scholarly journals Mapping western Balkans civilian capacities for peace operations

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-92
Author(s):  
John Karlsrud ◽  
Marko Milošević
Keyword(s):  
International Organizations ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
Peace Operations ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Balkan Region

Over the past several years the United Nations has increasingly emphasized the role that civilian capacities can play in post-conflict peacebuilding and called for member states to provide expertise. This special issue of the Journal of Regional Security will explore the civilian capacities of the Western Balkans countries and whether there is political will to respond to the call to deploy civilian capacities to UN peace operations and other international organizations. Looking at how Western Balkan countries train, roster and deploy civilian capacities, it will also explore whether increased cooperation in this area could be considered as a security community practice, nurturing bilateral relations and building cooperation in the Western Balkan region. The article finds that there is still a great gap between the expressed policy intent of providing civilian capacities to peace support operations, and putting it into practice. There is also lack of a strategic consideration of how the training and deployment of civilian capacities to peace operations could build legitimacy in international organizations and enhance regional cooperation among the states in the Western Balkans. The article recommends the initiation of a regional dialogue on training and rostering of civilian capacities, realizing synergies and furthering regional cooperation.

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.

scholarly journals The V4 Countries’ Foreign Policy concerning the Western Balkans

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-164
Author(s):  
Christina Griessler
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Foreign Policies ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
European Values ◽  
Balkan Region

Abstract This contribution explores the Visegrad Four’s (V4) foreign policy initiatives in the Western Balkans by considering each state’s interests and policies and the evolution of joint V4 objectives. My underlying hypothesis is that the foreign policy‑related behaviour of individual states is shaped by certain roles that they assume and by their national interests. This work uses role theory to explain the V4 states’ foreign policies both generally and in the specific case of the Western Balkans. The V4 have prioritised cooperation with this region, and I analyse the programmes of the last four V4 presidencies (Slovakia 2014-2015, the Czech Republic 2015-2016, Poland 2016-2017 and Hungary 2017-2018) to reveal key foreign policy objectives and explore why they were selected. At the same time, I examine the interests of each V4 country and the reasons for their joint attention to the Western Balkan region. My analysis shows that the V4 perceive themselves as supportive and constructive EU and NATO members and see their policies as reflective of European values. Moreover, they believe they should contribute to EU enlargement by sharing experiences of economic and political transformation with the Western Balkan states and serving as role models.

scholarly journals EU PROSPECTS FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: BETWEEN STAGNATION AND GROWTH

2018 ◽  
pp. 21-39
Keyword(s):  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Structural Reforms ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
The Public ◽  
Political Transformations ◽  
Macroeconomic Indicators ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Balkan Region

The aim of this paper is to point to the specificities of economic and political transformations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and the Western Balkan in the context of economic and political changes in the global environment that can significantly affect the EU accession process. An analysis of the position of B&H in the group of Western Balkans countries and the perspective of economic growth was conducted by focusing on the political and economic criteria as well as on the current obstacles these countries are facing, specifically, based on their political and economic background and in conditions where external risks are growing. All these countries are commited to implementing structural reforms because the commitment of all the countries towards Europe, which means convergence towards the European countries and a reduction in the size of the GDP per capita. In order to achieve such long-term goals, it is necessary to implement structural reforms that will result in stimulating production, trade, financial flows and reforming the labor market and the public sector. That is why growth of investment and exports is the main determinant of long-term growth. This paper gives an overview of the basic economic features of B&H compared with the other countries that belong to Western Balkan region, as well as projections on the certain macroeconomic indicators in the forthcoming period.

scholarly journals Economic development in the European super-periphery: Evidence from the Western Balkans

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (181) ◽  
pp. 21-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Will Bartlett
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Capital Cities ◽  
Informal Economies ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
Political Turmoil

This paper argues that the conflicts that afflicted the Western Balkan region in the 1990s pushed the countries into the European 'super-periphery', characterized by deindustrialization and high unemployment, ethnic and regional fragmentation, political turmoil, and instability. Integration into international trade has been disrupted, leading to chronic balance of payments deficits. Low inflows of international capital, due to high country risk, have hindered technological catch-up and weakened international competitiveness. An unattractive environment for productive entrepreneurship has created barriers to the entry of SMEs, and at the same time large informal economies. Several countries have become labour-export economies, with significant outflows of skilled labour. Economic development follows a low-skill growth path. The current global economic crisis is having a further deleterious effect as export revenues, foreign direct investment, and labour remittances all diminish. Furthermore, as transition has proceeded, disparities between capital cities and rural areas have increased, while weak administrative capacities have hindered the implementation of effective local development policies to counteract these effects. Endogenous local development cannot provide an alternative to greater engagement with the global economy. The conclusion is that the countries of the region have been left out of the most beneficial elements of the globalisation process, while simultaneously suffering from its main defects. Without a faster process of accession to the EU, local disparities are likely to widen, and the region may remain within the European super-periphery for the foreseeable future.

The Fate of the Western Balkans regional security Subcomplex - the Necessity of regional Cooperation

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-64
Author(s):  
Petar Djukić ◽  
Darko Obradović
Keyword(s):  
Federal Republic ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Illegal Migration ◽  
Transnational Organized Crime ◽  
Security Community ◽  
The Past ◽  
Full Picture

We refer to the Western Balkans as a regional security subcomplex that is only part of a wider, European complex. It consists of all the states of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, except Slovenia, including Albania. It is a region that had a very turbulent past and which is still, in many ways, specific. Relations between the countries of the Western Balkans are determined by unresolved issues from the past, very intense regional security dynamics, as well as projections of the interests of global powers. However, even in such circumstances, regional cooperation is imperative in the fight against terrorism, illegal migration, transnational organized crime, and other serious threats and challenges to regional security and stability. The paper will present the basic geopolitical and security characteristics of the regional security subcomplex Western Balkans. Based on that, we will be able to get a full picture of the necessity of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans in the light of Euro-Atlantic integration and the construction of a kind of security community in the region.

