CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2024
| Author | Samardjiski, Kristijan |
|---|---|
| Title | The Impact of EU Pre-Accession Funds on Patterns of Corruption Risk: Quantitative Analysis of Western Balkan Candidate Countries |
| Summary | This thesis examines the relationship between EU pre-accession funding and corruption risk patterns within public procurement in certain Western Balkan states. By utilising a quantitative empirical approach based on red flag indicators – a method which has gained traction in recent years – this study analyses tendering data for the candidate countries of North Macedonia and Serbia. While doing so, the empirical segment covers the second and third cycle of the Union’s pre-accession mechanism. The employed analytical approach is two-tiered – it includes both descriptive statistics and regression analyses following covariate matching. With it, the results read as follows: EU funds do not appear to impact corruption levels in the region in a uniform manner. In North Macedonia, EU funding causes increased differences between tender notices and awards, indicating one dimension of elevated corruption risk. On the other hand, in Serbia, EU funds appear to reduce the number of single-bidding tenders, which suggests a decrease in one risk factor. Altogether, this project aims to contribute to the broader understanding of the EU’s transformative role – primarily within the Balkans, but also in the rest of post-communist Europe. Nevertheless, some limitations as a result of data availability leave space for future studies to explore these dynamics in a more nuanced fashion. |
| Supervisor | Fazekas, Mihály |
| Department | Public Policy MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2024/samardjiski_kristija.pdf |
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