/>The EU is still a driving force for change
Matthew Beevor analyses the EU’s positive influence on the Western Balkans.
As economists and pundits alike predict the collapse of the Euro, you’d be forgiven for thinking the European project was doomed. But look over to the Western Balkans and you’ll see a completely different story, as another nation-state is due to join the European Union.
In this part of the world, the EU is a driving force for change. In ten years, the countries of the Former Yugoslavia have completely rebuilt their legal systems, parliamentary practices and political party laws all for the chance to join the largest and richest club in the world. True, the level of success varies from country to county, but the hard work has paid off for Croatia, who was given the green light in December and is expected to join the EU in July, 2013.
Already we can see the repercussions of that decision: in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, for fear of being left behind a new state government has been formed after 15 months of stalemate. Serbia, who has long battled for regional supremacy with Croatia, has handed over the last remaining fugitives to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and is making progress on the Kosovo question. It is even possible that the SPS, the former party of Milosevic, will apologise for the part they played in the war of the 1990s. This would have been unthinkable just 12 months ago.
It is easy to forget that 20 years ago this region was engaged in the bloodiest and most horrific war crimes seen in Europe since the Second World War. It is fitting that the institution set up to prevent another conflict in Western Europe is leading the modernisation of states in the East.
We in the UK and elsewhere in Western Europe often take for granted the benefits of membership of the EU and criticise its bureaucratic procedures. But the real change it has made to the Western Balkans is a welcome reminder of the values of the European project. Rather than talk of ‘enlargement fatigue’ we should all celebrate the decision to invite Croatia to join the EU and look forward to the day that the rest of the region will follow.
Matthew Beevor is a member of the Young Fabians.
It is easy to forget that 20 years ago this region was engaged in the bloodiest and most horrific war crimes seen in Europe since the Second World War
The Balkan wars came about as part of the break up of Yugoslavia, a political and artificial and political construction of disparate nationalities. Do you not see the similarity between Yugoslavia an another artificial and political construction call the European Union. It will all end in bloodshed and tears yet again.
We in the UK and elsewhere in Western Europe often take for granted the benefits of membership of the EU
No sure who you mean by we here, but the majority of people see no benefits in membership of the EU, but do see a catastrophic loss of national sovereignty which is going to take extreme effort to get back.