engleski

The EU and the Western Balkans accession: Opportunities and limits to the success of the Croatian presidency of the EU

The Western Balkans states have since 2003 been promised a European Union (EU) integration perspective. Nevertheless, the economic situation in the Western Balkans is far from optimistic, with slim prospects for a significant economic development. The demographic situation is showing either accelerating decrease or stagnation of the population, as well as rapid demographic ageing. The investment boom and rapid GDP growth experienced in the Visegrad Four and Baltic States in the pre-accession period do not seem repeatable. If socio-economic development is not comprehensively encouraged, partially financed and meticulously audited by the EU, poor economic results and negative demographic impacts of the domestic situation will continue, and external players will continue to strengthen their economic and political influence in the region. The Bulgarian and Romanian presidencies of the EU have put the Western Balkans high on the list of EU’s priorities, with the interim Austrian presidency giving support to the faster integration as well. In the first half of the 2020, the Croatian presidency has, considering the geographic proximity, as well as historical experience and contemporary ties of Croatia to the region, put the issue high on the EU’s agenda as well as the EU’s cohesion policy, for which the newer members of the EU as well potential members from the Western Balkans are and should be very interested. This paper aims to address the first visible results of the Croatian presidency, in the context of the facts that Croatia so far has not been particularly successful and active in leadership initiatives oriented towards the region and has so far been the least successful EU member state economically.

Western Balkans, Croatia, EU Presidency, EU enlargement, rule of law

Sažetak prezentiran na online konferenciji.