The past decade has witnessed a rather active foreign policy by Turkey in Southeast Europe. On the basis of historical legacies, Turkish cultural initiatives have built new links to the region and increased the countries’ attractiveness for students and tourists. Turkish businesses are investing into infrastructure projects and seize business opportunities, also with an eye on the region’s importance for transit towards the EU. At the same time, many of the region’s leaders have good relations to the Turkish government, while Turkish politicians have held rallies in the region during election campaigns and stressed the bond between Turkish diaspora and local minorities to their homeland. What does this interest and engagement in the region mean for the different countries, what is its extent in comparison to other actors, and how has it evolved over time? The conference in the realm of the SOG’s series on ‘External Non-EU Engagement in Southeast Europe’ aims to create an open space for debate on the most recent developments in Turkish foreign policy towards the region and especially the Western Balkans. By focusing on the issue areas of Turkish soft power, economic engagement and political influence, the panels will shed light on Turkey’s engagement in the region and discuss converging and potentially diverging interests with the EU.

ATTENTION: The conference will take place under Chatham House Rule in order to facilitate an unrestricted and open exchange of views and ideas. At a meeting held under the Chatham House Rule, anyone who comes to the meeting is free to use information from the discussion but is not allowed to reveal who made any comment. It aims to increase openness of discussion.

Conference Venue: Park Inn Hotel, Alexanderplatz 7, 10178 Berlin
Conference committee: Hansjörg Brey, Executive Director, Southeast Europe Association, Munich
Christian Hagemann, Deputy Director, Southeast Europe Association, Munich
Viktoria Somogyi, Project Assistant, Southeast Europe Association, Munich

Conference Language: English and German with simultaneous translation

Manuel is chair for Panel IV: 5.6., 17:00 TURKEY’S POLITICAL INFLUENCE – SELECTED COUNTRIES AND ISSUE AREAS
17.00 – 18.30
Chair: Manuel Sarrazin MP, Member of the Bundestag’s European Union Committee, Vice President Southeast Europe Association, Berlin
Panelists: North Macedonia: Arsim Zekolli, Former Ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Adnan Huskić, President of the Centre for Election Studies, Programme Manager of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Sarajevo
Bulgaria: Emilia Zankina, Associate Professor in Political Science and Provost at the American University in Bulgaria, Sofia

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