ECONOMIC-GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE BALKANS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI1602307FKeywords:
economic dynamics, Turkey, the Balkans, foreign policy, tradeAbstract
The aim of this paper is to consider whether there is an evolving regional economic integration (or disintegration) in Southeast Europe, which is based on the ethno-religious composition of the countries concerned. Namely, to analyse the evolving regional integration in Southeast Europe by evaluating foreign trade data. The main focus of this paper is on the case of Turkey, because after the Millennium the foreign policy of Turkey puts a higher emphasis on focusing on the states which had been parts of the former Ottoman Empire. It can be presumed that in the fields of social relations these countries have more fruitful economic relations as well. Jovan Cvijić in his ‘anthropogeographical’ research analysed the geographical influences on cultural dynamics and ethics, which still prevail. This present study attempts to explore the relations between the social factors and the economic matters by carrying out an analysis of product lines, their types, and market value in the period 2008–2014. The study suggests that despite the fact that the cultural ties of Turkey based on ethnicity and religion are tighter with Albania and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina than with e.g. Serbia and Croatia, in a globally connected world, the market opportunities, the geographical distance, and the ability to pay for products and services matter more than historical and cultural relations. This is the reason why Turkey has profitable economic relations with Romania, Greece and Bulgaria.
Article metrics
References
Akhisar, I., & Tepecik, A. (2015). Effects of Exchange Rate Uncertainty on Turkish Foreign Trade: Wavelet Analysis. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 6(4), 7–18.
Angelos, K., & George, P. (2003). The Industrial and Trade Structure of the Greek and Turkish Economies: Possibilities for cooperation. Discussion Paper Series, 9(11), 233–248.
Arin, K. Y. (2013). The AKP's Foreign Policy, Turkey's Reorientation from the West to the East? Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Berlin (WVB).
Bechev, D. (2012). Turkey in the Balkans: Taking a Broader View. Insight Turkey, 14(1), 131–146.
Božić-Miljković, I. (2014). Foreign Trade between Russia and the Balkans in the context of Global Geostrategic Relations. Journal of Globalization Studies, 5(2), 57–68.
Cvijić, J. (1922). Balkansko poluostrvo i južnoslovenske zemlje: osnove antropogeografije. Zagreb: Hrvatski Štamparski Zavod (Hungarian translation (2008) A Balkán-félsziget és a délszláv országok: Az emberföldrajz alapjai. Szabadka: Kiss Lajos Néprajzi Társaság; Újvidék: Vajdasági Művelődési Intézet.
Davutoğlu, A. (2001). Strategic Depth: Turkey's International Position (Stratejik Derinlik: Türkiye'nin Uluslararası Konumu). Istanbul: Küre Yayınları.
Diyanet Işleri Genel Müdürlüğü (Presidency of Religious Affairs) (2010). Organizational Chart (Teşkilat Şeması). Ankara: Diyanet. Retrieved from http://www.diyanet.gov.tr/tr/kategori/teskilat-semasi/72
Ekinci, M. U. (2013). Turkey’s ‛Zero Problem’ Era in the Balkans. SETA Analysis, October 2013, No. 1. Retrieved from http://file.setav.org/Files/Pdf/20131010120900_turkeyszeroproblemserainthebalkans.pdf
Enache, C. (2015). Statistical Methods and Techniques Used in the Analysis of Romania’s Foreign Trade in Agricultural Products with Developing Countries. International Journal of Economic Practices and Theories, 5(3), 187–193.
Eurostat (2015). Population and social conditions 2001–2015 [Data file]. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Population_and_social_conditions Fabris, N., Kilibarda, B., & Radunović, M. (2010). Montenegrin Foreign Trade Statistics Analysis Using General and Special Trade Systems. Central Bank of Montenegro [CBCG] Research, Statistics and IT department. Working Papers, 18. Podgorica: Montenegro.
Fisher Onar, N. (2009). Neo Ottomanism, historical legacies and Turkish foreign policy. GMF, Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies. Discussion Paper Series (March), 16 p. Gangloff, S. (2001a). The relations between Turkey and Macedonia — The incoherencies of a political partnership. Turkish Review of Balkan Studies, 6, 37–56.
Gangloff, S. (2001b). The Weight of Islam in the Turkish Foreign Policy in the Balkans. Turkish Review of Balkan Studies, 5, 91–102.
