ABSTRACT
In recent years, there has emerged a heightened recognition of the negative consequences of organized crime and corruption in the Western Balkan countries together with their ensuing effects on the socio-economic development process in these countries, as well as their corrosive impact on society and on the fledgling democratization process. The two phenomena are linked to the climate of unethical leadership and bad governance. Increasingly, the issue has come to the fore as a concern expressed by Western countries and international organizations such as the European Union (EU). As a consequence, not only have the two issues been moved to the top of the policy reform agenda, but a high premium has also been placed on combating them.
