Round table discussion “Euro-Atlantic Integration in the Western Balkans: Not without its Alternatives?” took place on Tuesday, 10 July 2018 at the Faculty of Social Sciences and was organized by the Centre for European Perspective, the Bled Strategic Forum and the MUN Slovenia Club as part of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference. Three speakers, Ambassador Paolo Trichilo, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in Slovenia, Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, BSF Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and Ms Jelka Klemenc, DCAF Slovenia, have engaged in a vivid discussion led by Ms Nina Pejič of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Ms Pejič started with a challenging reminder: Federica Mogherini stated publically in 2017 that the Western Balkans will be irreversibly on the path to the EU before the end of her mandate. As one of the initial 6 “old” member states, Italy, so explained Ambassador Trichilo, wholeheartedly supports the entrance of the countries of the WB to the EU, the WB geographically and historically belongs to Europe and the sooner the countries enter, the better. In that way the interests of the member state(s) coincide with the statements of the EU bodies (EASS), in which the Commission has a large voice. Also Mr Grk think the same way: the member states should de-mystify the Balkans and rationally think about what benefits does it bring to let these countries into the EU.
The EU has abandoned the Balkans in the period between 2010-2017 due to its internal struggles (economic crisis, migration crisis, Brexit and identity crisis), but it is now back on track with the hands-on approach towards the integration of the region into the EU, agreed the speakers.
The discussion was closely following the conclusion of the Western Balkans Summit in London, organized in the framework of the Berlin Process. Mr Grk pointed out that the Berlin Process itself is not important, but its outcomes are: the progress in 2018 is indeed outstanding and should be considered monumental for the achievement of the Mogherini’s statement. Also Ms Jelka Klemenc feels that the region has connected through the Berlin Process in a way that is now irreversible in the field of security. The security forces in the region now do not know any other way than to cooperate in the field of internal security issues.
Ms Pejič pointed out that the internal security issues originating from the Balkans region were set as the first priority for the EU in the new strategy for the Western Balkans. In terms of security in the Balkans, all three panelists concurred in the opinion that this is one of the most important fields in which the EU should take the place of the main actor. Although the EU, according to Ms Jelka Klemenc, backed out the Balkans also in this field during the last decade, there was no turning towards the alternative actors in the field of security by the Western Balkans’ countries. To keep it this way, the EU should grab the opportunity and proceed with further security integration after this crucial year of 2018, in which the re-commitment towards the Western Balkans was established and the new strategy for the Western Balkans accepted. For the EU to become a more credible actor in the field of security in this region, the Balkans should become treated as a (possible) security provider instead of a threat.
When they considered the actors that are present in the region, the panelists pointed out the US, which still play a role of the security provider at least in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Turkey, whose President recently paid a visit to some Balkan countries; Saudi Arabia, which is one of the actors that in the field of security might endanger the region through financing religious teachings, that can in turn enhance religious fundamentalism and radicalization. China is also considered an alternative actor through its investments in the region, which should, according to the panelists, be accepted but still controlled in order to comply with the European standards in terms of infrastructure etc. All investments should be made in accordance to the European values, agreed the panelists.
However, all panellists were of opinion that although the alternative actors are present in the region and are competing with the primacy of the EU in the Western Balkans, the Euro-Atlantic integration is not endangered, especially if the EU comes through with the plans of re-commitment and invests in the region both politically and financially-wise.
The questions coming from the audience were concerning the most with the question of the possible dangerous Chinese investments in the Western Balkans region and their effect on the process of integration to the EU; the NATO presence in the region and the possible mechanisms of the NATO that could be used to integrate the Western Balkans’ countries faster, and the possible influences of these alternative actors on the internal EU policies.
The round table “Rising Dragon and Euro-Atlantic (Security) Paradigm” co-organized by the Centre for European Perspective and the Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia, took place in Ljubljana on 9 July 2018.
In the model of a crisis room, the round table discussed the presence and influence of China as a rising power on the power relations within the Euro-Atlantic space. Prof Dr Anton Bebler, president of the Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia, Dr Gorazd Justinek, director of CEP, and Mrs Sabina Carli, CEP and moderator of the round table, mentioned in their introduction the rise of China for the last 20 years: economic growth, increase in military spendings, but also growing political and cultural influence. Recent advancements, such as the beginning of a trade war between the USA and China, and the 16+1 initiative, are going or are already affecting the Euro-Atlantic sphere.
The speakers, Ms Zorana Baković, journalist and one of the best European experts on Chinese politics and culture, and Dr Uroš Lipušček, journalist and reporter from Beijing, addressed the current challenges of the European Union and the United States facing China’s rise. The round table was lead towards a central question: Is China a global or still a regional power? During the discussion, three spheres of interest were examined: the role of China in its own region, the relationships between the EU and China, and Chinese role on the global stage.
The Centre for European Perspective and the Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia had the pleasure to greet Ambassador Marija Adanja, diplomat and former ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Beijing, who brought her expertise to the debate.
In the framework of the bilateral technical assistance project “Assistance to Montenegro in negotiations on accession to the EU” the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) will provide assistance to the Montenegrin Securities and Exchange Commission. Two days expert advice will be provided by three experts from Slovene Securities Market Agency (ATVP) on 18 and 19 July 2018.
