Relationship between the Western Balkans and the EU Needs to Adapt to the New Normal

{image1} The new normal requires that the EU changes its approach to the Balkans and identifies problems concerning the rule of law and democracy, but also that the Balkans change its approach to the EU, it was concluded at the eight Belgrade Security Forum (BSF) held on 17-19 October 2018.

Politicians alone are not going to tackle corruption because of their vested interest in nurturing kleptocratic networks; citizens and civil society have to get involved to lay healthy grounds, it was pointed out at the panel dedicated to discussing high level corruption.

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Academic Event at this year’s BSF was dedicated to answering the question how conflict-sensitive is the EU crisis response. Participants concluded that the EU shifted to a more pragmatic approach and improved its crisis response capacities, but that it needs to learn from both successes and failures more quickly. It was agreed that the local has to be included on different levels, but with re-examining what ’local’ means.

EU’s main emphasis was on institution and capacity building and short term security, rather than ensuring lasting results and long term-stability, Senior Researcher at NUPI Pernille Rieker underlined. However, actions have shown that the EU is willing to adapt, Rieker added. Morten Bøès, Research Professor at NUPI also warned that the EU must stop using a “top-down” approach. It must find a better way of transferring knowledge from the ground back to Brussels, Bøès said closing the Academic Event.

After the event, young researchers had the chance to talk about their career paths and receive advice from more experienced colleagues at the Method Café. {image3}

One of the panels that sparked the most interest was dedicated to Belgrade-Pristina relations. Quality of life and security of everyone living in Kosovo should be the top priority of the dialogue. Status quo and actions that benefit only one side are harmful for both communities, and the agreement cannot be that one side wins all while the other loses everything, participants agreed, even though they have different points of view on the issue.

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Reforms in the area of rule of law are one of the key elements for reconciliation in the region, but the key catalyst is the EU and messages it is sending. This was the main point of the think-tankers’ panel on the future of Balkans in the 2025 perspective.

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Maintaining peace and tranquillity in the region is the foundation of progress in which the cooperation between Serbia and NATO plays an important role, and it benefits the economic progress that is an essential need of the citizens, it was highlighted during the conversation between the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg which was organized as a BSF special event on 8 October. {image6}

We should look for answers to the new normal, which entails crises in economy, politics and society, in learning as much as possible and in creating spaces free of fear incited by populist leaders, concluded members of the BSF Steering Committee Sonja Stojanovic Gajic (Belgrade Centre for Security Policy), Suzana Grubjesic (European Movement in Serbia) and Sonja Licht (Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence) closing the event.

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Find out more about all of the topics discussed at the eight Belgrade Security Forum.