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BERLIN – The EU should prevent further degradation of democracy, fundamental rights and rule of law principles when assessing the progress of candidate countries, this is one of the recommendations drawn up by EU leaders. Western Balkans Civil Society, created within the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum in Berlin.
Civil society representatives from the Western Balkans said the EU should reject the concept of “stabilocracy” or any concept other than the objective realization of EU values and norms, pursuing a strict but consistent policy of conditionality .
In the recommendation related to EU integration and the changing geopolitical environment, CSOs urge the EU to review the bilateral conditions imposed by EU member states on Western Balkan countries in the accession process, which “undermine EU values”, and prevent such misuse of enlargement. process in the future.
“Set an indicative target date for WB countries to join the EU – 2030, which would increase the cost of non-enlargement and non-compliance, accompanied by a clear conditionality framework focused on the issues and major political challenges in the region, while respecting the principle based on merit for each country individually,” recommended the representative of civil society.
According to these recommendations, the EU should also take decisive action to support the promotion and protection of fundamental rights by carrying out an in-depth review of the implementation of policies, notably in the area of the rights of women, LGBTI, Roma and people with disabilities.
Regarding recommendations to Western Balkan governments, CSOs said the World Bank government should take resolute steps to accelerate the pace of EU-related reforms; put an end to the politicization of institutions and administration and eliminate clientelism. The World Bank should “substantially implement its commitments to improve fundamental rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, in particular LGBTI persons.”
CSOs highlighted in the recommendations the importance of systematically involving civil society in all phases of EU accession reforms, with accessible participation mechanisms based on trust, transparency and accountability, providing long-term support and dedicated resources.
Kreshnik AhmetiDeputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of the Republic of Kosovo, said during the panel “Promoting the rule of law and fighting corruption” at the Forum of Civil Society and Think Tanks in Berlin, that his country had made progress in the EC report for 2022. highlighted that this is the first report in which there is no area with “no progress”.
Ahmenti said it is clear that “there is a lot of work to do going forward,” adding that the trends are positive, which is important. According to him, the government has achieved positive results in the fight against corruption and organized crime.
“More than 2,000 people have been arrested for organized crime and corruption over the past year. Over the past year and a half, 69 criminal groups that operated on the territory of Kosovo have been destroyed,” Ahmeti said.
He announced that future measures by the Kosovo authorities are aimed at reforming the judicial system, because the fight against organized crime and corruption is not possible without an independent judicial system.
Member of the European Parliament Viola of Cramon-Taubadel stressed that the rule of law is the pillar of the EU accession process. She said Kosovo is currently an example in the region of how the country could bring about change, if there is political will and if politicians put reforms at the top of their priorities.
Speaking about the rule of law in the region and the fight against corruption, she stressed that the situation in the region is different, because in some countries there is a huge setback but also “false reforms” which do not exist only on paper, but not at all. on the ground.
Von Cramon believes it is difficult to force the region’s political leaders to undertake reforms in the absence of sanctions.
“I am in favor of enlargement, but I think we need to remind our friends in the region that our taxpayers have asked us for money,” she said, adding that some countries, like Serbia, are captured, without independent media and judiciary. which must be clearly communicated from the EU side.
Srđan BlagovčaninChairman of the Board of Directors of Transparency International BiH, considered that establishing and strengthening the rule of law in the region constitutes the most complex part of the EU integration process.
“Substantial progress in these areas requires a real transformation of the political system and societies, a limitation of power and the protection of human rights,” he said, adding that countries in the region have adopted laws and institutions but without results on the ground.
Blagovčanin said the EC’s recommendation regarding the candidacy status for Bosnia and Herzegovina is good news, adding that the same EC in its report on Bosnia said there was no progress.
“One does not need to be an expert on Bosnia and Herzegovina or enlargement policy to conclude that recommendations on the status of candidates are not based on merit criteria,” Blagovčanin said. He mentioned that out of the 14 priorities set by the European Commission in 2019 for candidate status, Bosnia and Herzegovina only achieved two.
Srđan Majstorovićchairwoman of the board of directors of the European Policy Center (CEP) in Belgrade, said that the message of the President of the European Commission during her visit to Belgrade is very disappointing because, according to the EC report led by Urusla von der Leyen, Serbia has not progressed since 2016.
According to him, the EC President’s message undermines the role of civil society in Serbia, because it will be very difficult to explain to Serbian citizens that the country has not progressed on the EU path, when the The EC president says this is the case and the country is moving in the right direction.
He said Serbian authorities are not doing enough to meet the criteria required for EU membership.
“The situation in Serbia in terms of preparation for membership is worse than ten years ago. The division of power is not visible, the political system is corrupt, we do not see where political influence on the judiciary begins and ends,” Majstorović said.
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