Balcani occidentali ed Unione europea. Riflessioni sui “criteri di Berlino”

More than 15 years from the “East Enlargement”, the perspective of European integration of Western Balkan Countries seems to be uncertain due not only to the skepticism of the main actors of the EU, but also because of the objective difficulties encountered by the Balkan Countries towards democratic standards of the EU. Legal, political and economic criteria are not sufficient for a final adhesion to the EU of these Countries. Beside rule of law, human rights, democratic governance, functioning market economy and acceptance of acquis communautaire, the “Berlin Process” added further conditionality: political stability of the region and establishment of a regional free trade area/community. It is very important for the future of the EU in this process, to avoid perceiving the demand for stronger stability as incentive and support for “stabilitocracies” or “majoritarian” democracies.