By Viola von Cramon-Taubadel
“Friends of Europe”
Despite promising changes in governance in the Western Balkans, deep reforms are still lacking. Meanwhile, political tensions in the region are escalating due to the ongoing Russian occupation of Ukraine, as well as due to the general insecurity that dominates the region as a whole.
Can the Western Balkans escape the vicious circle of “stability” without sacrificing democratic standards? The European Union must take the Western Balkans seriously. If he wants to have a role in signaling a lifeline to her immediate neighborhood, he must become a credible force.
To this end, Brussels has long advocated the fair, equitable and diligent application of the “stick and carrot” principle. In the first place this means that countries that make progress should benefit from incentives. The start of membership talks with Northern Macedonia and Albania has long been delayed, as has visa liberalization for Kosovo citizens.
The challenges to EU credibility are multifaceted. Allowing member states to use the veto unilaterally on the membership of a single state, as in the case of the Bulgarian veto on Northern Macedonia, is in fact very detrimental to the overall credibility of the EU.
If the union does not step up its efforts to help Sofia and Skopje overcome their differences, it risks losing influence in the region, which could be replaced by other actors already present there.
The same goes for Kosovo, which has met all the conditions for visa liberalization, but the French veto is still preventing this country from accessing visa-free travel. Now that the geopolitical regulation is being rewritten, strong action must be taken immediately.
But reliability is a two-way street. In addition to incentives, the EU – a union of values - must become credible as an entity that is not afraid to use the “stick” when needed. This applies to the steps back in terms of democracy and the rule of law gaps that are being seen in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Brussels must show its willingness to use power, and not just words, to strike at non-cooperating countries, precisely where it hurts the most, through financial aid. Once these governments are deprived of EU funds and foreign direct investment, they will be faced with a clear choice: reform or further distancing themselves from the EU.
But following the “stick and carrot” schemes are the least the EU can do. Now that the geopolitical regulation is being rewritten, strong conclusive action must be taken immediately. Discussions are currently underway on Ukraine’s so-called accelerated accession to the EU.
Therefore, it is important to reiterate that the conditions remain there and must be met, despite the political urgency. The Copenhagen criteria are not only mandatory, but also a minimum condition for what aspiring candidates must meet before entering the EU.
As formulated by Chapters XXIII and XXIV of the negotiation framework, stability, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and the existence of a functioning market system are included in the membership criteria for each candidate country.
We can not negotiate on these criteria in any meaningful way, nor can we minimize them. The rule of law means that the rules agreed upon must be respected. Simply put: either the rule of law package must be respected as imposed by the EU, or the country that breaks the rules must leave it.
Therefore, before serious consideration can be given to the accession process, some profound reforms need to be undertaken in some of the Western Balkan countries. Montenegro needs to improve the fight against organized crime and corruption, as well as ensure merit-based employment in the public sector.
Serbia, on the other hand, needs to demonstrate in practice the results of justice reforms, the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms, and the building of institutions. Bosnia must continue to work to implement the decisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, to ensure non-discrimination of all its citizens.
Meanwhile, Kosovo and Albania must prove that the results of judicial reforms, as well as the protection of minorities have been fully implemented and are yielding concrete results. Finally, the essence is the achievement of peace. There will be no lasting peace if
does not implement the 2013 Brussels Comprehensive Agreement on the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, followed by a more sustained focus on stability in Bosnia, the second hotspot in the Western Balkans.
These are the most vulnerable countries, which can be very important for European strategic goals. Therefore, the European Union must support all efforts to reach a long-term solution, which will advance the membership of these countries in the union and establish full bilateral relations.
In addition, the proper functioning of the Regional Commission in charge of tracking down the facts of all victims of war crimes and other serious human rights violations committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia (RECOM) must be guaranteed. An ambitious and comprehensive program would be a concrete move forward for the establishment of lasting peace in the Western Balkans.
This is the alarm bell that the EU and the Western Balkans need. The lack of implementation of reforms appears as a chronic justification for the delay of the Western Balkan countries on the road to EU membership. Despite all the initiatives taken, the desired result may be delayed if these places do not do their homework.
Building strong, sustainable societies with strong democracies, respect for human rights, good governance, jobs and education – all that the EU has promoted through its enlargement process – are crucial tasks for the six countries. of the Western Balkans.
Note: Viola von Cramon-Taubadel is a Member of the European Parliament.