Western Balkan civil society calls for fresh European approach

 According to the NGOs, new international circumstances affect the fragility of the Western Balkans and its European prospects call for a fresh approach in the EU’s strategy for the region.

The organizations say that the constant postponement of EU candidate status for West Balkan countries – Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo in the first place – is counterproductive as it undermines their anyway poor democratic potential. They add that policy of conditioning, as evidenced in the cases of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia, generated regressive trends that take those countries away from the European option.

“Façade democracies in those countries obviously do not imply that transition in itself has brought about a fundamental change in the perception of democratic processes”, says the letter, adding that Belgrade will be forced to end its policy of blackmail only when EU grants Bosnia-Herzegovina candidate status for membership.

“This is the only way to curb instability and ease the tension between the two entities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as between Bosnia- Herzegovina and Serbia”, they say.

The NGOs say that, in spite of the clear mandate for the European option it got from the citizens, Serbia`s new government has failed to keep up with expectations. Despite some head-ways, no fundamental progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration was made in 2008. To all appearances, this process is blocked. At the same time, Belgrade is working with Moscow on strengthening Serb autonomy in North Kosovo. Serbia’s overall foreign policy in 2008 was focused on “the protection of constitutional order and territorial integrity,” which practically confronted it with the EU.

“In the present situation, the EU should make it possible for Bosnia- Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia to accede to its membership as soon as possible without any conditioning. Speaking of Serbia, unfreezing of Stabilization and Association Agreement signed in April 2008 should be the first step in that process. Besides, apart from the government, the EU should rely more on citizens of Serbia, who unambiguously cast their vote for an European future”, says the letter.

It is of utmost importance to send Serbia’s citizens a clear signal that EU policies are aimed at upholding their real-life interests. One step in this direction would definitely have a positive echo in all walks of life: speeding up the abolishment of visa regime – following a concerted effort to help the country to fulfil the technical requirements (introduce appropriate legislation, adequate travel documents, etc) rather than wait for it to do so – would considerably add to EU’s image in Serbia.

The letter was signed by the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, YUCOM, Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Civic Initiatives and Center for Cultural Decontamination.