Thirteenth annual international academic conference on European Integration EUROPE AND THE BALKANS Thirteenth annual international academic conference on European Integration EUROPE AND THE BALKANS © 2018 University American College Skopje Treta makedonska brigada No. 60, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia www.uacs.edu.mk For the publisher. Prof. Dr. Marjan Bojadziev, Provost Thirteenth annual international academic conference on European integration EUROPE AND THE BALKANS Skopje, Thursday 17 May 2018 Editors: Prof. Dr. Robert C. Hudson Prof. Dr. Ivan Dodovski Dr. Marina Andeva Program Committee: Dr. Marina Andeva, University American College Skopje, MK Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Akrivoulis, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, GR Prof. Dr. Slobodan Čerović, Singidunum University, SR Prof. Dr. Jeremy Cripps, University of Findlay, USA Dr. Daniele Del Bianco, Institute of International Sociology of Gorizia, IT Prof. Dr. Ivan Dodovski, Chairperson, University American College Skopje, MK Prof. Dr. Robert Giddings, Newcastle University, UK Prof. Dr. Robert Hudson, University of Derby, UK Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zeki Ibrahimgil, Gazi University, Ankara, TR Prof. Dr. Zlat R. Milovanovic, University American College Skopje, MK Prof. Dr. Balázs Vizi, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, HU Prof. Dr. Johan G. Wissema, Delft University of Technology, NL Proof reading: Prof. Dr. Robert C. Hudson Design & Layout: Royal Art Skopje All papers published in this volume have been anonymously peer reviewed. Thirteenth annual international academic conference on European Integration EUROPE AND THE BALKANS Edited by: Robert C. Hudson Ivan Dodovski Marina Andeva Skopje, 2018 Europe and the Balkans Table of Contents Robert C. Hudson, Ivan Dodovski and Marina Andeva Introduction................................................................................................................... 7 KEY NOTE SPEECHES President Milan Kučan Europe and the Balkans: Opening Address ................................................................ 21 Stefan Troebst Germany and Macedonia – A 20th Century Special Relationship ............................... 25 PART ONE: RECONSIDERING BALKANISM Ivan Dodovski Balkanism Revisited: Overcoming the Old Western Stigma of the Balkans .............. 33 Zora Hesova Re-imagining the Balkans: The Other Side of a Periphery ........................................ 41 Elizabeta Sheleva The Blind Spot of Balkanism ..................................................................................... 53 PART TWO: THE BERLIN PROCESS AND BEYOND Zlat Milovanovic Balkans in the European Union .................................................................................. 63 Jeremy Cripps The Berlin Process: Prospects and Deliverables ........................................................ 73 Marjana Opashinova Shundovska The Berlin Process: A New European Perspective or yet Another Pact of Stability? ................................................................................. 89 PART THREE: LESSONS FOR THE BALKANS Robert C. Hudson “Brexit” Britain and the Western Balkans ................................................................ 105 Nikola Lj. Ilievski and Goran Ilikj Multi-Speed Balkans: Positioning the Balkans in Multi-Speed Europe .................. 117 Jan Mus How to Escape Peripheralization? Lessons from Central Europe ............................ 129 James C. Pearce On the Periphery: The Balkans in Contemporary Russian History .......................... 141 Stevo Pendarovski The Balkan Playground: Eastern “Soft” Power Coming, Western Not Leaving ...................................................................... 155 Katinka Beretka and Marina Andeva The (Non)-Existing EU Standards in National Minority Protection as Prerequisites for Successful Integration: The Case of Macedonia and Serbia ............................... 165 PART FOUR: THE TRADE AND LABOUR MARKET IN THE BALKANS Bettina Jones, Rejhan Suleyman and Leona Mileva Further Trade Integration in the Regional Economic Area of the Western Balkans: Steps Toward EU Enlargement ................................................................................. 187 Daniela Koteska Lozanoska and Nikolai Siniak Toward Labour Migration and Poverty in Balkan Countries in the Context of Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth ................................................. 199 Maja Mihailovska The Exodus of Skilled Workers from Macedonia – Looking to Bulgaria’s Business Process Outsourcing as a Possible Solution ............................................................. 213 ABOUT THE AUTHORS ............................................................................................................ 