THE AUTHORITARIANISM IN THE BALKANS AND THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA

Balkan states are making headlines; protests, boycotts, conflicts, and authoritarian rhetoric. "Balkans spring" is a term used in the Balkan media to evoke the uprisings in the Middle East in spring of 2011. The Balkan states are in the center of European concern in terms of instability and fragile democracy. Some of the political leaders in many Balkan countries are being accused of an authoritarian approach. Why is authoritarianism resurging in the Balkans? How is this phenomenon mirrored in the media? Is media being used as an industry to promote power? The main focus of this paper is to show how media is representing the authoritarianism in the Balkans.