The EU and the Western Balkans: Losing or gaining ground

Is the EU still a transformative power in Western Balkans?

Despite ongoing calls from the EU for reform and European integration, the Western Balkans continue to struggle with opposing political agendas and institutional polarization. These issues have led to deeply divided societies, highlighting the fragile state of democracy in the region and raising pressing questions about its future trajectory.

This public panel will explore the evolving relationship between the EU and the Western Balkans, focusing on whether the EU still serves as a transformative power in the region. Given the growing skepticism about the EU’s ability to fulfill its promises, the discussion will examine both immediate and long-term actions needed to bridge the gap between EU aspirations and regional realities. Additionally, regional cooperation and the role of citizen mobilization—especially among youth—will be highlighted as a critical force for democratic activism, and the pursuit of prosperity in a region increasingly affected by depopulation and political and economic stagnation. Finally, we aim to contextualize developments in the region within the larger picture of major global shifts and developments (war in Ukraine, rise of autocracies, disinformation campaigns, new geopolitics and geoeconomics, etc.).

By bringing together experts with deep regional knowledge, the discussion aims to illuminate the complexities of peacebuilding, cooperation, and integration in the Western Balkans. The conversation will go beyond the enlargement narrative, critically assessing the EU’s role in promoting stability and reform, and questioning whether it can still inspire the transformative changes required to secure a stable and prosperous future for the region.

Welcome

Hannes Swoboda
MEP ret. and President of the IIP

Gazmend Berlajolli
Executive Director of the Balkan Forum

Gerhard Marchl
Head of Department of European Politics at the Karl-Renner-Institut

Panel

Branimir Jovanović
Economist at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies

Filip Milačić
Senior Researcher for Democracy and Society, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Vienna

Marigona Shabiu
Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Prishtina 

Thomas Stölzl
Ministry of European and International Affairs, Vienna

Tara Tepavac
Research Assistant at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory at the University of Belgrade (IFDT)

Moderation

Vedran Džihić
Senior Researcher, Austrian Institute for International Politics

The discussion in English will take place in cooperation with the International Institute for Peace, the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip) and The Balkan Forum.