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    Crisis-Born, Purpose-Seeking: Can the EPC Define Europe’s Strategic Future?

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    Promoting Arab Culture and Language in the Framework of Cultural Diversity and Dialogue.

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    A Century of Diplomatic Relations Between Albania and Russia: Exclusive Interview with the Russian Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Alexey Zaytsev

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    WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.  Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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    Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

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    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    Geneva meeting begins in bid to halt escalating Israel-Iran conflict

    From Donetsk to Northern Kosovo: Geopolitical Games with the Kosovo Precedent

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    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    NATO allies agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035

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    Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

    Russia Proposes Second Round of Ukraine Peace Talks in Istanbul on June 2

    International leaders congratulate Prime Minister Rama after his victory in the parliamentary elections, securing a fourth term.

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    Marta Kos: Albania Making Rapid Progress Toward EU Integration

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  • Home
  • OP/ED

    Azerbaijan dismisses claims of involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

    Elite Purges: Internal Conflict or External Design?

    Trump’s Threat of U.S. Intervention in Iran Exposes Roots of Critics’ Fears

    Crisis-Born, Purpose-Seeking: Can the EPC Define Europe’s Strategic Future?

    Serbia’s Request to the ICJ Turned Resolution 1244 into a Closed Chapter and Kosovo’s Independence into an Internationally Recognized Reality

    Unpredictable world

    Promoting Arab Culture and Language in the Framework of Cultural Diversity and Dialogue.

    ‘A Tragic Circus’: Albanian PD Figures Lash Out After LaCivita-Backed Campaign Collapses

    Erosion of Liberal Democracy in Europe Complicates Canada’s Search for Like-Minded Allies

  • Interview

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    The Conclusion of the Diplomatic Mission / Ambassador Dancho Markovski: Strengthening Albania-North Macedonia Relations for a Shared European Future

    A Century of Diplomatic Relations Between Albania and Russia: Exclusive Interview with the Russian Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Alexey Zaytsev

    Exclusive/ The chairman of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta: “The will of the citizens will triumph in Albania, as it did in North Macedonia”

    Exclusive/ The Russian Ambassador to Albania Mr. Mikhail Afanasiev: Russia only aims to end that war started by the West in Ukraine

    Exclusive/ Skopje’s top diplomat to Tirana, Dancho Markovski: OSCE Chairmanship a Project of National Importance for North Macedonia

    Exclusive interview of Croatian Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric: ‘There is progress in Croatian-Albanian relations, but it is still not enough’  

    The first anniversary of the appointment as Archbishop at the head of the Catholic Church/ Mons. Arjan Dodaj: Only God can be the author of our walk!

    Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Anar Huseynov: President Aliyev’s visit to Albania opened a new page in our relations through the specific accords reached

  • Realpolitik

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    Chancellor Merz passed “the exam”! Political stupidity! 5 per cent or study Russian! The Firing East!      

    A top phone call as disappointment! Exit from Brexit! Germany at the helm! End this political shame up!

    That’s it! The quartet of hope! Shame on Kosovo! The Summit of a Community without Identity!

    Only praises and prolises for Meloni! Facts versus untruths! Immediate ceasefire and genuine peace, no deal for new occupation! Back after 60 years !

    US nuclear tariff bomb!! Europa fires back! NATO ok, but with or without Article 5? Kallas urges reforms!

    Europe riarmed! Germany’s epochal shift! Spoiled soup! EU Commissioner Kos demands reforms!

    Europe tightens the ranks! The Euro-Atlantic Alliance in danger! USA-1945!! A true Peace, not new occupation!

    WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.  Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

    The law of force over the force of law! Multilateral diplomacy is the victim! Euro-Atlantism in danger! Munchen split the West!

  • Current Events

    Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

    Why Iran with Nukes is a Danger – Just Look at Cuba in 1962

    When bridges divide more than rivers…

    Skopje Growth Plan Summit: Western Balkans Six Urged to Accelerate Reforms

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    Geneva meeting begins in bid to halt escalating Israel-Iran conflict

    From Donetsk to Northern Kosovo: Geopolitical Games with the Kosovo Precedent

  • Top News

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    NATO allies agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035

    Reza Pahlavi: “This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment” — Exiled Prince Calls for Global Support as Iran Nears Regime Collapse

    Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

    Russia Proposes Second Round of Ukraine Peace Talks in Istanbul on June 2

    International leaders congratulate Prime Minister Rama after his victory in the parliamentary elections, securing a fourth term.

