DEMOCRACY, SECURITY AND THE FUTURE OF THE STABILITY PACT FOR SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE. A Framework for Debate
DEMOCRACY, SECURITY AND THE FUTURE OF THE STABILITY PACT FOR SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE. A Framework for Debate

Author(s): Marcus Cox, Minna Järvenpää, Gerald Knaus, Ivan Yotov Krastev
Subject(s): Economic policy, Security and defense, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010)
Published by: ESI – European Stability Initiative
Keywords: Western Balkans;
Summary/Abstract: Regional co-operation will only lead to meaningful results if it is fully supported by regional governments, which means it must help them deliver concrete benefits to their citizens. With this in mind, and drawing lessons from the experience of post-war European integration, this study proposes an approach based on functional integration in politically important sectors of the economy. A concrete proposal is to commit Western donors substantially to increase support to regional governments in reforming their energy sectors in return for a commitment by these governments to create a genuine common market, integrated with that of the European Union. … The study also proposes significantly more support for institution building to strengthen the capacity of states in the region to fight trans-border crime, while holding out the concrete promise of easier access to the European Union for their citizens. The role of the Stability Pact Office would be to identify gaps and shortcomings in assistance in this field and to develop a concrete vision of increasing mobility while fighting criminal networks.

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