The European Union Strategy for the Adriatic- Ionian Region: An Alternative to the European Integration in the Western Balkans?
The European Union Strategy for the Adriatic- Ionian Region: An Alternative to the European Integration in the Western Balkans?

Summary/Abstract: Despite the European Union (EU)-sponsored economic and political reforms, the Western Balkans hasmade little to no progress in several fields, including post-conflict reconciliation, post-socialist economictransformation, and democracy. This situation threatens both regional stability and, more importantly,the EU integration process in the region. On the other hand, the EU is in crisis and its enlargementpolicy has lost its momentum. If alternative policies are not put in place in the Western Balkans, it wouldonce again be dragged into a whirlpool of conflict. This study asserts that the EU Strategy for Adriaticand Ionian Region (EUSAIR), which is a Macro-Regional Strategy could serve as a more realisticintegration tool in the Western Balkans and an alternative for EU membership.

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