Re-ACT Lab’s Director of Programmes Speaks on the Future of Western Balkans in Skopje

On 29 May 2024, Re-ACT Lab’s Director of Programmes, Mr. Sokol Zeneli, participated in the conference titled "The Undeclared: Political, Economic, and Sustainable Future of Western Balkans." Organised by the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), this event in Skopje marked the 20th anniversary of CRPM and brought together leading experts and policymakers to discuss the future trajectory of the Western Balkans.

The conference featured several panels with key stakeholders from the region. Mr. Zeneli participated in Panel 1: Geopolitics: The End of EU’s Normative Power?! How can the EU Enhance the Effectiveness of Democracies in the Western Balkans? which delved into the complex dynamics of geopolitics, good governance, and the role of the European Union in promoting democratic values in the Western Balkans. 

During his remarks, Mr. Zeneli highlighted that the current changes proposed by the EU on its New Growth Plan (GP), such as the idea of disbursing funds based on the population and GDP criterion, may impede the accession of smaller frontrunner countries in the Balkans. He further highlighted that the EU GP risks becoming just another financial instrument unless successful reforms lead to the opening of relevant EU chapters. 

Mr. Zeneli addressed a couple of challenges with the EU GP and overall enlargement process, especially EU enlargement fatigue and unresolved bilateral issues. He stressed the importance of directly linking the successful implementation of reforms foreseen under the GP to EU membership to truly incentivize Western Balkan countries to take the instrument seriously and make it a transformative instrument. 

In the end, Mr. Zeneli advocated for enhanced cooperation between non-EU and EU countries, emphasizing that political trends in Europe require a unified approach despite different contexts. He warned that if the EU only imposes conditions without being attractive, other powers might offer more appealing but potentially dangerous alternatives.