Policy Brief No.22/2019 - Tweet Global, Connect (Only) Local? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European Interests in the Western Balkans
Authors: Marie Jelenka Kirchner, Zoran Nechev and Ivan Nikolovski - Policy Brief No.22/2019 December 2019
Tweet Global, Connect (Only) Local? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European Interests in the Western Balkans
Authors: Marie Jelenka Kirchner, Zoran Nechev and Ivan Nikolovski - December 2019
The views expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the views of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” – Skopje. Impressum _
Title: Tweet Globally, Connect (Only) Locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European Interests in the Western Balkans
Publisher: Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in the Republic of North Macedonia Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” – Skopje
Authors: Marie Jelenka Kirchner, Zoran Nechev and Ivan Nikolovski
Proofreading: Jana Dimitrovska
Design: Dejan Kuzmanovski
This publication is available at: http://www.kas.de/nordmazedonien http://www.idscs.org.mk Tweet globally, Twitter are arguably not the most relevant value to measure the quality of bilateral connect (only) or international relations, but in a political locally? National sphere with increasing significance of the Twitter Bubbles vs. tweet as a political medium, it matters European interests more and more who follows whom. in the Western This short analysis1 is not designed to be Balkans understood as a policy recommendation, _ but is instead intended to link the increasing importance of social media to When Twitter was launched in 2006, the bigger context of regional cooperation who would have imagined that, about and EU integration of Western Balkan one decade later, it would become a governments. In this, the analysis does mouthpiece for political strategies and not come to conclusions, but instead a showroom for contested positions, presents trends and patterns in social putting traditional tools of international media activities of high-level political relations and diplomacy under pressure? figures from the Western Balkan. In this short introduction to the Balkan Twitter While politicians worldwide use Twitter Bubble it is important to remember that to varying extents, it is needless to say followings only show one side of the coin that 280-character messages have in the increasingly interwoven jungle of become increasingly important to bring social media interaction. Other important political statements across, showcase factors are the activity levels of Twitter the state of affairs, and appal millions users, the quality of their content and of users in a matter of minutes. The many other aspects which we touch only analysis of Twitter has therefore seen on the surface to open the way for greater a growing interest over the past few in-depth analysis of the digital inter- years. One aspect of this research is to relations within the Western Balkans and see the level of connectivity of political between Western Balkan politicians and figures via Twitter. Connections on their EU partners.
1 With permission of Twitter, IDSCS has extracted online relationships between accounts in the period between August and September 2019. Methodology _
To what extent are politicians from who lost his office in September. This, Western Balkan countries connected to however, does not impact the overall their counterparts from other countries trends in our research. To define trends in the region? Do they follow political or patterns, the analysis involves two actors from the European Union? Or groups. As listed in detail in the annex, maybe rather national representatives? on the one hand, group A consists of 38 The methodology of this short analysis heads of state, heads of government, is straightforward and based on a and relevant ministers/ ministries digital programme to extract data with from the Western Balkan countries. In the permission of Twitter to be used this, the analysis looks at all national for our needs. In this, the analysis does actors at the ministerial level whose not look at levels of interaction between portfolio is relevant to EU accession different Twitter users, but instead negotiations, such as Minister of Foreign extracted online relationships between Affairs, Minister of Justice, or Minister accounts in August and September of Defence. On the other hand, group B 2019. Considering this, some accounts consists of 32 EU institutions, significant considered in this research seem actors in EU-Western Balkan relations outdated, because politicians have lost during the past term of the European their political function in the meantime Parliament (2014-2019), NATO accounts or others were newly elected as is the as well as political actors from EU case with former and new presidents member states who have had or still of the EU Commission Jean-Claude have significance in the context of this Juncker and Ursula von der Leyen, or analysis. Furthermore, few accounts with US security adviser John Bolton from the US are included in the analysis.
