Introduce the meeting Luisa Chiodi, scientific director of Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso.
The Balkans have changed. After the conflicts of the 1990s, a more pragmatic approach now prevails within the region, and the European Union has become a goal even for the more populist and nationalist political forces.
The Balkans are certainly closer to Brussels: Croatia will become a member of the European Union in 2013, while North Macedonia and Montenegro are candidates, and Serbia will soon follow. However, many challenges remain, including the economic and institutional fragility of many areas. This is compounded by Albania's ongoing political crisis and, for Kosovo—the youngest state born from the disintegration of Yugoslavia—the delicate issue of defining relations with Serbia, which poses a potential source of conflict. In short, there are steps forward but still many obstacles for Southeast Europe twenty years after the end of the Cold War.
In collaboration with Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso.
