Economic Freedom in the Balkan Transition Countries from a Valuable Human Ends Perspective

The paper argues that exercising unlimited economic freedom, as promoted by neoliberal advocates, is in negative correlation with valuable human ends, such as greater wellbeing, healthy environment, and poverty elimination. The absence of barriers for business operations often threatens the right to safe food and drinking water, and other human rights. This is particularly true in small economies, such as in the Balkan transition countries. The market in these countries is ‘free’ and ‘open’ for big players predominantly, creating economic non-opportunities and non-freedom for the majority. This paper calls for a change to the neoliberal concept of economic freedom and deregulation. The research methods include a case study and the interpretative comparative analysis of the trends in the relevant fields.