2 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 The results _
To a higher or lesser extent, all officials, and politicians and see how governments in the Western Balkans much they are in fashion on Twitter. have committed to EU integration and are closely in touch with the European The second part will look at national Commission which monitors their way actors to see who seems interesting into the European Union. Arguably – or relevant – for Western Balkan the most important link between WB politicians to follow. Again, these governments and the European Union results cannot be mistaken as a is the responsible Commissioner for DG barometer to measure the quality of NEAR, office held by Johannes Hahn bilateral relations, but can give insights for the past 5 years. Is he the one with into (digital) political culture and mutual the highest follower count out of the relations. sample group? Do politicians from the Western Balkans show interest in his Beyond this, the analysis canvasses the Twitter activity or prefer to follow the handlings of NATO and its Secretary representatives of other institutions? And General, Jens Stoltenberg, to finally look how about members of the European at the level of connectivity between Parliament? The first part of this short ministries and governments of the analysis will look at EU institutions, Western Balkan 6.
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 3 1. Followers NATO account and only Prime Minister of EU affairs Ana Brnabic follows Jens Stoltenberg. _ Accounts from Kosovar politicians on the other hand show distinctively higher interest in NATO/ security affairs: Group A accounts show divided (almost) all of them follow both NATO interest in the tweets of EU officials. and Stoltenberg. In this category, Federica Mogherini, Donald Tusk, and Johannes Hahn lead The European Parliament enjoys less the ranks with 20 or 21 followers from interest among Group A: The president of group A each. Jean Claude Juncker the European Parliament, David Sassoli, comes second with 18 followers from has only 11 followers. More interest the region. As representatives of EU is shown in the former MEP Eduard Foreign Policy and EU Council Policy, Kukan who outdoes his colleagues with it surely should be in the individual 15 followers. The chair of the AFET interest of Western Balkan politicians committee, David McAllister, as well as to be up-to-date with messages from EP Rapporteurs for the countries in the these politicians and with the activity region, do not spark as much interest on their social media. Only the official in group A as different representatives NATO account and NATO Secretary of EU member states or even US General Jens Stoltenberg enjoy similar representatives. popularity with 18 followers from group A each. While the followers of Not a single account from group A is EU officials/ institutions are equally connected to the account of Brexit- distributed among group A countries, negotiator Michel Barnier, suggesting NATO followers show clearer that EU-internal policies do not interest distinctions: from Serbia, only the Western Balkan politicians as much as Minister of Defence follows the official the question of their own accession.
4 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 This is reflected in the results of a Tweet by Ana Brnabic sums up what side-research on the usage of the is implied in this: Despite one country Hashtag “#Brexit” which appears in only deciding to leave the EU, the wish of 7 Tweets among all accounts of group Western Balkans is stronger than ever A since the Brexit referendum. One to join the club.
Figure 1.1. WB Prime Ministers following EU and NATO leaders
Ana Brnabic Denis Zvizdić (official account) (private account) @SerbianPM @DrZvizdic 16 EU and NATO Follows 12 EU and NATO Follows
Ana Brnabić Ramush Haradinaj (private account) (private account) @anabrnabic @haradinajramush 9 EU and NATO Follows 11 EU and NATO Follows
Duško Marković Edi Rama (private account) (private account) @DuskoMarkovicCG @ediramaal 16 EU and NATO Follows 2 EU and NATO Follows
Zoran Zaev (private account) @Zoran_Zaev 15 EU and NATO Follows
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 5
Figure 1.2. WB Presidents following EU and NATO leaders
