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Germany’s Balkan initiative will require new approach

Friday, May 24, 2019

Subject

Germany’s unilateral Balkan initiative.

Significance

The Zagreb trip of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the European People’s Party (EPP) ‘Spitzenkandidat’ for European Commission president, Manfred Weber, lies behind Germany’s attempt to soothe growing Balkan tensions and keep the region out of the European Parliament (EP) elections.

Impacts

  • If EU enlargement is abandoned, it will incline the Balkans further towards such foreign actors as Russia, Turkey and China.
  • Bosnia is drifting towards becoming a failed state and breaking up, which could trigger new violence drawing in Serbia and Croatia.
  • The weakening EU role has contributed to a worsening ethnic, security, political, economic and social situation in every Balkan country.

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