The Future of EU Enlargement: Challenge call- Western Balkans countries and Turkey

  • Abstract:
    EU enlargement will depend on many factors and challenges that will determine not only the pace of this process but also will carry alongside the settlement of many open problems in various forms, between Western Balkan countries and member states of EU. The purpose of this paper is to provide a better approach, as the enlargement process, especially with the Western Balkan countries, not forgetting Turkey, as one of the most powerful and influencing country not only in the Balkan Peninsula, but also in the Middle East and beyond. The question whether the traditional strategies and actions of EU enlargement process are satisfactory for this changed geostrategic environment, needs to be researched in different ways. It will seek to answer in a separate process, reforms and problems that need to be faced by all acceding and candidate countries for integration into this organization. Only if we take the basic and processing milestone of EU enlargement with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and especially with Romania and Bulgaria, we will conclude that the process of integration and enlargement of the EU does not only depend on the will of the aspirant countries, but either on the necessity of this organization to expand in new European space. The geostrategic position of the entire Balkans, and especially when determining the prefix West, it gives a picture of the various events, especially after the end of the Cold War. Disputes between members and non members of EU and candidate countries are a challenge for EU integration and enlargement. Changes and events that brought not only the mapping changes of this region but also the demolition of old balances and introduction of new interests and influences, make more interesting this region for analyses in prism of integration/enlargement in EU.