Hashim Thaçi Aleksandar Vucić (private account) (private account) @HashimThaciRKS @avucic 19 EU and NATO Follows 0 EU and NATO Follows
Stevo Pendarovski Milorad Dodik (private account) (private account) @SPendarovski @MiloradDodikRS 9 EU and NATO Follows 0 EU and NATO Follows
Ilir Meta Željko Komšić (private account) (private account) @ilirmetazyrtar @ZeljkoBiH 5 EU and NATO Follows 0 EU and NATO Follows
Milo Đukanović (private account) @predsjednik_cg 3 EU and NATO Follows
6 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 Figure 1.3. WB MFA/MEI Ministers / SEA following EU and NATO leaders
Behgjet Pacolli, MFA Jadranka Joksimovic, MEI (private account) (official account) @pacollibehgjet @MINEIsrb 21 EU and NATO Follows 11 EU and NATO Follows
MFA Montenegro Dhurata Hoxha, MEI (official account) (private account) @MFA_MNE @Dhuratas 9 EU and NATO Follows 20 EU and NATO Follows
Nikola Dimitrov, MFA Gent Cakaj, MFA (private account) (private account) @Dimitrov_Nikola @CakajGent 19 EU and NATO Follows 1 EU and NATO Follows
MFA Kosovo Ivica Dacić, MFA (official account) (official account) @MFAKOSOVO @DacicIvica 17 EU and NATO Follows 0 EU and NATO Follows
Bujar Osmani, Deputy PM, SEA (private account) @Bujar_O 14 EU and NATO Follows
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 7 European Affairs, Amélie de Montchalin, 2. Followers of who follow three members each of Group Western Balkans A. The German Foreign Minister, Heiko Affairs Maas, can be added to this group since _ he follows Kosovo’s Foreign Minister and Minister for EU Integration, Behgjet The observed trends in Group A, members Pacolli and Dhurata Hoxha. of Group B (EU and NATO leaders) demonstrate a vast lack of engagement In the case of the European Commission, with the Twitter profiles of their Western it is only Johannes Hahn, the Balkan counterparts. None of the EU European Commissioner for European member states’ chiefs, such as the Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement German Chancellor Angela Merkel or the Negotiations, who demonstrates greater French President Emmanuel Macron, engagement with the region by following follows their colleagues from the region. 10 accounts from Group A. The outgoing The only exception is the British Prime President of the Commission, Jean Minister Boris Johnson who follows his Claude Juncker, does not follow anyone Serbian and Albanian counterparts unlike from the Western Balkans just as his his predecessor Theresa May who rather successor Ursula von der Leyen. Federica follows the trend of her colleagues in Mogherini follows only Edi Rama, the EU by having no engagement with whereas her successor, Josep Borell, Group A whatsoever. On a ministerial does not have followers from the Western level, however, the engagement with the Balkans. The situation is no different accounts from Group A is a bit higher. among the leadership of the European Leader in this group is the German Council as well. Whereas the outgoing Minister for Europe, Michael Roth, who President of the European Council, follows 8 politicians from the region. After Donald Tusk, follows only the Albanian him come the Dutch Foreign Minister, Stef Prime Minister, his successor, Charles Blok, and the French Secretary of State for Michel, follows no one from Group A.
8 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 On the other hand, the situation in the the Secretary General of the Alliance, European Parliament is divided. While Jens Stoltenberg, follows only the the former and current president of the Macedonian Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev. European Parliament, Antonio Tajani Nevertheless, NATO’s official account is and David Sassoli do not follow anyone connected to five accounts from Group from Group A, the former MEPs Eduard A. The politicians from the other side Kukan and Knut Fleckenstein lead of the Atlantic, such as John Bolton, US among the observed parliamentarians National Security Advisor, and Matthew with following 13 and 8 representatives Palmer, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the from the region respectively. Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs with responsibility for the Western When it comes to NATO, the trend of Balkans and the Aegean, follow nobody ‘non-following’ remains the same as from the region.
