Conference on Western Balkans' Road to Europe: Challenges in Rule of Law Affecting Trust in European Integration

European union

The participants of an online conference called The Western Balkans on the Road to the EU said on Nov. 19 that due to challenges in the rule of law in the Western Balkans the public's trust in institutions and eurointegration processes had eroded.

North Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Dimitrov said that there were plenty of arguments why the Western Balkans should join the EU. "However, the struggle for democracy and rule of law will not stop with membership," he said.

Jovana Marovic from Politikon said that there was no progress in applying the EU's new methodology for accession and that widespread corruption was the biggest problem in the Western Balkans.

The conference was organized by the European Fund for the Balkans, the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) and Denmark's Foreign Policy Society.