институт за европска политика скопје

The EU as a promoter of democracy or ‘stabilitocracy’ in the Western Balkans?

byИнститут за европска политика

Starting from August 2021, the Think for Europe Network (TEN) commenced its work on the research project “the EU as a promoter of democracy or ‘stabilitocracy’ in the Western Balkans?”. This project is implemented in partnership with the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’.

Through its enlargement policies the EU tries to foster democratisation in the Western Balkan region. Now that further reforms in a number of countries only progress slowly or seem even deadlocked, more and more attention is being paid to the negative side-effects of EU policies. The literature on EU enlargement notes that, in spite of their democratic objectives, EU strategies and policies unintentionally contribute to the formation of so-called stabilitocracies in the region: countries with obvious democratic shortcomings that at the same time claim to provide pro-EU stability.

The research project focuses on the six countries of the Western Balkans. For each country, it assesses how flaws in the EU’s enlargement policies as identified in the literature play out in practice by offering a reflection on the applicability of the theoretical framework for the specific country, underpinned by an assessment of a number of case studies.

The project will be carried out throughout 2021 and will culminate in a Clingendael report in English with 6 contributions from TEN partners, one for each country of the Western Balkan Six.

This project is financed by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence.

Clients: Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence

Implementers: the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ in collaboration with the Think for Europe network.

Продолжи со читање

  • Video: Young Women Tackling Cyber-Violence

    As part of the Young Women Tackling Cyber-Violence project, together with experts, we talk about recognizing and preventing gender-based online violence. 🌐💪 This video is part of our efforts to encourage young women to feel more empowered, informed, and safe online. 🔎 Learn:✔️ what online/cyber violence is✔️ how to recognize…

  • Training on Monitoring Public Procurement at the Municipal Level

    Today, December 12, 2025, we held a Training on Monitoring Public Procurement, where 20 representatives from local public institutions, civil society organizations, and the media from Prilep and Krushevo gained new information and knowledge on the proper monitoring and implementation of public spending.It is time for efficient and transparent public procurement!
    The post Training on Monitoring Public Procurement at the Municipal Level first appeared on Finance Think.
    The post Training on Monitoring Public Procurement at the Municipal Level appeared first on Finance Think.

  • Webinar on the alignment of state aid regulation

    The first Webinar on the alignment of state aid regulation with EU Acquis was held, attended by 35+ representatives of public institutions that control, manage and/or grant state aid in the Western Balkan countries. Olgica Spevec, an expert on state aid and competition policies, shared Croatia’s experience through practical challenges and lessons learned in the […]
    The post Webinar on the alignment of state aid regulation first appeared on Finance Think.
    The post Webinar on the alignment of state aid regulation appeared first on Finance Think.

  • Call for Mentors – media professionals committed to building resilient local journalism

    The Project SMS Facility – Small Media Support in the Western Balkans, financed by the European Union, has launched a regional call for mentors to support local and small-scale media outlets across the Western Balkans. The initiative is implemented by CPCD (BiH) in partnership with Thomson Media (Germany), CDT (Montenegro), Kosovo 2.0 (Kosovo), Metamorphosis Foundation […]
    The post Call for Mentors – media professionals committed to building resilient local journalism first appeared on Metamorphosis.

  • Open Call for Service Provider: Study Visit to Croatia

    The Center for Education and Development (CED), in partnership with We Effect and Cooperative Sharri, announces an open call for licensed companies to provide transport, accommodation, and food services for a five-day study visit to Croatia in January 2026. The visit will include seven participants and aims to support knowledge exchange and rural development within…

  • How Can We Take the Next Step Toward Gender-Sensitive Services?

    We opened the discussion on whether existing harm reduction programs truly address gender differences among young people. Now we are taking a step further — from assessment to concrete guidance. The Guide for Developing Gender-Sensitive Harm Reduction Programs offers practical tools for organizations working with young people, women, LGBTI individuals,…