Figure 2.1. EU Leaders following WB prime ministers and leaders in general
Angela Merkel (institutional account, Theresa May PR Office of the Federal Government) (private account) @AngelaMerkeICDU @theresa_may 0 WB Follows 0 WB Follows
Emmanuel Macron Mark Rutte (private account) (private account) @EmmanuelMacron @MinPres 0 WB Follows 0 WB Follows
Boris Johnson (private account) @BorisJohnson 2 WB Follows
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 9
Figure 2.2. EU Council, Parliament, Commission, and NATO following WB leaders
European Parliament European Commission
David Sassoli, President Federica Mogherini, EEAS (private account) (private account) @EP_President @FedericaMog 0 WB Follows 1 WB Follows
European Parliament European Commission Antonio Tajani, Former President Josep Borell, EEAS (private account) (private account) @Antonio_Tajani @JosepBorrellF 0 WB Follows 0 WB Follows
European Parliament European Council
Eduard Kukan, Former MP Donald Tusk, President (private account) (private account) @EduardKukan @donaldtusk 13 WB Follows 2 WB Follows
European Parliament European Council
Knut Fleckenstein, former MP Charles Michel, President-elect (private account) (private account) @knufleckenstein @CharlesMichel 8 WB Follows 0 WB Follows
European Commission
Jean Claude Juncker, President NATO (private account) (official account) @JunckerEU @NATO 0 WB Follows 5 WB Follows
European Commission
Ursula von der Leyen, President-elect Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General (private account) (private account) @vonderleyen @vonderleyen 0 WB Follows 1 WB Follows
European Commission
Johannes Hahn, DG NEAR (private account) @JHahnEU 10 WB Follows
10 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 Figure 2.3. WB MFA/MEI Ministers / SEA following EU and NATO leaders
Amélie de Montchalin, Michael Roth, Minister for Europe State Secretary for EU Affairs (private account) (private account) @MiRo_SPD @AdeMontchalin WB Follows 8 3 WB Follows
Stef Blok, MFA Heiko Maas, MFA (private account) (private account) @MinPres @HeikoMaas 3 WB Follows 2 WB Follows
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 11 3. National over EU affairs? Western Balkan followers of national representatives (EU and US) _
Bilateral relations are certainly prominent connected to them. Overall, only the in the Twitter activity and connections account of the US State Department of politicians from Group A. Judging enjoys a clear 2-digit following (20). from a look at Twitter accounts, bilateral French President Macron can at least meetings seem to make for good social speak to 11 followers from group A, but media material, not least because of the representatives from all other tested resulting pictures. Furthermore, several countries fall beneath the threshold politicians use Twitter as a platform to of 10 followers. Without substantial send their regards to other countries or research into the content of Tweets by politicians, let it be an election victory or a group A, a superficial analysis gives national independence day. The example reason to suggest that Tweets of group of, to name only one, Albanian Prime A politicians play strongly on bilateral Minister Edi Rama shows however that relations, but this is not reflected in “interaction” online does not resonate actual connections through Twitter. The in connections and abonnements. He question therefore is how much Twitter is tweets regularly about bilateral issues used as a medium to receive information and directly addresses heads of EU as opposed to a medium to merely member states without being however inform one’s own followers.
12 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 4. Followers 5. Regional of Security Connections _ _
