Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European Dimension
The European Union faces unprecedented difficulties in its integration of the Western Balkans in terms of the requirements for change by countries in that region wishing to join. In order to meet this challenge, the EU’s political conditionality has moved significantly beyond its demands made on the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Institute of Romania
2008-06-01
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| Series: | Romanian Journal of European Affairs |
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| Online Access: | https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_Vol8_No2_Securing_Fragile_Democracies__in_the_Balkans_the_European_Dimension.pdf |
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| _version_ | 1849422196530741248 |
|---|---|
| author | Geoffrey Pridham |
| author_facet | Geoffrey Pridham |
| author_sort | Geoffrey Pridham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The European Union faces unprecedented difficulties in its integration of the Western Balkans in terms of the requirements for change by countries in that region wishing to join. In order to meet this challenge, the EU’s political conditionality has moved significantly beyond its demands made on the post-Communist entrants of 2004 and 2007. But its effort to bridge the gap between the ability or political will of Balkan countries to adapt to European modernisation and uncertainties about EU commitment created by “enlargement fatigue” among Member States is vulnerable to weak consensus on both sides. Accordingly, the dynamic behind further enlargement is not comparable with the historic drive that impelled the enlargement of 2004. At the same time, there are strong geopolitical arguments on grounds of stabilising the Balkans for going ahead with integrating the Western half of this region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-229d7c24f7ef45e6abb4b84f1b4eb364 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1582-8271 1841-4273 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2008-06-01 |
| publisher | European Institute of Romania |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Romanian Journal of European Affairs |
| spelling | doaj-art-229d7c24f7ef45e6abb4b84f1b4eb3642025-08-20T03:31:11ZengEuropean Institute of RomaniaRomanian Journal of European Affairs1582-82711841-42732008-06-01825670Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European DimensionGeoffrey Pridham0Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in European Politics at Bristol UniversityThe European Union faces unprecedented difficulties in its integration of the Western Balkans in terms of the requirements for change by countries in that region wishing to join. In order to meet this challenge, the EU’s political conditionality has moved significantly beyond its demands made on the post-Communist entrants of 2004 and 2007. But its effort to bridge the gap between the ability or political will of Balkan countries to adapt to European modernisation and uncertainties about EU commitment created by “enlargement fatigue” among Member States is vulnerable to weak consensus on both sides. Accordingly, the dynamic behind further enlargement is not comparable with the historic drive that impelled the enlargement of 2004. At the same time, there are strong geopolitical arguments on grounds of stabilising the Balkans for going ahead with integrating the Western half of this region.https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_Vol8_No2_Securing_Fragile_Democracies__in_the_Balkans_the_European_Dimension.pdfwestern balkanseu political conditionalitydemocratic consolidationeu enlargement |
| spellingShingle | Geoffrey Pridham Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European Dimension Romanian Journal of European Affairs western balkans eu political conditionality democratic consolidation eu enlargement |
| title | Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European Dimension |
| title_full | Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European Dimension |
| title_fullStr | Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European Dimension |
| title_full_unstemmed | Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European Dimension |
| title_short | Securing Fragile Democracies in the Balkans: the European Dimension |
| title_sort | securing fragile democracies in the balkans the european dimension |
| topic | western balkans eu political conditionality democratic consolidation eu enlargement |
| url | https://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/articole/RJEA_Vol8_No2_Securing_Fragile_Democracies__in_the_Balkans_the_European_Dimension.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT geoffreypridham securingfragiledemocraciesinthebalkanstheeuropeandimension |