While the EU enlargement process has been frozen, a series of parallel initiatives (Berlin Process, European Political Community, Open Balkans) has emerged to keep the flame alive. Still, it doesn’t seem to be enough : weary of being stuck in the waiting room of the EU, the people of Albania, Bosnia-and-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are turning away. It benefits rival great powers like China, Russia, and Turkey.
How to revive the process today ? Is EU integration still happening ? Is peace threatened again in the Western Balkans ? What do Balkan citizens think of it, while they still are emigrating en masse towards the Western and Northern parts of the continent ?
To discuss these stakes, crucial for Europe’s future, Le Courrier des Balkans has invited :
• Simonida Kacarska, Director of the European Policy Institute (EPI) (Skopje)
• Florian Bieber, BiEPAG, Director, Centre for Southeast European Studies (Graz)
• Nikola Burazer, Programme Director at the Centre for Contemporary Politics and - Executive Editor at European Western Balkans (Belgrade)
• Visar Ymeri, Director of the think tank Musine Kokalari (Pristina)
A debate moderated by Simon Rico, co-editor in chief of Le Courrier des Balkans.
In partnership with the Paris Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