It was already briefly mentioned above: The results on regional connections go NATO enjoys a high interest from down a similar alley. One could imagine politicians in group A. This is especially that Twitter users from group A do not true for politicians from Kosovo who are follow other users from both group A and all connected to at least one of the two group B, because they are rather inactive tested accounts. Politicians from Albania on Twitter or have a no-following-rule or and Serbia show the least interest in similar reasons. The analysis of regional matters of NATO and/or security, but this connections proves these assumptions to reflects a general picture in these two be wrong: almost all national politicians countries. Most handlings connected to follow the majority of their compatriots these two countries show high or very high in the test group (except for the case activity ranks, in the regional comparison of Bosnia, but all chosen accounts here they follow however rather few accounts are spectacularly inactive). Only two from outside their own country, with Ana Prime Ministers (North Macedonia and Brnabic being one exception. These two Montenegro) follow a substantial amount countries clearly show that activity levels of non-national politicians from the region do not correspond with the amount of and only the Minister of Foreign Affairs of accounts from group B followed, neither Kosovo is similarly connected in the region. does the amount of accounts followed in Again, none of this lack of connections is general. Are politicians generally involved reflected in a lack of activity on Twitter or in Twitter and thus regard it as a relevant a lack of general connections/ followed outlet, but really do not see a reason to accounts. Most politicians apart from the follow accounts of the EU or NATO? three mentioned above follow different
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 13 compatriot handlings or EU accounts, very-well connected with each other. but do not follow a single account (e.g. This is, however, not the same beyond their ministerial counterpart) from a national borders. On the international neighbouring country. This is particularly level, less than a third of users analysed interesting in comparison to non- in this research show interest in EU Western Balkan accounts where social or global affairs – if measured along media might not (yet) play an important their following of EU, EU member role in day-to-day policy making and state or NATO accounts. Is it because information than in the Western Balkans Twitter is used as a medium to inform where both politicians and society show others and not oneself, do Western high extents of activity and interaction Balkan politicians simply not care, or on social media, let it be personal or is Twitter not that significant after all professional. (yet)? The answers to these questions remain unresolved, but it is interesting In summary, it can be concluded that that the interest of Group A (Western many politicians from the Western Balkan) accounts in other accounts Balkans have surely discovered Twitter from neighbouring countries is almost as a medium to promote their activities insignificant, despite activity ranks and to boost bilateral relations by being similar throughout the region. The occasional congratulating tweets. unresolved question remains whether This is reflected in activity levels: More politicians use Twitter to scroll through than two thirds of all accounts tweet their feed, trying to find out what has several times a week, if not a day. This been going on outside their own actions activity is also reflected in connections or whether Twitter remains largely a to other national politicians from the medium to inform others and promote same country: national accounts are one’s own politics.
14 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 Figure 3. Ranking of WB leaders following other WB leaders
1. 10.
Duško Marković, PM MoD Montenegro (private account) (official account) 12 WB Follows 4 WB Follows 2. 11.
Zoran Zaev, PM Denis Zvizdić, PM (private account) (private account) 10 WB Follows 3 WB Follows 3. 12.
Behgjet Pacolli, MFA Gent Cakaj, MFA (private account) (private account) 8 WB Follows 3 WB Follows
4. 13.
MFA Kosovo Milorad Dodik, President (official account) (private account) 8 WB Follows 2 WB Follows
5. 14.
Bujar Osmani, Deputy PM, SEA Ramush Haradinaj, PM (private account) (private account) 7 WB Follows 2 WB Follows 6. 15.
MFA Montenegro Rrustem Berisha, MoD (official account) (private account) 6 WB Follows 2 WB Follows
7. 16.
Nikola Dimitrov, MFA Abelard Tahiri, MoJ (private account) (private account) 5 WB Follows 2 WB Follows
8. 17.
Ilir Meta, President Edi Rama, PM (private account) (private account) 5 WB Follows 1 WB Follows
9. 18.
Dhurata Hoxha, MEI Etilda Gjonaj, MoJ (private account) (private account) 5 WB Follows 1 WB Follows
