# Examining State Capture: Undue Influence on Law-Making and the Judiciary in the Western Balkans and Turkey URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/examining-state-capture Type: Publication or report Published: 2020-12-15 Updated: 2024-06-24 --- 15 December 2020 The capture of the state in the Western Balkans and Turkey is enriching politicians and their networks at the severe cost of ordinary citizens. It is also eroding public trust in government institutions, as they are increasingly being used to serve private interests. The presence of state capture in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey has been reported in the European Commission’s enlargement country reports, but its underpinnings and motivations are not sufficiently addressed in the reforms promoted in the region. This Transparency International report examines two key enabling factors of state capture in the Western Balkans and Turkey: impunity for high-level corruption and tailor-made laws. The report provides insight into how the judiciary ineffectively handles grand corruption and other corruption by high-level officials. It also shows how this problem and undue influence on law-making in the service of private interests help to achieve and maintain state capture. In the context of the regional project [Ending Impunity for Grand Corruption in the Western Balkans and Turkey](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/grand-corruption-western-balkans-and-turkey), Transparency International national chapters and partner organisations published their own country reports in local languages. These reports are available through the links below: **Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM Albania):** - [*Deconstructing State Capture in Albania: An Examination of Grand Corruption Cases and Tailor-Made Laws from 2008 to 2020*](https://idmalbania.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021_Report_DeconstructingStateCaptureAlbania_English.pdf) - [*Zbërthimi i kapjes së shtetit në Shqipëri: Një shqyrtim i rasteve të korrupsionit të nivelit të lartë dhe ligjeve të bëra me porosi nga viti 2008 deri në 2020*](https://idmalbania.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021_Report_DeconstructingStateCaptureAlbania_Albanian.pdf) **TI Bosnia and Herzegovina:** - [*Ending Impunity for Grand Corruption*](https://ti-bih.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Nacionalni-izvjestaj-2021_eng.pdf) - [*Sprečavanje nekažnjivosti u slučajevima korupcije na visokom nivou*](https://ti-bih.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Nacionalni-izvjestaj-2021_bos.pdf) **TI Kosovo / Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI Kosovo):** - [*“The Culture of Impunity” in Kosovo*](https://kdi-kosova.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/01-KULTURA-E-PAND%C3%8BSHKUESHM%C3%8BRIS%C3%8B-N%C3%8B-KOSOV%C3%8B-ENG-04.pdf) - [*“Kultura e pandëshkueshmërisë” në Kosovë*](https://kdi-kosova.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/01-KULTURA-E-PAND%C3%8BSHKUESHM%C3%8BRIS%C3%8B-N%C3%8B-KOSOV%C3%8B-ALB-04.pdf) - [*“Kultura nekažnjivosti“ na Kosovu*](https://kdi-kosova.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/01-KULTURA-E-PAND%C3%8BSHKUESHM%C3%8BRIS%C3%8B-N%C3%8B-KOSOV%C3%8B-SRB-03.pdf) **TI Macedonia:** - [*Grand corruption and tailor-made laws in Republic of North Macedonia*](https://transparency.mk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/grand_corruption_and_tailor_made_laws_in_republic_of_north_macedonia.pdf) - [*Висока корупција и закони скроени по мерка во Р.С. Македонија*](https://transparency.mk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/visoka_korupcija_i_zakoni_skroeni_po_merka_vo_republika_severna_makedonija.pdf) - [*Korrupsioni i lartë dhe hartimi i ligjeve sipas nevojës në Republikën e Maqedonisë së veruit*](https://transparency.mk/sq/2021/05/10/korrupsioni-i-larte-dhe-hartimi-i-ligjeve-sipas-nevojes-ne-republiken-e-maqedonise-se-veruit/?fbclid=IwAR3_jcmBgAwhZE9u0M7ubzBdw5MtM1LhKZmS5ZwA6vI1Zb5P-YQd6oW2IXQ) **MANS Montenegro (The Network for Affirmation of the NGO Sector):** - [*State Capture - National Report for Montenegro*](http://www.mans.co.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/eng-state-captu_53661842-1.pdf) - [*Zarobljena država - Nacionalni izveštaj za Crnu Goru*](http://www.mans.co.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/mne-state-captu_53621571-4.pdf) **Transparency Serbia:** - [*Grand corruption and tailor-made laws in Serbia*](https://www.transparentnost.org.rs/images/dokumenti_uz_vesti/Grand_Corruption_and_Tailor-made_Laws_in_Serbia.pdf) - [*Korupcija na visokom nivou i zakoni krojeni po meri privatnih interesa u Srbiji*](https://www.transparentnost.org.rs/images/dokumenti_uz_vesti/Korupcija_na_visokom_nivou_i_zakoni_krojeni_po_meri_privatnih_interesa_u_Srbiji.pdf) ### Related publications ## [Ending Debt Secrecy: Recommendations to the G20 on Anti-Corruption in Sovereign Borrowing and Lending](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/ending-debt-secrecy-g20-recommendations) Publication • 04 September 2026 Recommendations to the G20 to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity in sovereign borrowing and lending ## [Monitoring political finance: Compendium of citizen initiatives and good practices](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/monitoring-political-finance-compendium-of-citizen-initiatives-and-good-practices) Publication • 18 August 2026 This compendium aims to provide ideas for stakeholders interested in monitoring political finance. It presents seven monitoring and disclosure solutions from around the world,… ## [Whistleblowing Authorities in Europe: Roles, challenges and lessons learned](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/whistleblowing-authorities-in-europe-roles-challenges-and-lessons-learned) Publication • 19 June 2026 This report examines the institutional design, mandates and functioning of national whistleblowing authorities across Europe. ## [Corruption fighters' toolkit: civil society experiences and emerging strategies](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-fighters-toolkit-civil-society-experiences-and-emerging-strategi) Publication • 15 August 2002 ## Priorities - [Grand corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/grand-corruption) - [Judiciary and law enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/judiciary-and-law-enforcement) - [Political integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/political-integrity) - [Public procurement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/public-procurement) ## Countries - [Albania](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/albania) - [Bosnia and Herzegovina](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina) - [Kosovo](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/kosovo) - [Montenegro](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/montenegro) - [North Macedonia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/north-macedonia) - [Serbia](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/serbia) - [Türkiye](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/t%C3%BCrkiye) ## Regions - [European Union](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/european-union) - [Europe & Central Asia](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/europe-central-asia) - [Western Balkans](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/western-balkans) ## Projects - [Ending impunity for grand corruption in the Western Balkans and Turkey](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/grand-corruption-western-balkans-and-turkey) - [Western Balkans and Turkey: Citizen engagement for public integrity (CEPI)](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/western-balkans-turkey) ![Report cover showing a hole in a wire fence revealing a railway.](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2020_Report_ExaminingStateCapture_English_Page_01.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) [Download](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2020_Report_ExaminingStateCapture_English.pdf)