Western Balkans Integration into European Union: Challenges and Consequences

Abstract

This paper is intended to analyze the challenges and consequences of the integration of Western Balkans to the European Union. Specifically, in the first case, challenges of this integration path and in the second case the consequences as a result of eventual stagnation in this path. For more than a century, the Western Balkans region has been seeking its way of European transformation. The region remains in the agenda of European Union expansion, but even after two decades of promises, the integration of Western Balkan countries to EU is not certain. The integration journey is first of all closely connected to building the institutional capacities, adoption of laws, rules, norms and European behavior in the domestic policymaking. Therefore, the challenges are converted into obstacle or inability to the establishment of values, identity, institutional and social aspects in the Western Balkan countries, whereas the consequences are reflected as derivatives of failure to accomplishing the membership of the region to EU. Based on the research conducted on this issue, this study argues that such challenges as lack of rule of law, high levels of corruption and organized crime are derivatives of historical legacy and political elite efforts to capture the state or dominate certain state resources, as well as of the EU approach towards this region. This study is important particularly in this aspect and unequivocally presents the common and separate challenges of the Western Balkans towards integration into the European Union. Along with this realistic presentation, the consequences themselves appear which first of all are not only to the detriment of the Western Balkans.

Justice Reform or Facade Reform: The case of the Western Balkans

“…In the Western Balkans, both the political elites and the justice institutions have been unable to support and implement the Europeanisation process. On the one hand political elites have proved ineffective, corrupt and self -interested in state capture or certain state segments or resources, so generally reformist political elites have appeared too weak to undertake radical reforms and change (Anastasakis 2005: 84;Elbasani 2013: 10;Bieber, 2018b: 341;Halili 2019). On the other hand, justice institutions have served as a key instrument in the state capture enterprise.…”

Advancing European Integration in Central and Eastern Europe: A Comprehensive Examination of Reconciliation and Collaborative Progress in the Western Balkans

“…In the same year, a significant advancement was made towards resolving longstanding border disputes, with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and North Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski signing a border demarcation agreement. President Trajkovski's announcement that this accord resolved the sole remaining dispute between the two nations signaled the conclusion of a contentious five-year period that had recurrently strained their bilateral relations (Halili, 2019).…”