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 15 Figure 4. WB Politicians: Comparison of national, regional, and EU/NATO connections
Stevo Pendarovski, President Radmila Sekerinska, MoD (private account) (private account) @SPendarovski @Sekerinska 1,635 Following 9,795 Followers 1,883 Following 10,500 Followers 5 Activity 5 Activity 4 National Connectios 5 National Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 9 EU / NATO Connectios 5 EU / NATO Connectios
Zoran Zaev, PM Oliver Spasovski, MoI (private account) (private account) @Zoran_Zaev @o_spasovski 129 Following 3,114 Followers 539 Following 16,400 Followers 4 Activity 5 Activity 7 National Connectios 5 National Connectios 2 Regional Connectios 10 Regional Connectios 6 EU / NATO Connectios 15 EU / NATO Connectios
Bujar Osmani Deputy PM, SEA Renata Deskoska, MoJ (private account) (private account) @Bujar_O @RenataDeskoska 309 Following 2,669 Followers 33 Following 464 Followers 4 Activity 2 Activity 6 National Connectios 6 National Connectios 7 Regional Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 14 EU / NATO Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios
Nikola Dimitrov, MFA (private account) @Dimitrov_Nikola 1,020 Following 13,100 Followers 5 Activity 4 National Connectios 5 Regional Connectios 19 EU / NATO Connectios
16 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 Milorad Dodik, Member of the Denis Zvizdić, PM Presidency of BiH (private account) (private account) @MiloradDodikRS @DrZvizdic 30 Following 1,717 Followers 200 Following 3,549 Followers 0 Activity 3 Activity 0 National Connectios 0 National Connectios 2 Regional Connectios 3 Regional Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios 12 EU / NATO Connectios
Željko Komšić, Chairman of the Presidency of BiH (private account) @ZeljkoBiH 19 Following 862 Followers 0 Activity 0 National Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 17 Milo Đukanović, President Predrag Bošković, MoD (private account) (private account) @predsjednik_cg @pedjabosskovic 62 Following 1,382 Followers 57 Following 98 Followers 4 Activity 3 Activity 3 National Connectios 0 National Connectios 3 Regional Connectios 3 Regional Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios
Duško Marković, PM Predrag Bošković, MoD (private account) (official account) @DuskoMarkovicCG @defence_mne 353 Following 716 Followers 254 Following 1,268 Followers 3 Activity 5 Activity 3 National Connectios 3 National Connectios 12 Regional Connectios 4 Regional Connectios 15 EU / NATO Connectios 5 EU / NATO Connectios
Srđan Darmanović, MFA (official account) @MFA_MNE 122 Following 872 Followers 4 Activity 3 National Connectios 6 Regional Connectios 8 EU / NATO Connectios
18 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 Ilir Meta, President Olta Xhaçka, MoD (private account) (private account) @ilirmetazyrtar @xhacka_olta 207 Following 1,453 Followers 121 Following 2,267 Followers 3 Activity 4 Activity 4 National Connectios 3 National Connectios 5 Regional Connectios 1 Regional Connectios 5 EU / NATO Connectios 3 EU / NATO Connectios
Edi Rama, PM Sandër Lleshaj, MoI (private account) (official account) @ediramaal @SanderLleshaj 84 Following 1,648 Followers 279 Following 338,300 Followers 5 Activity 4 Activity 3 National Connectios 0 National Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 1 Regional Connectios 1 EU / NATO Connectios 2 EU / NATO Connectios
Etilda Gjonaj, MoJ Gent Cakaj, MFA (private account) @CakajGent @GjonajEtilda 171 Following 2,075 Followers 44 Following 3,251 Followers 5 Activity 5 Activity 4 National Connectios 2 National Connectios 1 Regional Connectios 3 Regional Connectios 10 EU / NATO Connectios 1 EU / NATO Connectios
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 19 Aleksandar Vucić, President Jadranka Joksimović, MoEI (private account) (official account) @avucic @MINEIsrb 169 Following 67,700 Followers 381 Following 3,196 Followers
5 Activity 5 Activity 4 National Connectios 5 National Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 1 Regional Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios 11 EU / NATO Connectios
Ana Brnabic, PM Nebojša Stefanović, MoI (institutional account) (private account) @SerbianPM @NesaStefanovic 251 Following 52,300 Followers 935 Following 38,000 Followers 4 Activity 4 Activity 4 National Connectios 5 National Connectios 3 Regional Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 16 EU / NATO Connectios 3 EU / NATO Connectios
