How to support democratisation in the Western Balkans? Dominic Maugeais, ÖGfE Policy Brief, 23’2023
This Policy Brief claims that the EU pre-accession process in the Western Balkans needs stronger political support for democratisation by the European Union (EU) and its member states. Only progress on the democratisation path can lead to a successful and sustainable transformation of the EU candidate countries. Once EU accession negotiations are opened, the EU should keep its monitoring and involvement at a high level, since as long as the accession perspective is not underlined with a realistic accession date, the processes are becoming a bureaucratic window dressing exercise.
Policy Recommendations
- Progress in the democratisation of pre-accession countries has directly benefitted their EU accession path; therefore, stronger EU support for the democratisation of candidate countries should lead to more progress within the EU accession process.
- The EU and its member states need to step up efforts and commit to internal coherence to improve their credibility and external projection as a democratisation actor. This includes increasing efforts to advocate for enlargement internally.
- A concrete accession date combined with a strong conditionality would help reset the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans.
The then-hidden costs of non-acting, however, are becoming visible with an assertive Serbia, that threatens Kosovo and still partners with a war-crime-committing Russia.
