EU Unintentionally Creating Stabilitocracies in Western Balkans

Brussels

The forming of stabilitocracies in the Western Balkans has been contributed to by the flaws in EU's enlargement strategies and policies, and a "textbook example" of stabilitocracy is Serbia, it was stated in the new report of the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael.

Through the enlargement policy, the EU wished to accelerate the democratization of the Western Balkans' six, but its policies, despite years of efforts, have not resulted in the expected change, the authors of the study "EU as a promoter of stabilitocracy in the Western Balkans?" have assessed.

The report reads that they had lost both efficacy and political momentum and that, instead of experiencing decisive democratic reforms, the Western Balkan countries had slowly developed into stabilitocracies – countries with obvious democratic shortcomings that at the same time claim to work towards democratic reform and offer stability.

As for Serbia, the key issue was that the EU, guided by the aim of solving the disputed status of Kosovo, was willing to support the government in Belgrade, or not openly undermine its legitimacy at least, even at the expense of the principles of fair political competition, equal election conditions and institutional division of authority.