    Albania’s parliamentary elections competitive and well run but lacked level playing field, international observers say

    Top Ukrainian delegation arrives in Paris for talks with Western officials

    Marta Kos: Albania Making Rapid Progress Toward EU Integration

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BiEPAG reacts: EU Commission recommendation to open membership talks

14 March, 2024
in ENGLISH, English OP/ED
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BiEPAG* reactions related on the European Commission recommendation to the Council of the European Union to open membership talks with  Bosnia and Herzegovina

Authored by Marika Djolai, Damir Kapidzic and Marko Kmezic

Damir Kapidzic

A political decision was made in Brussels to open membership talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina. This comes at a time when the EU is adopting a stronger and more direct approach to enlargement, moving ahead at a pace not seen in over a decade. It also comes just ahead of EU elections in June and should be read in a context where some progress in reforms among candidate countries is also a win for the outgoing Commission.

The decision is justified by stating that BiH has made significant progress in adopting necessary legislation that will advance it towards EU membership. What is omitted is that there has been enormous external pressure on domestic actors to adopt said legislation and to comply with EU requirements. The significant progress of BiH is still far less than initially demanded, marking a decisive move away from strict enforcement of the 14 key priorities set for the country in 2019. Most notably, there was no progress on adopting a new Law on the Courts or electoral reform.

In BiH, the decision is welcomed by all parties and leaders. This includes Milorad Dodik who is generally highly critical of the EU and is under sanctions by the United States. In an interview, Dodik portrayed future EU accession in light of creating a common space where Serbs can live without borders, departing from his usual rhetoric that emphasizes secession. New parties in the national coalition government that has been in power since 2023, the Social Democratic Party, Our Party, and People and Justice emphasized their role in pushing through reforms that made the difference.

While there is a long way ahead, the decision is a step in the right direction, even if the main credit does not go to Bosnian decision-makers. To sum it up, opening accession talks with the EU is not what BiH deserves, but it is what it gets.

Marika Djolai

As many hoped for, on 12 March the European Commission (EC) issued a recommendation to start EU accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). This decision, which still needs endorsement from all 27 EU leaders, has been seen by some as not ‘earned.’ What motivated this decision and what does it mean for the future of the country?

The EC justified today’s decision by citing the evident progress in reforms that BiH has made. However, the Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interest, complementing the previously adopted Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism, was only pushed through the Council of Ministers a few days ago. With its merit questionable, other reasons prevail.

First, this was the last opportunity to propel BiH to the stage of opening EU accession talks before the upcoming European Parliament elections in June 2024 and the appointment of the new Commission, which may not be inclined to continue the current enlargement momentum.

Second, everyone is concerned about Republika Srpska’s secessionism, Dodik’s continuous engagement with Russia and its supporters like Lukashenko, and foreign actors’ malign engagement in this tiny but geopolitically strategic state. These concerns, combined with a desire for stability in this part of Europe, certainly contributed to today’s EC decision. It is also a clear signal of no compromise on BiH’s state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Surprisingly, there was a notable recent turn in Republika Srpska’s public discourse alongside adoption of the two state laws. In a highly politicized statement last week, Dodik advocated for opening the EU accession talks and slammed EU actors who allegedly use the process to alienate and punish RS. There is little to show he genuinely perceives BiH as a unified state but is now left with less maneuvering space with the EU rapprochement.

Progress on the EU accession path brings new obligations, demands and requirements for the state government and BiH institutions. If it follows its own pace of reforms and trajectories of the other five WB candidates, membership will not happen anytime soon. If it decides to adopt Ukraine and Moldova’s fast-track approach and buries political infighting, BiH has potential to lead the race in an otherwise very complex EU accession path. The current state government has already shown ambition and resilience, to the merit of BiH citizens.

Marko Kmezic

The announcement of the opening of EU accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina is good news. It is positive for BiH, as the process could help silence secessionist rhetoric in Republika Srpska and more deeply entangle the country with the EU. It is also good for the EU, allowing it to showcase enlargement progress ahead of 2024 European Parliament elections. Additionally, it signals a revival of the strained accession process for the Western Balkans and provides hope for Ukraine.

However, the European Commission’s recommendation does not guarantee talks will begin, as all 27 EU member states must approve the decision at next week’s summit. As seen with North Macedonia, this final hurdle can be serious.

Even if talks open, what does it mean for BiH citizens? Accession is a long, complicated process of negotiations that can take years before full membership. Croatia took eight years from the start of talks until accession. Current frontrunners Montenegro and Serbia have negotiated for over a decade without foreseeable end dates.

BiH struggles with initial membership conditions like judicial and electoral reforms. EU criteria will become more precise, targeting democracy and the rule of law – directly challenging so-called ‘state capturing elites.’ This risks negotiating stalemate, as seen in Serbia.

Therefore, in parallel to potential talks, the EU should invest additional resources and technical support in BiH’s civil society. Independent media, institutions, NGOs and citizens are essential to keeping their government accountable on the path to Europe and the EU should support this indispensable part of the process.

*BiEPAG-The Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) is a group of policy analysts, scholars and researchers, established as a joint initiative of the European Fund for the Balkans and the Centre for Southeast European Studies of the University of Graz with the aim to promote the European integration of the Western Balkans and the consolidation of democratic, open countries in the region. 

/Argumentum.al

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