We did criminalize it - now what? Western Balkans response to the foreign fighters threat - Bogdanovski, Andreja (Analytica, 2014)
The civil war in Syria has attracted plenty of attention due to various reasons, starting from the appalling humanitarian catastrophe, the criticism for inactivity of the big powers and the use of prohibited arms such as chemical weapons. Lately, more and more signs of worry come as a result of the considerate number of foreign fighters present on the Syrian battlefields. The Balkans and the EU are no exception to this and it is believed that few hundred fighters coming from the Western Balkans have joined the anti Assad rebellions. The main question therefore is what is the risk connected with the foreign fighters when returning home? This policy brief focuses on the actual situation with the foreign fighters and the measures that are put in place by the governments in the Western Balkans with focus on Macedonia. The text borrows from the relevant experiences of Germany, UK and Belgium in addressing this question. Therefore it looks for possible solutions in employing greater resources into prevention and rehabilitation programs through engagement of civil society and local communities. The policy brief ends with set of recommendations directed to the authorities in Macedonia