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Mapping Connectivity in the Western Balkans

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Mapping Connectivity in the Western Balkans Mapping Connectivity in the Western Balkans Georgia Petropoulou January 2020 Also, there are countries, such as AlBania, which are members of NATO But not of the Introduction European Union, and finally there are countries such as North Macedonia, which are not members of NATO, and they are aspiring EU This article is the first part of the one- members. Thus, the European Union, AlBania, year project “Connectivity in the Western North Macedonia and Greece could Be seen as Balkans”, the main oBjective is to map the nodes of the network. In that sense, the connectivity effects within the framework of European Union and the Western Balkan the EU enlargement. People to people, political countries create their own network and they and infrastructural connectivity could all be constitute the interconnected nodes of the platforms to create concrete, staBle and network EU-Western Balkans. sustainaBle ties among the countries and the European Union. For this article, the relationships of the network bring closer the nodes under In 2010, Emmanuel Castells published examination or create some kind of distance. his Book “The Rise of the Network Society” The nodes interact and they are connected with reaching, among others, the conclusion that the each other either Because they have networks are a new representation of our geographical proximity or Because the societies. The objective of his work is that the European Union is so closely involved in their global societies are characterized By an instant effort towards the needed reforms of exchange of information, capital, and cultural democratization so that AlBania and North communication. He argues that employment, Macedonia will be aBle to Become members of information, communication, and, digitalization the European Union. For AlBania and North has transformed the gloBal societies and the Macedonia, which are aspiring members, the human experience of everyday life. fact that they are working on the needed reforms means that the EU membership is what The network theory is the starting point they are aiming for and at the same time for this article, which will be developed based enhances the relationship with the rest of the on Castells’ definition of networks. Castells nodes. The nodes are interconnected, and their defines networks as “a set of interconnected connectivity is what maintains the structure of nodes. What a node is, concretely speaking, the network. Therefore, for this work, depends on the kind of concrete networks of connectivity is the driving force of the network; which we speak” (Castells 2010, 501). For this is the interaction of the nodes of a network. work, the European Union is a network, which Connectivity is the process of the Behaviour has structures, institutions, and regulations, and relations of the nodes of a network. The which make it function. At the same time, the European Council defines connectivity as European Union, as a network itself and as a follows: regional organization, interacts with the neighbouring countries as they also Belong to “Connectivity is about bringing countries, the third countries with which the European people and societies closer together. It Union cooperates. In that sense, Balkans is a facilitates access and is a means to foster network where there are some states, in which deeper economic and people-to-people there are countries such as Greece, which are ties. It encompasses the hard and soft members of the European Union and NATO. aspects, including the physical and 2 institutional social-cultural linkages that North Macedonia is member of the European are the fundamental supportive means to Union and NATO. Thus, Greece, for this article, enhance the economic, political-security, will be treated as the node of the network, and socio-cultural ties which also which is geographically close to these two contribute to the narrowing of the Balkan countries. At the same time, the sharing varying levels of development and of some cultural proximity increases the capacities” (European Council 2017).1 understanding of the societies of the two countries something, which will be helpful to be The geographical proximity can Be said communicated to the rest of the members of to facilitate the connectivity of a region as long the European Union. Thus, Greece could be as there are good neighbouring relationships, at seen as a bridge between the European Union least in some core parts of a country’s interests. and the region. At the same time, Greece, for Society, politics, technology, infrastructure, reasons, which will Be mentioned in the investments etc. constitute a few of the areas of sections Below, could also, be seen as a hub of cooperation Between countries even when they connecting the East with the West. are not all under the same Union. In case there are no relationships or cooperation between Having that said, this article aims to the nodes connectivity cannot exist. However, Briefly map a few of the connectivity effects on the European Union, has close ties with the two the network of the European Union- Western aspiring countries –AlBania, and North Balkans in the framework of the EU Macedonia– and as aspiring countries they Enlargement. After the introduction of the cooperate closely in various sectors and there framework of the EU Enlargement, the are signed agreements which form their structure of this article will continue by taking cooperation framework. For example, such an into account various tools, mechanisms and important agreement is the “StaBilization and policies that the European Union is Association Agreement” which the European implementing for the people to people Union has signed with the two countries connectivity, the institutional connectivity and, separately (European Council, n.d.; n.d.) In the infrastructural connectivity. For each general, the cooperation between the European element of connectivity some examples of Union, AlBania and North Macedonia enhances positive and negative effects will be presented. the connectivity of the region. “Improving What needs to be clarified at this point is that connectivity within the Western Balkans, as there can Be many more elements and effects of well as between the Western Balkans and the connectivity. The ones that have been chosen European Union, is a key factor for growth and to be briefly examined, are based on the jobs and will bring clear benefits for the strategies or reports made By the European region’s economies and citizens” (European Union. In other words, the European Union in Commission 2016). various documents or strategies points out important issues, aspects, and tools, which the The Western Balkans are an integral European Union and the countries of the region part of the EU (European Commission n.d., 3), are committed to focus on. however, Greece Belongs to the Balkan peninsula and, in contrast with AlBania and 1 The definition on connectivity was made during the EU-Asia Meeting. 3 Connectivity in the framework of Commission’s recommendations of 2018 to open accession negotiations with the Republic the EU Enlargement of North Macedonia and with the Republic of AlBania, the Council agreed in June to respond positively to the progress made and set out the The discussions aBout the EU path towards opening accession negotiations enlargement are always ongoing sometimes with the two countries in June 2019” (European with less intensity and some other with Commission n.d., 1). The accession stronger commitment. The current period of negotiations for the two countries did begin time is such a moment where the discussions neither in June 2019 nor in October 2019. about the EU enlargement are ongoing given the fact that two Western Balkan counties, “The involvement of Member States in AlBania and North Macedonia, were denied the EU accession talks By their imposing of starting the accession negations for Being bilateral conditions additionally threatens the members of the European Union. At the same already fragile credibility of EU conditionality. time, the French President, E. Macron, is At times it seems that the Western Balkans arguing for a strong need of a reform of EU’s enlargement strategy is driven By EU external Enlargement process by proposing a seven- crisis management” (Kmezić, Marović, and stage process with "stringent conditions in Tzifakis 2015, 4). At this point, this is neither a order to effectively converge towards European supportive nor a critical comment towards the norms and standards," plus a "reversiBility" decision made By the European Council, it is component, allowing the EU to aBandon just an observation regarding the fact that the membership talks if a candidate country's EU enlargement remains a political decision government Backslides away from the Bloc's and a country’s process towards the standards” (Barigazzi 2019). implementation of the Copenhagen Criteria is being evaluated as a whole. In that sense focus However, Before going deeper into the is given to what is or is not be done. analysis of the theoretical framework a Brief understanding of the European enlargement is For the Balkan countries, in this case needed. The procedure of the integration starts AlBania and North Macedonia, the prospect of and is Based on the Article 49 of the Treaty of Becoming an EU member is a major goal for European Union. After the suBmission of a both their internal and foreign policy, based on country’s application the European Council statements of Both governments. In the needs to decide unanimously whether the process of achieving the goal of full application will be accepted or not. The membership Both countries tried to implement accession negotiations between the member the necessary democratic reforms so as to states and the candidate country will begin only make the Beginning of the accession if the country meets the Copenhagen Criteria. negotiations possiBle. Whether the reforms, The integration process is Based on the which need to Be done and at the same time Copenhagen Criteria, however, given the fact need to Be totally implemented, are enough that the final decision remains in the European remains to Be seen in May 2020.
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