The Europeanization of Balkans: Yes or No!?

  • Abstract:

    Europeanization of the Balkans, yes or no?! The controversy revolving around the expansion of the Union, seems to be treated throughout the content of the media,  which, in front of the domestic and international audience, channelizes the European public opinion through a number of influence dimensions that will be set theoretically, studied and analyzed in this paper.

    Their theoretical generalization, establishes two conceptually different theses. The first one is that the Balkans should be the place in which the European Union will prove that transformational power can function by applying new values and politics in the regions where states are poorly developed and societies divided.  The second thesis is that west Balkans countries would appear secondary on the European agenda, because of the new constellation of relations in the other regions, especially in the Middle East, the crisis of political systems in Arabian countries, but above all, because of the political, institutional, structural and economic crisis inside the European union. It is particularly important to note the warning that some of the statements of the European politicians might encourage the strengthening of local nationalisms and reduce the region’s interest in joining Europe.