Naslov
A European Perspective for the Western Balkans: Can the Experience of Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania be used as Guidance?

Autori
Kurečić, Petar ; Milković, Marin

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, ostalo

Izvornik
EU SAAP 2018 Conference Proceedings / - Taipei : EU SAAP and NCRE, 2018, 56-57

Skup
The Future of the EU and European Integration in the aftermath of Crises (EU SAAP 2018)

Mjesto i datum
Taipei, Tajvan, 28.06.2018. - 29.06.2018

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
the Western Balkans, the European Union (the EU), enlargement, outmigration, foreign direct investment (FDI)

Sažetak
The former communist countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe are now mostly NATO and EU members. The exceptions are the countries of the Western Balkans, which, at least declaratively, have a European perspective, with NATO as the probable entry check point (except for Serbia). The economic situation in the region is however less optimistic. The GDP per capita of the “most developed” Western Balkans state is still lower than the GDP of Bulgaria. Demographic challenges in some of the Western Balkans states are staggering (as well as in the Baltic States, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Croatia), with Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia losing 12.4, 22.2, 13.0, and 9.1 percent of their population from the peak year until 2018, respectively. With the possible accession to the EU, the emigration from all Western Balkans states would most likely increase ; hence gradual or instant opening of the EU labour market has been the most significant factor influencing the demographic characteristics of post-communist EU members. The EU Strategy for the Western Balkans was revealed in February 2018. The Bulgarian presidency of the EU (the first half of 2018) has put the Western Balkans high on the priority list. How will the forthcoming enlargement envisioned by the European Commission improve regional development? How realistic is that the Western Balkans will be integrated into the EU by 2025 and what could be the major implications for these states? By studying statistical data and social processes, we compare the results of the EU membership for Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria, the three most recent EU member states, and try to predict the most important developments in the Western Balkans states, that will occur after the accession to the EU.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Ekonomija, Politologija

POVEZANOST RADA