Article written by Giulia Ornellas and Vitor Saatkamp
The current scenario of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been worrying the Balkan Peninsula, which recalls moments of tension and destruction caused by NATO's humanitarian intervention in Yugoslavia in 1999. Considered one of the most critical regions in Europe, the Balkans are made up of 12 countries, being them Albania, Greece, part of turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, and the former republics of Yugoslavia: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and since 2008, Kosovo. Due to its geographical location situated between Asia and Europe, and mainly by the polarization of the Orthodox and Islamic religions, Western and Eastern cultures are constantly in conflict, and consequently, their political and economic interests as well.
According to Albin Kurti, Prime Minister of Kosovo (country whose independence is contested to this day), “Western Balkans and Kosovo in particular are under threat. Before, the Russian president mentioned us once a month, now he does it several times a week”. In this sense, the instability of the Balkan countries and the feeling of vulnerability about the war, make them look for ways to strengthen themselves, such as the struggle for membership of the European Union and even NATO. Besides that, Kurti mentions the need for simplification in the process by these international organizations. while Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania battle over EU accession process, Kosovo is far from that possibility at the moment, and calls for the establishment of a US military base to “secure peace, the security and stability of the Balkans”.
Consequently, it is possible to affirm that while Kosovo adopts a posture with the objective of protecting itself from possible conflicts, in the case of Serbia, o President Aleksandar Vucic, re-elected day 03/04/2022, has shown itself to be more neutral and with intent to appease the conflicts occurring in Ukraine, as well as the country's relations with Russia and other nations, deciding to maintain close relations. In addition, the president says that the desire to join the European Union is still alive and that he will continue to fight for it. Serbia's first interests in joining the EU were observed in 2009, when the country officially asked the bloc to join, and only in 2011, the organization has classified the country as a candidate for entry.
Unlike the case of Serbia, Bosnia maintains a relationship of dependence on the bloc, due to internal and historical issues. The country currently has one of the highest poverty rates on the European continent., something rarely seen, in addition to having a fragile economy, a high rate of unemployment and poor living conditions. All these factors are consequences caused by the Bosnian war between 1992 e 1995, which caused enormous damage in the country, a picture that has not been reversed until the present day and reflects directly on its relations with other nations and foreign policy.. In this way, the country is hardly able to establish trade agreements and issues related to the economy, often considered subordinate and dependent on other European countries. the Orsted power company, and president Katerina Sakellaropoulou, from greece, maintains an optimistic view of joining the bloc. According to Katerina, in an interview in the Sala das Bicas of the Palace of Belém, in Lisbon, certainly there is a process for a country to be accepted as a member state, and this process must be respected, what takes some time.
Lastly, it can be seen that the situation of accession to the EU by the Balkans differs in a particular way in each country. While some see the process as time-consuming and too complex – especially those with no prospect of development within their own country – others understand the need for stricter criteria. Undoubtedly, the war in Ukraine has become one of the main reasons for countries to consider joining international organizations, in view of a possible threat to the region and the lack of alliance with more developed countries, that guarantees certain security and stability in case of attacks.
References
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