Fragile Bosnia could shake Balkan region

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
International Organisations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Serbia And Montenegro ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
Eu And Us ◽  
The Eu

Significance Part of the preparations for the summit was the ‘reflection forum’ in Trieste on June 26-27, which gathered representatives of international organisations, media and NGOs from Europe and the Balkans. They underlined the risks of further destabilisation in the Balkans, with Bosnia-Hercegovina (BiH) in particular entering deeper into a political crisis characterised by personal animosities and mistrust among all key politicians. Impacts Whether the Balkans destabilises further or stabilises depends on EU and US ability and desire to engage more concretely and resolutely. The gradual fading of EU enlargement has fuelled regional tensions and enabled other influences to grow. Russia could play spoiler by using its influence among Serbs in BiH, Serbia and Montenegro to destabilise the Balkans. Turkey's worsening relations with the EU, United States and NATO and its rapprochement with Russia could create regional tensions.

Bosnia’s elections will at best bring prolonged crisis

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Nation State ◽  
Far Right ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Eu And Us ◽  
The Eu

Significance The final preparations have been overshadowed by a flurry of Russian diplomatic activity, suggesting that Moscow is either more interested in the Balkans than the EU and United States or is at least better at playing Bosnian political games. Impacts Post-election political chaos would force re-engagement by EU and US officials. Blocked financial flows would precipitate a social and economic crisis in the Federation, probably spreading to the rest of BiH. Dodik will seek allies in the rising EU far right and the Trump administration’s doctrine of nation-state-based sovereignty.

Creeping authoritarianism is a real risk in Tunisia

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Real Risk ◽  
Chief Prosecutor ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
The Eu

Significance He did not name a new prime minister. Over July 25-26, Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi, dissolved his government, suspended parliament for 30 days, lifted parliamentary immunity and declared himself chief prosecutor, triggering Tunisia’s worst political crisis in a decade. Impacts The Ennahda party could be persecuted once again, this time on corruption charges, as the reconciliation offered excludes its members. Tunisia may become a new ideological battleground, pitting Turkey and Qatar against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The EU, the United States and Algeria have some influence on Tunisia and could perhaps play a moderating role.

Border disputes will keep Balkan region unstable

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Adverse Impact ◽  
Business Continuity ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Potential Conflict ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
International Border ◽  
The Eu

Subject Intensifying disputes over several borders in the Western Balkans. Significance Croatia and Slovenia are at odds over their maritime border in the Adriatic. Kosovo rejects Montenegro’s claim to a parcel of land which Kosovo currently controls, while Serbia is mounting a challenge to the very existence of its border with Kosovo. Bosnian Serbs are threatening to create a new international border with the rest of Bosnia-Hercegovina (BiH). Impacts Border disputes will have an adverse impact on economic development and business continuity in the affected areas. Border disputes will frustrate the integration of the Balkans with the EU and NATO. Disputes over borders will provide a flashpoint for potential conflict, especially in Kosovo and BiH.

Brexit will remove advocate for Balkans enlargement

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
National Bank ◽  
Key Policy ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
The Eu

Subject Prospects for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans after the UK vote to leave. Significance EU officials and diplomats in the region are publicly trying to send messages that, when it comes to the accession prospects of the Western Balkan countries, everything remains 'business as usual', despite the UK vote to leave ('Brexit'). The familiar refrain is that as long as the countries of the region deliver on the reforms demanded by the EU, the process will continue to move forward. Impacts UK-Balkans trade, investment and remittances flows are too low to inflict any appreciable Brexit 'shock'. Serbia will remain on course for the EU despite Brexit, which will have no major financial or economic impact, the Serbian premier has said. However, the National Bank of Serbia cut its key policy rate yesterday, expecting Brexit to affect emerging economies, including Serbia. Pro-Russian elements in the Balkans will welcome UK withdrawal as removing a perceived obstacle to rapprochement between the EU and Russia.

Prospects for the Balkans in 2020

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cold War ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
The United States ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
South Eastern Europe ◽  
Domestic Instability

Subject Prospects for the Balkans in 2020. Significance Political malaise in South-eastern Europe will continue next year as EU enlargement (the West’s plan for stabilising the troubled Western Balkans) becomes an ever more remote prospect and the United States and Russia continue their ‘new Cold War’ in the region. These overarching developments will coincide with, and contribute to, a deepening domestic instability in much of the region.