Gündoğan, M., & Çetiner, B. G. (2010). Economic Cooperation in Balkans: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Proceedings from International Symposium on Sustainable Development June 8–9 (pp. 845–853) Sarajevo: Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Huber, C. (2013). Agriculture in Turkey: Trade and Regional Diplomacy. CIHEAM Analytical Note, 69. Retrieved from http://ciheam.org/images/CIHEAM/PDFs/Observatoire/NAN/nan69.pdf
Huntington, S. P. (1996). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York: Simon & Schuster.
International Trade Centre (ITC) (2016). Export and import data between Turkey and the Southeast European countries. ITC–UN COMTRADE. [statistics] Available from Trade Map Data database http://www.trademap.org/
Kocaslan, G., Ozcelebi, O., & Ertugal, S. M. (2013). Is a Regional Trade Agreement with Balkan Countries Applicable for Turkey? A Time Series Analysis. Journal of Economic and Social Studies, 4(1), 25–37.
Krugman, P. R. (1991). Geography and Trade. Cambridge: The MIT Press.
Küçükkeleş, M., & Küçükcan, T. (2013). European Perceptions of Turkish Foreign Policy. SETA
Policy Report,. 10. 45 p. Mitrović, M. (2014). Turkish Foreign Policy towards the Balkans: The influence of traditional determinants on Davutoğlu’s conception of Turkey — Balkan Relations. GeT MA Working Paper, 10. Department of Social Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Retrieved from http://edoc.hu-berlin.de/series/getmaseries.
Murinson, A. (2006). The Strategic Depth Doctrine of Turkish Foreign Policy. Middle Eastern Studies, 42(6), 945–964.
Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey (2016). Arşiv — Fihrist — Düstur. T.C. Resmî Gazete. Retrieved from http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/default.aspx#
Öktem, K. (2010). New Islamic actors after the Wahhabi intermezzo: Turkey’s return to the Muslim Balkans. European Studies Centre, University of Oxford December 2010.
Önis, Z. (2011). Multiple Faces of the New Turkish Foreign Policy: Underlying Dynamics and a Critique. Insight Turkey, 13(1), 47–65.
Petrakos, G. (2003). Trade relations of the Balkan countries: A comparative analysis in Petrakos, G., Kotios, A., & Chionis, D. (Eds.), International and Monetary Aspects of Transition in Southeastern Europe (pp. 15–46). Greece: University of Thessaly Press.
Petrović, Ž., & Reljić, D. (2011). Turkish Interests and Involvement in the Western Balkans: A Score-Card. Insight Turkey, 13(3), 159–172.
PEW Research Center (2012). The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Major Religious Groups as of 2010. PEW Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/files/2014/01/global-religion-full.pdf
Provence, M. (2011). Ottoman Modernity, Colonialism, and Insurgency in the Interwar Arab East. International Journal of Middle East Studies, 43, 205–225.
Remiddi, A. (2013). Turkey in the Western Balkans: Between Orientalist Cultural Proximity and Re-Orientation of Regional Equilibria. Balkan Social Science Review, 1, 217–232.
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016). Press Releases & Statements (2001–2016). Retrieved from http://www.mfa.gov.tr/sub.en.mfa?248a41bb-6744-4d91-91f7-500bd7a2cac1
Rüma, I. (2010). Turkish Foreign Policy towards the Balkans: New Activism, Neo-Ottomanism or/so what? Turkish Policy Quarterly, 9(4), 133–140.
Süli-Zakar, I. (2003). Közép-Európa újjászületése (The Rebirth of Central Europe). Földrajzi Közlemények (Geographical Review), 51(1–4), 105–122.
Tanasković, D. (2013). Neo-Ottomanism: A Doctrine and Foreign Policy Practice. Belgrade: Serbia.
Todorova, M. (2009). Imaging the Balkans (Updated Edition). New York: Oxford University Press.
The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Turkey (2015). Economic Outlook; Sectoral Reports and Statistics; Multinational Relations; Free Trade Agreements [statistics] Available from website of The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Turkey http://www.economy.gov.tr/
Turkstat (2015). Population and Demography 2001–2015. Turkish Statistical Institute. [statistics] Available from the Turkish Statistical Institute database http://www.turkstat.gov.tr/UstMenu.do?metod=temelist
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2016). IIA Databases. UNCTAD. [statistics] Available from the UNCTAD database http://unctad.org/en/pages/DIAE/International%20Investment%20Agreements%20(IIA)/IIATools.aspx
World Bank Group (2015). GDP growth (annual %). [statistics] Available from the World Bank Group database http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2016 Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA (Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