229 Robert C. Hudson, Ivan Dodovski and Marina Andeva INTRODUCTION Europe and the Balkans Introduction Robert C. Hudson, Ivan Dodovski and Marina Andeva This volume is made up of a selection of peer-reviewed chapters originally presented at the 13th international conference on European Integration, organized by the University American College Skopje. Entitled: “Europe and the Balkans”, the conference was held at the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Skopje, on 17 May 2018. The main purpose of the conference had been to re-examine the complex construct of the Balkans in the European political and cultural imagination. Although the Balkans have been claimed by local nations as the ‘cradle of European civilization’, for Western imagining the region has usually featured as a ‘part of Europe, yet not of it’. It is to be hoped that the negative demi-orientalizing discourse which has stigmatized the Balkans as both a vortex of stagnation and violence, and as ’an incomplete self’ of Europe will eventually fade away with the integration of the Balkan countries into the European Union. Nevertheless, the controversial term ’Western Balkans’, invented as a process of European integration. It should also be noted that as a catch-all expression for theseeming successor mask states of political of the correctness, former Yugoslavia, testifies the to termprevailing ’Western prejudice Balkans’ and used obstacles to designate to the a geographical space once referred to more generally as South Eastern Europe was contested throughout the conference. The conference which involved about 20 prominent Macedonian and international scholars as well as over 120 attendees afforded an excellent opportunity to contribute to a better understanding of the Berlin Process and to other initiatives related to the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU. The chapters were written against the background of a number of concerning issues confronting Europe at the time, which have been causing uncertainty, fear and division, especially the growing challenges of the rise of populism in European nation states and the potential impact on the rest of Europe and the Western Balkans of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU. In the background there are continued concerns over migration; concerns over terrorism and security, as well as disinformation in the media and the threat of cyber security and a growing fatigue within the EU over its widening and expansion. There were concerns too that the eurozone might be heading for another recession as the European economy weakened substantially in 2018 and that economic downturn might cause further 7 Europe and the Balkans damage to Europe’s already fractious politics, especially in the light of the forthcoming European elections in May 2019. The economy has also impacted upon the political arena, with approximately 25 per cent of Europeans voting for populist parties, and countries, such as Hungary and Poland being governed by Euro-sceptic leaders. Added to this is the worry that populist-nationalist parties, supported by those who feel marginalized, ignored and economically insecure might make gains in the forthcoming elections, putting into question the next phase of European integration in the face of growing reactionary nationalism and xenophobia, all of which could impact upon European integration in the Balkans. of Slovenia, followed by a keynote speech by Professor Stefan Troebst of the University of Our book opens with an address by His Excellency President Milan Kučan, first President entitled “Reconsidering Balkanism”. The second part concentrates on “The Berlin Process and Beyond”,Leipzig. This the third is then part followed focuses byon fifteen“Lessons chapters for the Balkans”divided into and fourthe fourth parts. partThe isfirst dedicated part is to “The Trade and Labour Market in the Balkans”. The Opening Address The opening address was delivered in Serbo-Croat, at the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign of the European Union to open itself up towards countries from the “so-called, Western Affairs by His Excellency President Milan Kučan of Slovenia. His speech focused on the ability the expansion of the EU into South Eastern Europe was inevitable, whilst recognizing that Balkan Region.” From the start of his speech, President Kučan expressed his firm belief that laid down by EU regulations. He recognized that delays in the process might lead to demotivation,candidate states a decline desiring in membership trust and even of scepticismthe Union had in popular to fulfil attitudesthe prerequisite towards conditions the Euro- Atlantic project. Perhaps no better example of this is provided than by the frustrations in Macedonia itself over EU and NATO membership, exacerbated by the name dispute which has been rumbling on for nigh on thirty years. By contrast