Bosnian parties take little comfort from latest votes

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Content Type ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Eu And Us ◽  
The Eu

Significance The elections were held amid heightened tensions, one week after the Bosnian Serb referendum on September 25. Neither satisfied parties' expectations and each suggests further turmoil. Impacts The Bosnian Serb referendum has increased interethnic tensions and aroused fears of a resumption in violence across the Balkans. The EU and US failure to respond to the referendum challenge signals the disengagement of Dayton safety mechanisms. The Russian and Turkish roles in the Balkans will correspondingly strengthen.

EU strategy may be last chance to influence Balkans

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Eu Accession ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
A Priority ◽  
Balkan States ◽  
The Eu

Significance With some new ideas -- as well as some old mistakes and misconceptions -- the strategy is an opportunity to reopen the issue of Balkan states’ EU accession, pushed aside for several years. Impacts The EU faces problems in securing implementation of existing reforms, which have slowed or even halted across the Balkans. The situation is further burdened by growing Russian, Turkish and Arab influence, and tensions between them, the EU and the United States. The Bulgarian and Austrian rotating six-month EU presidencies mean to make the Balkans a priority throughout 2018.

scholarly journals A Transatlantic Secular Divide? The Representation of Religion in EU and US Foreign Policy

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Jenichen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Us Foreign Policy ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Foreign Policies ◽  
Eu And Us ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Eu

AbstractIt is a common—often stereotypical—presumption that Europe is secular and America religious. Differences in international religious freedom and religious engagement policies on both sides of the Atlantic seem to confirm this “cliché.” This article argues that to understand why it has been easier for American supporters to institutionalize these policies than for advocates in the EU, it is important to consider the discursive structures of EU and US foreign policies, which enable and constrain political language and behavior. Based on the analysis of foreign policy documents, produced by the EU and the United States in their relationship with six religiously diverse African and Asian states, the article compares how both international actors represent religion in their foreign affairs. The analysis reveals similarities in the relatively low importance that they attribute to religion and major differences in how they represent the contribution of religion to creating and solving problems in other states. In sum, the foreign policies of both international actors are based on a secular discursive structure, but that of the United States is much more accommodative toward religion, including Islam, than that of the EU.

German Policy towards EU Enlargement

2015 ◽  
pp. 18-22
Author(s):  
F. Basov
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Eastern Partnership ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
The Stability ◽  
The Eu

This article is dedicated to the German policy towards the EU enlargement. Its history as well as the current German policy towards prospective enlargements are analyzed in this paper. The article offers party-political and sociological analysis of Germany`s attitude towards the EU enlargement, also the reasons for it are determined. FRG supported all of the European Community and European Union enlargements. This line is being continued, but nowadays only step to step approach is being supported. Germany‘s motives to the EU enlargement are based on the liberal concept of the common security. The main goals of this policy are the including of European countries into the Western community of developed countries (the EU), the extension of the stability and security area. The economic integration is also very important for Germany. The key priority of the EU enlargement is the Western Balkan region (the so called “Europeanisation” of Western Balkans). This process is being supported by political elites of the region and by the European Union itself. It is recognized, that the Europeanisation of Western Balkans was used as a sample for the Eastern Partnership Program. Without consideration of the Russian factor, though, this strategy towards the post-Soviet countries has many weaknesses. But the EU-membership for the Eastern Partnership members is not excluded.

EU may struggle to enforce social standards via trade

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Environmental Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Standards ◽  
Investment Agreement ◽  
Trade Deals ◽  
First Time ◽  
Trade Partners ◽  
The Eu

Significance In 2020 the European Commission appointed a Chief Trade Enforcement Officer for the first time, signalling that Brussels is intent on enhancing its capacity to enforce standards agreed in trade deals. However, the EU's experience with South Korea suggests that holding trade partners to account over breaching standards will be difficult. Impacts Relations with trade partners could deteriorate if the EU is seen to be aggressive in enforcing its standards. Concern over China’s willingness to improve labour and environmental standards could impede ratification the EU-China investment agreement. The EU may be reluctant to sanction some partners, such as the United States, that breach labour or environmental standards.

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