Brexit: The Consequences in the EU Integration Process of the Western Balkans

Abstract

With the big purpose of being integrated and becoming EU member states, the Western Balkan countries started and urged reform packages which include national political and economic reforms and regional reforms. There has been significant progress, accompanied also with difficulties. But besides all the difficulties, currently EU is also facing a major political issue which is the BE leaving by the United Kingdom or the so called “Brexit”. Does the Brexit consequence affect the integration towards the EU of the Balkan aspirants? There are opinions that regardless of the consequence, the issue of further enlargement in the Balkans will be left behind and will be treated as a matter of secondary importance. After Croatia’s accession in 2013, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Macedonia are negotiating to become candidate countries or member countries. Is this enlargement of the Western Balkans going to be followed by the same intensity and surveillance from the EU? Is the Western Balkans losing a primary advocate for expansion? Will the Brexit expend the EU’s policies and thus reduce the EU interest in enlargement? This paper’s aim is to examine if and how Brexit will harm the EU’s impact on the development of democracy in the Western Balkans and further more the EU membership.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n6p271