Thinking beyond the crisis? Greece and the Balkans
Recent developments – particularly a proposal to recognize Macedonia as the ‘Republic of Vardar Macedonia’ - have demonstrated that, contrary to the fears of some, the debt crisis will not impede Greece’s capacity for resolving regional disputes.
The economic crisis, Greece and the Balkans
The economic crisis – which has eroded the EU's solidarity and diluted its appetite for further enlargement – will serve to fuel populism and undermine the resolution of outstanding conflicts in the Balkans.
Russia’s Balkan plan
Russia's re-emergence in the Balkans – thanks, in part, to financial loans, energy investments and the provision of emergency relief – could leave Serbia in the middle of a conundrum as the region itself increasingly becomes a point of contestation between the West and Russia.
The EU should offer more than just a box of chocolates
Speeding-up the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU will require the creation of new momentum through greater financial investment and the deployment of individuals with significant political and diplomatic clout.
No selective neutrality
Calls for a referendum in Serbia on NATO membership are motivated not by a desire for an open and transparent debate on the issue of collective security, but by narrow political interests.
Montenegro – in between Serbia and Kosovo
Montenegro must tread carefully in order to resolve its outstanding issues with Serbia and Kosovo, with the latter required to fulfill three key conditions – border demarcation, the sustainable return of displaced persons and recognition of the ethnic Montenegrin community - before full diplomatic relations will be established.
Dayton Bosnia may be over – but what next?
Rather than advocating one solution to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ongoing crisis, the EU should offer a range, or menu, of reform options – all leading to EU membership.
Three good ways to end 2009 in the Western Balkans
Three key decisions at the end of 2009 – visa liberalization, Serbia’s application for EU membership and the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitution - provide significant momentum for the Western Balkans in 2010.
Balkan competitiveness
Whilst two recently published reports on reform and competitiveness demonstrate progress by several Western Balkan countries, further structural reforms are required to mitigate the impact... Read More