Ana Brnabic, PM Aleksandar Vulin, MoD (private account) (official account) @anabrnabic @mo_i_vs 272 Following 24,000 Followers 721 Following 6,356 Followers 4 Activity 4 Activity 4 National Connectios 5 National Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 9 EU / NATO Connectios 2 EU / NATO Connectios
Ivica Dacić, MFA Nela Kuburović, MoJ (private account) (official account) @DacicIvica @pravdars 0 Following 6,123 Followers 1,733 Following 14,500 Followers 0 Activity 5 Activity 0 National Connectios 4 National Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios 4 EU / NATO Connectios
20 IDSCS Policy Brief No.22/2019 - December 2019 Hashim Thaçi, President Rrustem Berisha, MoD (private account) (official account) @HashimThaciRKS @KOSOVO_MoD 657 Following 68,000 Followers 53 Following 402 Followers 4 Activity 4 Activity 5 National Connectios 2 National Connectios 4 Regional Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 19 EU / NATO Connectios 2 EU / NATO Connectios
Ramush Haradinaj, PM Rrustem Berisha, MoD (private account) (private account) @haradinajramush @Rrustem_Berisha 164 Following 10,100 Followers 78 Following 119 Followers 4 Activity 3 Activity 7 National Connectios 6 National Connectios 2 Regional Connectios 2 Regional Connectios 11 EU / NATO Connectios 2 EU / NATO Connectios
Behgjet Pacolli, MFA Dhurata Hoxha, MEI (private account) (private account) @pacollibehgjet @Dhuratas 1,286 Following 8,374 Followers 673 Following 4168 Followers 5 Activity 4 Activity 5 National Connectios 6 National Connectios 10 Regional Connectios 5 Regional Connectios 21 EU / NATO Connectios 20 EU / NATO Connectios
Behgjet Pacolli, MFA Abelard Tahiri, МоЈ (official account) (private account) @MFAKOSOVO @Abelard_Tahiri 1,699 Following 34,100 Followers 124 Following 577 Followers 3 Activity 1 Activity 5 National Connectios 6 National Connectios 8 Regional Connectios 2 Regional Connectios 17 EU / NATO Connectios 4 EU / NATO Connectios
Ekrem Mustafa, MoI (private account) @MPBMIAMUP 5 Following 51 Followers 0 Activity 0 National Connectios 0 Regional Connectios 0 EU / NATO Connectios
Tweet globally, connect (only) locally? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European interests in the Western Balkans 21 Annex _
Twitter name Name Country / Organisation Position
Zoran_Zaev Zoran Zaev PM SPendarovski Stevo Pendarovski President Dimitrov_Nikola Nikola Dimitrov MFA North Sekerinska Radmila Sekerinska MoD Macedonia o_spasovski Oliver Spasovski MoI RenataDeskoska Renata Deskoska MoJ Bujar_O Bujar Osmani DPM for EU affairs
DrZvizdic Denis Zvizdic PM Bosnia and MiloradDodikRS Milorad Dodik Presidents Herzegovina ZeljkoBiH Zeljko Komsic Presidents
DuskoMarkovicCG Dusko Markovic PM predsjednik_cg Milo Djukanovic President MFA_MNE Srdjan Darmanovic Montenegro MFA pedjabosskovic Predrag Boskovic MoD defence_mne Predrag Boskovic MoD
ediramaal Edi Rama PM PresidentiMeta Ilir Meta President CakajGent Gent Cakaj MFA Albania xhacka_olta Olta Xhacka MoD SanderLleshaj Sander Lleshaj MoI GjonajEtilda Etilda Gjonaj MoJ Twitter name Name Country / Organisation Position
SerbianPM Ana Brnabic PM anabrnabic Ana Brnabic PM predsednikrs Aleksandar Vucic President DacicIvica Ivica Dacic MFA NesaStefanovic Nebojsa Stefanovic Serbia MoI mo_i_vs Aleksandar Vulin (no MoD tweets) MINEIsrb Jadranka Joksimovic MoEI pravdars Nela Kuburovic MoJ haradinajramush Ramush Haradinaj PM HashimThaciRKS Hashim Thaci President pacollibehgjet Behgjet Pacolli MFA MFAKOSOVO Ministry of Foreign MoD Affairs MPBMIAMUP Ekrem Mustafa (no Kosovo MoI twitter) KOSOVO_MoD Ministry of Defence MoD Rrustem_Berisha Rrustem Berisha MoD Dhuratas Dhurata Hoxha Minister of EU integration Abelard_Tahiri Abelard Tahiri MoJ
President of the JunckerEU Jean Claude Juncker European Commission (2014-2019) FedericaMog Federica Mogherini High Representative eucopresident Donald Tusk donaldtusk President of the Europe- an Council Commissioner for DG JHahnEU Johannes Hahn EU NEAR TimmermansEU Frans Timmermans Vice-President of EC Chief Negotiator for MichelBarnier Michel Barnier Brexit Antonio_Tajani Antonio Tajani President of the Europe- vonderleyen Von Der Leyen an Commission (since 2019) Twitter name Name Country / Organisation Position