ATVP experts will focus their consultations on the capital market, different rules on investment firms and investment intermediaries (Negotiating Chapter 9 – Financial services).
In December 2017 ATVP’s experts have hosted their counterparts from Montenegrin Securities and Exchange Commission on a two day study visit in Ljubljana.
The project is part of the CEP program activities financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the scope of international development cooperation.
Established in mid-March 2018 with the help from the European Fund for the Balkans, SEE Think Net Network encompasses think tanks, civil society organisations and individuals from the Western Balkan countries, Croatia and Slovenia, including the Centre for European Perspective. Its goal – influencing the policy making process in the areas covered by the Berlin Process – is more prominent than ever thanks to the upcoming London Summit of WB6 leadership.
In order to promote SEE Network’s work and policy briefs, Institute for Democracy Societas Civilis, Network’s coordinator, in cooperation with others, is organizing three events: in Skopje on July 4, Belgrade on July 5 and Tirana on July 6. The latter two will also be addressed by the Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Serbia and Albania, as they are representing this year’s Berlin Process host country.
In Skopje, SEE Think Net Network’s work will be presented by Dr Jelka Klemenc, Project Coordinator at DCAF Ljubljana and Donika Marku, researcher at the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies. They will also present two papers: “The Berlin Process as an Actor in International Security and Counter-Terrorism: Opportunities and Pitfalls” and “Rethinking security: Western Balkans as the security provider”.
In Belgrade, the speakers in this part of the event will be DrSenada Šabić Šelo, Senior Research Associate at Zagreb’s Institute for Development and International Relations, as well as Vladimir Petronijević, Executive Director of the Group 484. The paper that will be presented is entitled “Enhanced cooperation to tackle migration – Western Balkans and the Berlin Process”.
Finally, in Tirana, presentation of the paper “Western Balkans and the Rule of Law: How to solve a catch-22” will be given by Dr Dorian Jano, Executive Director of the EU Policy Hub, Zoran Nechev, SEE Think Net coordinator and Senior researcher at the Institute for Democracy Societas Civilis and Jovana Marović, Executive Director of Montenegrin Politikon Network.
Centre for European Perspective and Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia kindly invite you to the “crisis room” discussion titled “Rising Dragon and Euro-Atlantic (Security) Paradigm” on 9 July 2018at 18:00 at the Stow Café, City Museum of Ljubljana. We will be discussing a highly intriguing topic – presence and influence of China as a rising power on the power relations within the Euro-Atlantic space.
Speakers: Zorana Baković, journalist and one of the best European experts on Chinese politics and culture Ambassador Marija Adanja, diplomat, former ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Beijing (TBC) Dr Uroš Lipušček, journalist and reporter from Beijing
Moderated by: Sabina Carli, Centre for European Perspective/THINK Initiative
Event will be held in English language.
The event will be organized in a format of “crisis room”. It is the first of a series of events organized to support wide public discussions about strategically important international, regional and local events and security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic space. With the first event, we want to shed a light on the rise of China as a (new) power and on its growing influence on the Euro-Atlantic community. Together with you, we would like to search for answers on some of the key challenges and shape possible responses and future steps.
The Centre for European Perspective, the Bled Strategic Forum and the MUN Slovenia Club kindly invite you to a panel discussion in the framework of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference: “Euro-Atlantic Integration in the Western Balkans: Not without its Alternatives?” on Tuesday, 10 July 2018, 17.15 – 18.45 at theGrand Hall of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana.
Panel discussion is organised by the MUN Slovenia Club (MUNSC), the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) and the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) as part of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Speakers: Ambassador Paolo Trichilo, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in Slovenia Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, BSF Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Ms Jelka Klemenc, DCAF Slovenia _____________________________________________________________________________________________
After more than two decades of attempts on the part of the European Union to help stabilise the Western Balkans and gradually integrate it into its political and economic community the results are mixed. While there is no denying the fact that some immense steps have been made, a list of systemic challenges seems to have remained more or less unchanged over the years.
What has changed, however, is the wider geopolitical context in which the Western Balkans policy complex is embedded. Across a range of issue areas relations between the East and the West have deteriorated, with Cold War analogies featuring ever more frequently both in lay and expert deliberations. Given the importance of stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans for the security of the wider European continent, it can hardly be expected that the region will remain unaffected by wider power struggles.
In this context the concluding remarks of the new EU strategy for the Western Balkans, recently adopted by the European Commission, come across as especially revealing:
“Most fundamentally, leaders in the region must leave no doubt as to their strategic orientation and commitment. It is they that ultimately must assume responsibility for making this historical opportunity a reality.” (European Commission 2018)
Yet what if, at least from the perspective of some regional stakeholders, the ‘historical opportunity’ of further Euro-Atlantic integration is not without its alternatives?
This will be the guiding question for a panel discussion that is set to proceed in two parts. The first part will focus on the potential existence of alternatives to Euro-Atlantic integration in the Western Balkans and ways to accommodate them into our current deliberations about the region. In the second part the discussion will shift towards the implications that potential alternatives could hold for future EU policies concerning this region, both at the political level as well as in the day-to-day activities of people working on the ground.
