The Western Balkans: The fate of an European periphery
The paper analyzes what is the current position of the Western Balkans in the context of contemporary European trends and events. The author considers the European and Euro-Atlantic integration a certain attempt to “relocate” the whole region of the Western Balkans from an obvious periphery...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Institute of International Politics and Economics, Belgrade
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Međunarodni Problemi |
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| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0025-8555/2015/0025-85551504349D.pdf |
| Summary: | The paper analyzes what is the current position of the Western Balkans in the
context of contemporary European trends and events. The author considers the
European and Euro-Atlantic integration a certain attempt to “relocate” the
whole region of the Western Balkans from an obvious periphery to a
semi-periphery position. The focus of analysis is on numerous problems such
as continued revitalization of the local ethno-nationalisms, structural
economic crisis, the presence of high levels of organized crime and
corruption. The author points out that, so far, numerous attempts of the most
influential members of the international community primarily the United
States and the European Union have failed to promote the improvement of the
relations between new-formed countries and to establish a sort of regional
identity. The author argues that the creation of the antagonistic identities
of the states and nations of the Western Balkans during the breakup of the
former Yugoslav federation was the main obstacle to the creation of the
common identity. The author concludes that, in view of the new growing trends
of ethnic nationalisms and certain forms of extremism and radicalism, the
“relocation” of the Western Balkans from European periphery to the
semi-periphery will not be short-term or easy, as evidenced by numerous
internal problems and problems in bilateral relations. [Projekat Ministarstva
nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI179023: Srbija u savremenim međunarodnim
integrativnim procesima-spoljnopolitički, međunarodni, ekonomski, pravni i
bezbednosni aspekti] |
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| ISSN: | 0025-8555 2406-0690 |