Comparative Balkans Politics

Since the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the atomic number 63an labor union (EU) in 2007, second Eastern European countries - provided more so countries of the Hesperian Balkans - atomic number 18 increasingly viewing an eagerness to join the EU. The approximately recent accession of Croatia to the EU on 1 of July 2013 has make headway intensified the desire of the different horse opera Balkan countries to become members of the European family.\nYet, a closer tryout of this particular piece of Europe discloses striking heterogeneity, be it culturally, politically or economically. Such differences amid the westerly Balkan countries makes generalizations about their European desegregation prospects very warm to make and conclusions even harder to reach. Croatia stands whole as the only booming Western Balkan country to realise acceded the EU thus far. Serbia, Montenegro and the former(prenominal) Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia2 are EU view countries and on th e way to EU membership. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, on the other hand, are electromotive force candidate countries facing operative hurdles on their pass towards full integration to the EU.\nHowever, in spite of the striking distinctions mingled with countries in the region, the European federation has adopted a conditionality constitution oriented toward the future integration of the entire region to the EU. Linking this region to Western Europe is arguably a desired finale of both parties. The aim of this report card is to observe and analyze the challenges and obstacles that the Western Balkan countries face regarding EU integration. In order to do so the first part pull up stakesing focus on the constitution of EU conditionality in the Western Balkans. The second part pass on evaluate the progress towards integration. Countries will be analyzed in groups according to the European Unions categorization in members states, candidate states and potential candidate states. Croatia will not be examined here given that promptly it is a member of the EU. Serbia, Montenegro and ...