EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE OF WESTERN BALKANS FROM STABILITY PACT TO BERLIN PROCESS, THE CASE OF ALBANIA

Zemaida Mozali

Abstract

More than 30 years after the epochal changes in European continent, with the end of Cold war and the collapse of Yugoslavia, it seems rather strange that the countries of the Balkans are still in the ‘pre-room’ in the road towards European Union. Initially seen as SEE, including Albania, BiH, Bulgaria, Croatia, FRY, FYROM and Romania and later as Western Balkans, the region started immediately the process of EU integration, along with new countries coming from dissolution of Yugoslavia, after 1990. European Union responded immediately to the predisposition of the Balkan countries to be part of European family, by starting contractual relations with Albania at the first and with other countries subsequently, along with their detachment from FRY. European Union has provided many approaches and initiatives to the region, starting from Stability Pact, the Process of Stabilization and Association, followed by 2003 Thessaloniki summit as well as many other initiatives that have raised many expectations for the European future of the Balkans. The Berlin Process, a personal initiative of Mrs. Angela Merkel, was another solid brick in the wall of EU engagement in the region. There are many successes that these initiatives have brought, but the fact shows that today's Balkans is still on the way to 'reach' the EU, without having a concrete time for membership. This means an “unfinished business” on both sides.

Pages: 258 - 269