At the invitation of the Jože Pučnik Institute from Ljubljana, Director of the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) Mr. Zijad Bećirović participated at the symposium entitled “Capitalism, Transition, Democracy” which took place during 2009 Pučnik Days on 26 and 27 March 2009 in Ljubljana. Mr. Bećirović spoke about criminal structures and their influence on politics in Slovenia and the West Balkan states and stressed that this phenomenon incorporates criminalization of politics and politization of criminality. He also noted numerous unique phenomena which have developed in this field, such as legalisation of criminals who participated in privatisation processes as well as war privatisation. Unlike the West Balkan states, Slovenia experienced no need for state institutions to co-operate with criminal structures. Slovenian citizens mostly provide transit and logistic support to foreign criminal gangs which enter Slovenia's territory.
The symposium was also attended by President of the Council of the Jože Pučnik Institute and MEP Dr. Mihael Brejc, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Mr. Janez Janša, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia Aleksander Zorn, Dr. Žiga Turk, Dr. Milan Zver, Dr. Dean Komel, Dr. Edvard Kovač, Dr. Sandra Bašić Hrvatin and others.
The speeches will be published in a special publication of the Institute.
Ljubljana, 27 March 2008