Policing Via Principles: Reforming the Use of Force in the Western Balkans

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzette R. Grillot
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Police Reform ◽  
Democratic Reform ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Law Enforcement Officials ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
National Police

After a significant period of violent conflict in the Western Balkans, countries in the region, specifically Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro, and the United Nations (UN) protectorate of Kosovo, have embarked on a process of democratic reform. Part of the democratization effort involves reforming the police force. One important, yet not often studied, aspect of police reform is the appropriate use of force with firearms. This study explores the process of police reform in the Western Balkan region to assess the implementation of the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. Ultimately, this study offers a view of law enforcement activities in an attempt to assess how well these countries are incorporating international standards on the use of force with firearms into their national police practices. In so doing, this research enriches our understanding of weapons issues within the context of security sector, and specifically police reform.

scholarly journals The Western Balkans: Weak performance since the crisis

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (s2) ◽  
pp. 85-120
Author(s):  
Marek Dabrowski ◽  
Yana Myachenkova
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Eu Accession ◽  
Institutional Reforms ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis ◽  
The Eu

In the early and mid-2000s, the prospect of EU accession and the global boom facilitated rapid economic recovery and boosted economic and institutional reforms in the Western Balkan region. The global financial crisis of 2007–2009 and the European crisis of 2010–2013 slowed the pace of economic growth and amplified high unemployment in the region. In addition, various unresolved legacies from past conflicts slowed the pace of reform and progress towards EU accession. The European Commission’s February 2018 communication sets an indicative deadline (2025) for the two most advanced candidates – Serbia’s and Montenegro’s admission to the EU. This could incentivise all Western Balkan countries, including those candidates that have not yet started membership negotiations (Macedonia and Albania) and those waiting for candidate status (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo), to remove domestic political obstacles to EU accession, solve conflicts with neighbours, speed up reforms and accelerate economic growth.

scholarly journals Civil capacities for peace support operations: The case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-109
Author(s):  
Emsad Dizdarević
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Peace Operations ◽  
International Peace ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
The Future ◽  
Security Communities ◽  
Bear Witness

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has gone from being a receiver to providing assistance to post-conflict countries. Through its experience with rebuilding the country after conflict, BiH can make relevant and useful contributions to further peacebuilding and sustainable development in other countries. This article details current contributions BiH is making to international peace operations, maps the civilian capacities BiH could contribute in the future, and provides recommendations on how this could be implemented with regards to training, rostering and deployment of civilian capacities. Successful training, rostering and deployment of civilian capacities from BiH could be replicated at the Western Balkans level and bear witness to the development of security communities in BiH and the region.

scholarly journals Climate change and agriculture management: Western Balkan region analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franc Željko Županić ◽  
Danka Radić ◽  
Iztok Podbregar
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
Agriculture Management

Abstract Background This paper aims to analyze the possibilities of the agricultural sector of the Western Balkan to assess compliance with the European Green Deal, which provides for the implementation of activities, which should enable the transition to sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation. This paper is among the first to present the causality of agriculture and climate change (status, mitigation, and perspectives) in general and in light of the European Green Deal for the Western Balkan territory. Main text Agricultural production is a leading industry in the Western Balkan. Climate change and predictions that temperatures will increase by 4 °C in the coming decades pose a risk not only to agricultural production but also to the safety of the population, because agriculture is the main source of income for a significant part of it. Uncontrolled floods and droughts caused by climate change are a particular danger for agriculture and human existence. This paper demonstrates that agriculture in the WB can be considered critically affected by climate change. Conclusions Unless appropriate measures are taken and risk management for water resources and agriculture is improved, there will be a further decrease in precipitation and an increase in dry days by 20%. Such a scenario endangers not only the already vulnerable climate sustainability and biodiversity of the region but also the existence of a population employed in agriculture and the contribution of the agricultural sector to the gross domestic product. However, future planning based on the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and European Green Deal, the adoption of a related regulatory framework, the establishment and regular monitoring of supporting financing mechanisms, regional cooperation, and improving risk management (with emphasis on the local level) can mitigate the present impact and decrease the expected negative impact of climate change on agriculture and biodiversity in the WB region.

scholarly journals Repatriating FTFs from Syria: Learning from the Western Balkans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Dedeken ◽  
Kevin Osborne
Keyword(s):  
The Political ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Political Will ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Security Officers ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
International Experts

Four countries in the Western Balkan region (Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Montenegro) are in the top ten countries with the most foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) per capita. The political will to repatriate FTFs remains strong, at least in the Western Balkans, despite delays in 2020 due to COVID-19. In other parts of the world, especially high-income countries, political will to repatriate is considerably lower. COVID-19 has further constrained nations in their efforts to repatriate law-abiding citizens, which is less controversial than FTF families. Based on discussions with government officials and security officers in the Western Balkans as well as international experts and donors, this policy note provides operational recommendations to move forward with repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of returnees building on lessons from repatriations in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. It urges governments globally to double down on repatriation efforts and to call on experience from governments in the Balkans to bring back their FTFs now. The recommendations in this policy note are relevant to any country where political will to repatriate FTFs can be generated.

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