LEFT BEHIND?
The Balkan countries have set upon their quest for integration ever since the late ‘90s. During their lasting interaction, the partners have engaged in an often-inconsistent negotiation framework that moved from the idea of “sharing everything but institutions” to a more cautious approach, dominated by (im)patience and mutual demands that did not generate any tangible outcome.
The (Balkan) bride was – from time to time – convinced of the (European) groom’s serious intentions, while never committing to anyone, but to the states on the Balkan “rim”.
The European Union simply cannot afford to take the Balkans for granted anymore. Since 2000 and the initial enthusiasm, the Balkans have changed and the European Union has changed. The entire world has changed and new radical processes are developing. The “end of history” is over.
And the “geopolitical romance” cannot continue on the same basis, as if nothing had happened in the meanwhile.
[ IER — 2017 ]
