Each issue related to Western Balkan countries (the eastern part of the peninsula is already a part of the European Union) is automatically a regional matter. War crime inheritance, social, political and economic transition, organised crime and so on. Some countries may seem to achieve more success than others, but apart from the fact that they may be generally declared as undeveloped, they all share the same problems. But despite their disagreements, there is one thing they share in common - determination to become a part of the EU. And in order to achieve that goal, they all have to make good neighbourly relations, and although it takes an enormous effort, they all seem successful in that mission.

Political tensions between the government and the opposition, more than ten months, are practically paralysing Albania, preventing political, social and economic reforms, necessary to progress toward the membership of the European Union. The political conflict between the ruling Democratic Party and the oppositional Socialist Party last, practically, from the parliamentary elections, held  June 28th, 2009, while the opposition accuses the current Prime Minister Sali Berisha of electoral fraud.

By Sandra Pekic

Europe without frontiers has been increasingly becoming Europe of regions. For decades, Brussels has been supporting various sorts of connecting through cross-border cooperation of regions belonging to the same historic, economic, geographic, and cultural area. For countries still outside the European Union (EU) connection into Euroregions represents a chance for getting financial resources from European funds. However, besides conflicts in the territory of former Yugoslavia, main "culprits" for meagre connections in the Western Balkans are considered high level of centralisation of countries and distrust towards any cross-border cooperation without "complete control of the centre."

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.

By Nenad Radicevic

Unsolved problems of the wars of the 1990s, mutual accusations at The Hague-based International Court of Justice, independence of Kosovo, and subsequent recognition of its status by the neighbouring countries and expulsion of some ambassadors - these are just some of the open issues that politically and legally make difficult regional cooperation of the Western Balkan countries. Albania and countries having emerged out of the former Yugoslavia are being alienated by these issues even more than the thriving economic, cultural and sports cooperation are making them closer as well as mutual goal - the European Union membership. Unlike the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland that have in the process of the European integrations, as the Visegrad Group members, at least sporadically acted uniquely in front of the Brussels administration, the Western Balkan countries very often prefer to overtake one another than to cooperate on the road to Europe.

By CEV Magazine team

Miroslav Lajcak`s departure from the offices of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina not only has imposed dilemma on successor of the Slovak diplomat but also has encouraged open comments in public and civil sector on real possibilities for this Balkan state to become functional.

By Dragana Peric

Surprising decision of Boris Tadic to "forward" a part of gas to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the middle of the January crisis has inspired political debates on possibilities and problems of economic and energy cooperation in the region. During the last week, this move of the President of Serbia has had an epilogue in the Serbia Palace where the leaders of Serbia have met with the representatives of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania, and Montenegro. Although the regional meeting conclusion was signing of the joint statement on cooperation and solidarity in the European integrations and crisis overcoming, obvious have been the absence of dialogue on different mutual political disputes that inevitably affect economic regional cooperation.

By Andreea Gheorghe

In the hot damp tunnels, a few hundred metres below ground, Romanian miners used to wish each other "noroc bun", meaning good luck, as they went to work. But today the miners of Anina, a small town in south-western Romania, fear their luck has run out. Coal extraction once formed the backbone of Romanian heavy industry, employing almost half a million people, including jobs above ground. A powerful political and economic force, bound together by strong unions, Romania`s miners showed their strength both before and after the fall of the communist regime.

By Mirsad Bajtarevic

Alija Krha bends his tall, gaunt frame to pick vegetables from his modest garden overlooking Podvelezje, a barren and lonely plateau covered in shrubs and occasional brambles in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of only three people to return to this desolate area following the 1992-1995 war, the 70-year-old man`s weather-beaten face lights up when the conversation turns to the wind.

By Dalibor Dobric

Katica Volic represents the tenants in a block of apartments in the eastern Croatian city of Osijek. On the front line in Croatia`s war for independence in the 1990s, Osijek suffered terrible damage. Once the fighting ended, the city hall offered financial encouragement to locals to renew their building facades on their own. Pensioner Volic succeeded in persuading 43 of her 44 fellow tenants to take a loan for 80,000 euros from a commercial bank to renew and insulate the damaged facade. "They chased me out of one apartment when I said `loan`," she recalls, adding that the same tenant now kisses her every time they meet. This is because average heating bills in the building have since fallen by 15 per cent. Now she hopes that Croatia`s energy company will allow individual metres, so people can save more on their bills.

By Gjergj Erebara

Shpetim Nazarko, boss of a printing press in Tirana, Albania, shivers at the first sign of winter. It`s not just the first cold wind that makes him tremble but fears for the future of his business. "Last year, the energy crisis brought me to the brink of bankruptcy," he says. As temperatures drop in Albania, electricity consumption in the country grows. But the system cannot cope with the additional strain, resulting in frequent power cuts.

EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

By Misa Brkic

"Regional problems between neighbouring countries affect uneasiness on Serbia`s way to EU integration". It was said by Serbian vice-president Bozidar Djelic during the recently held the final debate on the National Programme for Serbia`s Integration with the EU. Djelic was the first Serbian official who directly confessed something that is well known within Western Balkans` diplomatic and business circles that the political "noisy" regional communication endangers certain level of, above all, attained economic and trading relations.

By Nenad Radicevic

For the time being, the official Pristina perseveres in refusing for the EULEX, the law-order EU mission, to be deployed in Kosovo in accordance with the six-point plan that has been brought in line by the officials of the United Nations, the European Union and Serbia. Just about the EU officials have managed to convince the official Belgrade to accept the EULEX presence in Kosovo under the certain conditions, the Kosovo officials have taken over the role of a contradictor that had been previously played by the Serbian leaders. However, this diplomatic disagreement, without a peer, makes the first serious conflict between Kosovo and the European Union which 22 out of 27 member states have recognised the Kosovo independence.

By Nenad Radicevic

All the peoples on the Balkans believe they know the truth on wars during the 90s in spite of the fact that many crimes have not been investigated and the history books contents in the region diametrically differ. Non-governmental organisations coalition persevere in their intention for the Regional Commission for Establishing the Facts About the War Crimes in Former Yugoslavia to be formed in spite of the fact that this proposition has met several experts` suspiciousness and national governments` disinterest. Furthermore, even after the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia closure the truth-establishing proponents cannot count on great support of the European administration in Brussels.

The European Union`a foreign ministers have decided to establish a new strategy, which would lead to EU`s full responsibility acceptance in "maintaining stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and continuing with key reforms". After attempts in convincing three constitutive nations` leaders two years ago that the only way for establishing effective government is through reforms, EU`s officials have decided to change their tactics. Suggesting that the Office of High Representative (OHR) for Bosnia and Herzegovina should be closed and confirming the EU Special Representative, European officials desire transformations and intend to inspire Bosnian leaders to move toward political consensus on future of the country.

By Jelena Milicevic

Judging by the European Commission, EC, annual report on candidates and potential candidates` progress towards the European Union membership, inefficient judiciary and corruption are the problems all the Western Balkans states are facing with. Nevertheless, each and every country has its own challenges on the way to Europe so that the countries of the region advancements are unequal.

By Nenad Radicevic

The proposal of the new Vojvodina statute has risen tensions on the Serbian political scene where political elite has been divided in two groups - of alleged protectors of the state integrity and alleged campaigners for the state dismembering. Exactly twenty years after the so called "yogurt" revolution, when the Slobodan Milosevic`s regime abolished the autonomy of Vojvodina, politicians in Serbia have again started to frighten citizens with the thesis that decentralisation is just the first step towards secession of the Republic of Serbia parts.