EPC: Merkel Was Half-Successful regarding Serbia’s EU Accession

Angela Merkel

Speaking about the performance of outgoing German Chancellor Angele Merkel in relation to EU integration of Serbia and the region, Strahinja Subotic of the European Policy Center (CEP) has described it as half-successful, explaining that on the one hand, the Berlin Process has been initiated owing to Merkel, while in parallel, “stabilicracy” has emerged during her term in office.

Subotic told EurAktiv and BETA on Sept. 14 that Merkel had definitely marked a considerable portion of the process of developing a modern EU, but also its enlargement policy.

According to him, Merkel, although not a regular visitor of the Western Balkans, managed to define the pace and dynamic of accession paths of Serbia and other countries in the region, and also to additionally fortify political and economic position of Germany. “Still, if we look at her concrete influence on Serbia’s EU integration, we can say that it was half-successful,” Subotic noted.

He added that during Merkel’s rule, “stabilicracy” emerged, which implied the rise of hybrid regimes whose undemocratic actions had been tolerated for their readiness to guarantee stability in the region. Subotic also said that a future German chancellor would have to engage in stronger, more honest and more open discouragement of undemocratic practices in Serbia and other parts o the region.