TIRANA, June 17 – Corruption, rule of law issues and lack of reforms continue to be the main difficulties Western Balkans countries face on their path to European Union integration, participants in of a recent discussion about the Balkans at Johns Hopkins University in Washington said.
As local media reported, according to the experts a growing negative Russian influence is another challenge for the Western Balkan region. However, what was mainly stressed by experts is that the region’s countries should focus more on meeting the technical conditions of EU membership, such as truly reforming the justice system, increasing transparency and stepping up the fight against corruption.
In addition, there exists an unrealistic optimism among millions in the Western Balkans that EU accession will be a quick process, said Thomas Countryman, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe.
“It is important for countries in the region to understand that there is no pure political path towards joining the European Union. In the past, some countries have been successful in their EU membership efforts through a purely political path, although they did not meeting the technical conditions set for them. Creating friendships with European Union countries, as well as promotion of membership candidates is a good thing, but the political argument would be a hundred times stronger if you have met the technical conditions, including here the rule of law,” Countryman said.
He stressed that the rule of law does not just consist of drafting or adapting good laws, but of fully implementing them.
“This implies full functionality of independent anti-corruption prosecutors, the functionality of an independent judiciary, and an independent media that is allowed to investigate and find out what the governments are doing, which politicians are benefiting. These are essential features for a country that wants to call itself a democratic member of the European Union,” he added.
The Balkans region remains a priority of Russian foreign policy and Moscow sees its presence in the region, including in Montenegro, as an effort to balance the presence of the West there, former Montenegrin Deputy Health Minister Nebojsa Todorovic said.
According to him, Moscow’s plan is to destabilize the region in order to prevent further expansion of the EU and NATO.
“Russia’s Balkans strategy is to divide the region between the Western and Eastern European spheres of privileges and interests, based on religion, history and other factors. For example, Russia is using historical and religious ties with Serbia and the NATO intervention of 1999 as a platform for extending its influence in the region.”
In context of this issue, Countryman said Russia wants to exert influence and encourage Balkan countries to imitate its country model of a fully corrupt, non-transparent government which controls the media.
Analyst Daniel Serwer from the Johns Hopkins University told the Voice of America that Balkan countries should not ignore Russia’s efforts to influence the Euro-Atlantic integration processes of the region.
“Serbia still flirts with Russia, because Russia has an influence. Russia exerts its influence legitimately through diplomacy and other ways that may not be legitimate,” Serwer said.
A stronger US and EU presence is important for Balkan countries’ progress in the Euro-Atlantic integration process the participants said but, according to them, Balkan countries need to intensify efforts to strengthen their democratic institutions.
