Series:ESI Discussion Papers

Discussion paper for the ESI-SIIA Stockholm Seminar on Bosnia and Herzegovina

Discussion paper for the ESI-SIIA Stockholm Seminar on Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Marcus Cox,Gerald Knaus / Language(s): English

This paper, which draws on the first two papers in the ESI series Changing International Priorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, seeks to discuss conditions for a successful medium-term, international strategy in Bosnia in advance of the next Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting.2 It considers international power in Bosnia and examines the task of state and institution building. It analyses the international agenda setting process and the role of the PIC, and it considers how to learn from the peace process’s success stories.

MOMENT OF TRUTH. Macedonia, the EU budget and the destabilisation of the Balkans

MOMENT OF TRUTH. Macedonia, the EU budget and the destabilisation of the Balkans

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU-Accession; Western Balkans; Macedonia; France and EU enlargement;

France has declared that it is prepared to veto the approval of Macedonia’s candidate status, recommended last month by the European Commission. Instead, it has proposed a new debate as to whether there should be any further EU enlargement at all. The United Kingdom has proposed a new budget for the EU that would preclude any serious pre-accession assistance for the Western Balkans for the next 7-year budgetary period. The UK proposal could shut the door on further enlargement just as forcefully as a French veto. … Between France and the UK, there is now a distinct possibility that the European Council meeting beginning on Thursday (15th December) will not just deny candidate status to Macedonia, but throw the entire European strategy in the Balkans into confusion. This would be a disastrous policy error. For this reason, ESI is calling on EU member states not to forget their commitments to the countries of the Balkans, and their vital interest in lasting stability in the region on the eve of Kosovo status negotiations.

CAVIAR DIPLOMACY. How Azerbaijan silenced the Council of Europe - Part 1

CAVIAR DIPLOMACY. How Azerbaijan silenced the Council of Europe - Part 1

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: Heydar Aliyev; Ilham Aliyev; Azerbaijan’s democracy; Azerbaijan’s diplomacy; Council of Europe;

Caviar diplomacy was about winning and retaining the stamp of legitimacy conferred by Council of Europe membership. Created in 1949, the Council of Europe is not Europe’s most influential club. Indeed, faced with the European Union’s bewildering institutional architecture, many of Europe’s citizens have long since forgotten about it. But in its quiet and unassuming way, the Council of Europe stands for democracy and human rights. For more than half a century, it has symbolised the values that bind Europe together. To be a member of the Council of Europe is to be part of the European family. || Over the course of the project, we spoke to a large number of international officials, Azerbaijanis, members of PACE and people involved in election observation missions in Azerbaijan. We studied transcripts of Council of Europe debates on Azerbaijan and dissected election observation reports by international monitors.

TRANSITION AND HAPPINESS – a Bulgarian paradox?

TRANSITION AND HAPPINESS – a Bulgarian paradox?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: Transformation in Bulgaria;

Bulgarians are famously unhappy. A few years ago their pessimism came to international attention. A Gallup Poll discovered in 2009 that the citizens of this small Balkan nation had lower expectations for how their life would be five years later than Iraqis and Afghans. Bulgarians were not surprised by this discovery. A leading Sofia-based think tank, the Centre for Liberal Strategies (CLS), had already published a paper in 2003 titled Optimistic Theory about the Pessimism of the Transition. The latest World Happiness Report confirmed this global reputation for morosity in 2013. Out of 156 nations it ranked Bulgarians 144th, behind Iraqis and Afghans, Congolese and Haitians. || This raises questions, from the philosophical: is there a correlation between happiness and freedom? – to the political: does transition lead to happiness? Clearly Bulgarians enjoy more freedom today than the citizens of most of the world’s unhappy countries. Compared to their Western Balkan neighbours, Bulgarian leaders have done most things right in the past two decades. They kept their country out of war, pursued reforms, attracted foreign direct investment and brought Bulgaria into the European Union. Wages rose, poverty declined and there are more jobs today than a decade ago. So what explains this Bulgarian paradox?