Corruption kills: Alarming lessons from the Balkans

Recent tragedies in several Balkan countries, in one way or another, have all been linked to corruption. Decaying democracies and fragile systems worldwide should take a hard lesson: corruption kills, and sooner or later, its unavoidable consequences spill over, writes Bojan Lazarevski.

Another deadly tragedy has struck the Balkans. Here in my country of North Macedonia, a nightclub fire claimed 59 lives, sending shockwaves through the region. The tragedy evokes memories of similar incidents from nightclubs in Turkey and Romania from recent years. Just last year, Serbia witnessed the collapse of a newly built train station canopy, killing 15, while in Greece, 57 passengers died in a train crash two years ago. Although these tragedies differ in nature, they share one common root cause: corruption. In systems where corruption overshadows regulations and accountability is nonexistent, disaster becomes inevitable.

59 people burned alive and over 100 were left injured after a devastating fire broke out in a nightclub in Kochani, North Macedonia, marking the latest tragedy to shake the region. Authorities launched an investigation, leading to a series of arrests as officials and club owners faced scrutiny over safety violations and negligence. The devastating fire is an unprecedented tragedy for the city, the country, and the entire region, standing as one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent history. 

The fire in Kochani was a grim reminder of the devastating 2015 Colectiv nightclub fire in Bucharest, Romania, which claimed 64 lives, and sparked massive protests over corruption, arrests, and high-profile resignations in the country. A similar tragedy also happened a year ago in Istanbul, Türkiye, where the renovating Masquerade nightclub fire trapped employees and workers claiming 29 lives. Once again, investigations revealed safety checks and operating licenses discrepancies, leading to charges against various public officials and fire authorities for abuse of office and negligence.

Last year, neighbouring Serbia was also hit by a tragic incident which exposed corruption problems in the country. The canopy of a newly built train station in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 15 people. The tragedy was followed by widespread student protests prompting first arrests, and releasing documentation for the case. However, the public dissent grew into months-long movement, demanding accountability and reforms over deep-rooted societal problems. The latest protest was one of the biggest gatherings in Serbia’s history.

Greece, another Balkan country, witnessed its biggest protests in the country's history, demanding justice after a train disaster in early 2023 which claimed 57 lives. It was another tragedy which could have been avoided, highlighting how corruption in the country has hindered the proper implementation of safety systems. Public outrage is fuelled by allegations of high-level political corruption and systemic failures, with many Greeks believing the government is attempting to cover up the true causes of the disaster.

While tragedies can happen everywhere, allegations of political corruption suggest these ones could have been avoided. These failures were not mere accidents but rather the result of systemic issues accumulated over years of negligence where corrupt political interests have been prioritised over collective safety.

There is a common thread linking the nightclub fire in North Macedonia, the collapse of the train station canopy in Serbia, and the train crash disaster in Greece, which are unfortunately just a few recent examples, not the only ones. They now serve as chilling reminders of the common underlying issue, corruption, whose deadly grip turns preventable disasters into inevitable ones. The citizens of these countries have endured too much and the toll is still growing. As the problem becomes more apparent, citizens are expressing their revolt in various forms, including massive protests. 

While it remains to be seen how the demands for changes will unfold, one thing is clear: the only way to prevent further avoidable tragedies and more lives from being lost is by fighting corruption, ensuring safety standards, regulations, protocols, and the rule of law are upheld to the same standard for everyone, everywhere. If governments fail to act, everyone will continue to pay the price in lives, trust, and stability. 

As well as being a political issue, this makes corruption in the Balkans a direct threat to human life, impacting human security and mental well-being, as yet another painful reminder of the systemic issues which continue to plague the region, where corruption costs innocent lives. 

Other countries should also take heed, especially backsliding democracies. In decaying and fragile systems, as transparency diminishes, the rule of law weakens, and corruption grows, with a growing lack of accountability, the consequences have the capacity to eventually affect people’s lives both directly and indirectly.

For the countries of the region experiencing the consequences of these tragedies first-hand, there is a need for urgent reform and, most importantly, responsibility. Without them, as corruption takes deeper root in the system, it becomes more difficult to eradicate. While it may take generations for these countries to change, this should ring alarm bells among decaying consolidated democracies and fragile systems worldwide that the turning point from which it is difficult to return might be closer than it looks and the right time for reaction is today.

Bojan Lazarevski is a political scientist in international and intercultural studies based in North Macedonia. Lazarevski is also a policy fellow with Young Voices Europe, an activist, and a researcher.

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