President of the Council CharlesMichel Charles Michel of the EU High Representative of the European Union for JosepBorrellF Josep Borrell Foreign Affairs and Se- curity Policy Nominee President of the Euro- EP_President David Sassoli pean Parliament (since EU 2019) davidmcallister David McAllister Rapporteur Serbia Member of the European EduardKukan Eduard Kukan Parliament knufleckenstein Knut Fleckenstein Rapporteur Albania Rapporteur North Mac- ivajgl Ivo Vajgl edonia
NATO NATO official NATO jensstoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg
RegSprecher Angela Merkel Chancellor of Germany Foreign Minister of HeikoMaas Heiko Maas Germany Germany State Secretary for Euro- MiRo_SPD Michael Roth pean Affairs, Germany
EmmanuelMacron Emmanuel Macron President of France France State Secretary for Euro- AdeMontchalin Amélie de Montchalin pean Affairs, France
Prime Minister, Nether- MinPres Mark Rutte lands The Netherlands Minister of Foreign ministerBlok Stef Blok Affairs, Netherlands
Former national AmbJohnBolton John Bolton security adviser, USA (2018/2019) USA US Department of State, StateDept Matthew Palmer special envoy to Western Balkans theresa_may Theresa May Prime minister of UK UK BorisJohnson Boris Johnson Prime Minister of UK Information about Information about KAS IDSCS _ _
Freedom, justice, and solidarity are the IDSCS is a think-tank organisation basic principles underlying the work of researching the development of good the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS). governance, rule of law and North The KAS is a political foundation, closely Macedonia’s European integration. IDSCS associated with the Christian Democratic has the mission to support citizens’ Union (CDU) of Germany. We conduct involvement in the decision-making education programs for the society and process and strengthen the participatory cooperate with governmental institutions, political culture. By strengthening liberal political parties, civil society organizations values, IDSCS contributes towards and handpicked elites, building strong coexistence of diversities. partnerships along the way. Together with our partners, we make a contribution Contact information about IDSCS to the creation of an international order - that enables every country to develop in Address: Str. Miroslav Krlezha 52/2, freedom and under its own responsibility. 1000 Skopje Phone number: +389 2 3094 760 E-Mail: [email protected] Contact information about KAS - Address: Risto Ravanovski No 8, 1000 Skopje Phone number: +389 2 321 70 75 E-Mail: [email protected] Information about Project information _ the authors _ This publication is part of the Perform on Reform project of the Institute for Marie Jelenka Kirchner is a MA Democracy “Societas Civilis” - Skopje student of Central and Eastern (IDSCS) in cooperation with the Konrad European Studies at the Jagiellonian Adenauer Foundation. University Krakow and founder of the European Thinkers’ Lab. Her research focus lies on Europeanization and Link European foreign policy, especially in _ regards to EU enlargement.
This report is available electronically Zoran Nechev is a senior researcher on: and head of the Centre for European - Integrations within IDSCS. His fields of https://idscs.org.mk/en/portfolio/tweet- academic and professional interest are globally-connect-only-locally-national- EU enlargement, Europeanisation, policy twitter-bubbles-vs-european-interests-in-the- western-balkans/ of conditionality, Western Balkans, justice and home affairs.
Ivan Nikolovski is a junior researcher at the Centre for European Integrations within IDSCS. Nikolovski holds an MA in Political Science with a specialisation in Comparative Politics. His areas of interest are divided societies, European integration, and international affairs.
Policy Brief No.22/2019 - Tweet Global, Connect (Only) Local? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European Interests in the Western Balkans
Authors: Marie Jelenka Kirchner, Zoran Nechev and Ivan Nikolovski - Policy Brief No.22/2019 December 2019
Tweet Global, Connect (Only) Local? National Twitter Bubbles vs. European Interests in the Western Balkans
Authors: Marie Jelenka Kirchner, Zoran Nechev and Ivan Nikolovski - December 2019