montenegro: Approximately 120 000
  • Serbia: Approximately 1 200 000

High Unemployment Rates

Youth unemployment remains a significant problem in the WB with rates that are consistently higher than those of the EU average. As of the 2023, the youth unemployment rates in the WB region are as follows[3]:

  • Albania: 25.5%
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina: 29.9%
  • Kosovo*: 16.9%
  • Montenegro: 23.7%
  • North Macedonia: 29.4%
  • Serbia: 25.7%

For example, the average youth unemployment rate in the EU was 13.8 in 2023, this highlights and important discrepancy that the WB countries which aspire to join the EU, will have to address. This problem further contributes to increased emigration, as young people seek better opportunities abroad which leads to the popular “brain drain” issue which prevents regional development and hinders economic growth and stability[4].

Education and Skills Mismatch

The countries in this region face a serious problem with the mismatch of skills, which reduces the effectiveness of economy and hinders its full potential. In 2020, NEET score (Not in employment, Education or Training) for youth was very high across the region:

  • Albania: 26.6%
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina: 25.0%
  • Kosovo*: 32.2%
  • Montenegro: 26.6%
  • Serbia: 18.9%

The elevated rates suggest a substantial portion of young people disengaged from both the labour market and educational system which increases the risk of long-term social and economic exclusion. Another important issue is that a significant number of people are employed in positions that do not align with their qualifications which suggests that the education system might not be aligned adequately with labour market demands.[5] Performance in international assessments, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) indicates that students in the WB score significantly below the OECD average.[6]

Youth Emigration

This is a significant concern in the region, impacting the demographic stability as well as economic development. Since the 1990s, the number of migrants from the WB region has doubled, totalling nearly 3.8 million by 2019.[7] The intentions of youth when it comes to emigration are not promising, as a 2018 survey revealed that 33% of young people in the region expressed strong ambitions to emigrate. This problem further contributes to the population decline, especially in low fertility countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has one of the world’s lowest fertility rates at 1.2.

Political Disengagement

The issue of youth political disengagement in the WB is a complex one. It is influenced by factors such as economic instability, limited trust in political institutions and insufficient opportunities for meaningful participation. The Youth Participation Index (YPI) assesses political, economic, and social engagement among young people. According to a research conducted in the 2021, the following countries scored (data for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo* weren’t available in the report)[8]:

  • Serbia: 69%
  • Montenegro: 64.4%
  • Albania: 63.4%
  • North Macedonia: 63.2%

Surveys indicate that the political parties are among the least trusted institutions by youth in the region.[9] The level of online activism is more prominent in Serbia compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina.[10]

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-catalogues/-/ks-05-22-089

[2] This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

[3] https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099040524061582128/pdf/P5006481fb98fb0db1a9401e200293e761d.pdf

[4] https://www.esap.online/observatory/home

[5] https://www.etf.europa.eu/sites/default/files/202111/02_youth_western_balkans_final.pdf

[6] https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/education-in-the-western-balkans_764847ff-en.html

[7] https://www.bpb.de/themen/migration-integration/regionalprofile/english-version-country-profiles/505179/emigration-from-the-western-balkans/

[8] https://politeia.institute/en/civic-and-political-engagement-of-youth-in-the-western-balkans

[9]https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/608683/EPRS_BRI%282017%29608683_EN.pdf

[10] https://politeia.institute/en/civic-and-political-engagement-of-youth-in-the-western-balkans/