By CEV Magazine team

The second half of March may turn out to be the crucial period for adopting EU member-states` common decision on certain Western Balkan countries` Eurointegration and the acceleration of the process. Thanks to the insisting of Czech Republic, which currently presides over the EU, EU foreign ministers are planning to hold an informal meeting on March 27 and 28 in Hluboka Castle by the Vltava river, dedicated to Western Balkans` integration issues. This session is expected to be interpreted as a meeting of high importance for the region, alike the one held in Brdo kod Kranja Castle in Slovenia in January 2008. But before that, EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs will consider numerous problems during General Affairs and External Relations Council`s session on March 16 and 17, the resolving of which may significantly speed-up the integration process of the whole region.

The process of EU approach brings high expectations to Western Balkans states, but the problems in this region regarding intergovernmental relations, internal affairs and reforms are nevertheless present. However, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has insisted that the session should be held so as to make sure those problems, which have occurred due to the global financial crisis, will not interrupt the EU enlargement process.

The details regarding this meeting, as well as the names of those who have been invited to participate have not been announced to the public, but what seems to be certain is that some issues will be in the agenda, like visa liberalisation, problems regarding the functioning of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the application from Montenegro, Slovenian-Croatian state border dispute, the collaboration of Serbia and Croatia with the Hague Tribunal, EULEX mission in Kosovo, the negotiations on Macedonia`s association to the EU and, most probably, the global crisis` effects on the enlargement process. Conclusions made during this informal meeting will surely be crucial for many decisions which are waiting to be adopted in the course of Council of Ministers` session in Luxembourg in April.

Beside the geographical nearness, there are other things that bring Western Balkans states closer to one another, and these things are problems which inevitably retard their Eurointegration process.

Croatia has achieved the largest progress, but the current disputes with Slovenia over the state border threaten to block this country on its way to full membership. As EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn has recently mentioned before the European Parliament, Croatia has to make an additional effort in several areas, alike judicial and administrative reforms, in fight against organised crime and corruption.

Being a candidate for EU membership, Macedonia has spent couple of years waiting for the negotiations on EU accession to begin. Rehn believes that the respect of international standards considering free and fair elections, which are about to be held in the course of next months in Macedonia, are the key preconditions for starting the negotiations on EU association.

Encouraged by the Czech`s insistence on the acceleration of the Eurointegration process, Albania has announced that it will formally apply for EU membership before the end of June, when Czech Republic completes its presidency over the EU. Serbian officials have also given such notice on that issue, although the Olli Rehn`s recommendation specifies that Serbia needs not to rush to apply for EU membership. One of the conditions for a country`s candidacy acceptance is the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, and Serbia cannot do so, for the agreement with EU was suspended as a result of Holland`s insistence that the full collaboration with the Hague Tribunal is requested.

So far, consistent policy over the model of Kosovo`s Eurointegration process has not been reached, while Montenegro expects its EU membership application to be accepted in April.

But according to Petr Vins, Central Europe Director with Moody`s rating agency, countries of the region, with the exception of Croatia, could not dream of EU membership before the year 2017.

"Croatia is the only exception, and we expect this country to reach full membership in 2011," said Vins during a seminar dedicated to the risk management and the global crisis period held in Belgrade. Vins stresses that the liquidity, lack of the financial sources and local currency weakening remain as one of the major problems in countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and that the crisis`s effects on macroeconomic performances will most probably aggravate.

Beside economic conditions, the lack of interesting among old EU member-states regarding further EU enlargement refer as one of the obstacles to integration process. A fraction inside the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) presided by the Chancellor Angela Merkel has already suggested that the process of further EU enlargement should be temporarily suspended as soon as Croatia reaches full membership status, and that suggestion will probably be the core of this party`s electoral platform.

Although German politicians have so far praised the EU enlargement policy, pointing out that Germany has attained political and economic benefits, a part of CDU`s influent members suggest "the phase of consolidation, preferring the reinforcement of identity and institutions rather than the further acceptance of potential EU members."

Foreign Ministers of Slovenia and Italy, Samuel Zbogar and Franco Frattini, however, have sent a letter addressed to their colleagues from other EU countries, introducing them to the importance of the EU enlargement to Western Balkans and to the significance of visa liberalisation. Zboger and Frattini have invited their colleagues to political consensus which would lead to simplification of visa regime, apart from the conditions required by the European Commission. The two have suggested that meetings to come should be taken as the opportunity for further discussions on Eurointegrations of the region.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek backs the regional countries` desires, stressing that those who intend to suspend the enlargement process are opposing to the essential ideas of the European Community.

"The civilisation mission and the enlargement of the space of security, prosperity and freedom must be perpetuated, since there are the values upon which the EU was founded. Introducing new iron curtains, barriers or walls is a road to hell," Topolanek said.

Topolanek added that the Copenhagen criteria fulfilment is required.

Although Czech Prime Minister believes that most of the EU members support the attitude of his country, it remains unknown how many of them are willing to dedicate themselves to the EU enlargement issue. The worst possible scenario would be if both sides would choose to demonstrate inactivity in this process: if EU decides to make an effort trying to solve economic crisis and temporarily gives up on EU enlargement, and if, on the other side, political elites from Western Balkans stops initiating or persisting in carrying out the fundamental reforms.