Does the European Union offer a prospect for
lasting peace in South-East Europe?
Short presentation by Bojana Spasoska
South-East Europe is composed of a heterogeneous set of countries with a combined population of about 100 million and an average per capita income of about US$ 2,200. The countries which are from the SEE Region include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Moldova. Over the last decade, this region has been marked by a series of conflicts and 
humanitarian crises during the past ten years which have resulted in widespread displacement and human suffering.
Re-establishment of safety, security, the rule of law as well as strengthening of governance are thus rightly placed on top of the policy agenda by the country authorities.
Therefore, a major strategic challenge is to nurture stable and democratic societies by integrating the SEE Region into the EU institutions. Consolidating newly established democracy, reinstating regional interaction and the overriding political aspiration to come economically closer to the EU and eventually join the EU are clear political objectives that can contribute to the stability and development of the region. The question that arises is what kind of measures and strategies ought to be identified in order to enlarge the sphere of security in the SEE countries.
Nearly all countries of the SEE Region have been offered the prospect of eventual membership of the EU, providing certain conditions are met and reforms achieved.
Identifying EU-integration as a prospect that will crucially contribute to the stability and economic recovery, SEE countries face the commitment to work on political, economic and institutional stabilization of the country, institution building, enhanced trade and economic co-operation, legal approximation with the Community acquis and strengthened co-operation on justice and home affairs.
The framework for the EU’s approach to SEE countries- Stabilization and Association process- is designed to encourage and support the domestic processes aimed at fostering “peace, democracy, respect of human rights and economic prosperity” as stated in the Cologne document of June 10 1999 that created the Stabilization Pact for SEE.
Therefore, the SAp establishes a clear path for the integration of these countries with the EU (expect for Bulgaria and Romania which already were accession candidates), a process that is going to reform the countries and strengthen their capacity to provide security and reduction of political antagonism.
The SP’s aim is to bring long-term stability and lasting peace to this conflict-ridden region by taking action in three key sectors: creating a stable security environment, establishing democratic structures and promoting economic reconstruction and co-operation.
The security issues preoccupy people in SEE given the fragile state of their polities, economies and societies and the legacy of conflict. Historically, several missions led by UN troops on the soil of SEE Region have proved their competence in striking the aim of peace. But this success was never seen as morally undisputable issue because of its foreign background and structure. On the other hand, EU peace-keeping and police missions in countries potential candidates for EU integration, for example Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia, seems to be perceived in a justifiable way by the citizens of these countries as these missions are not seen as intervention or aggression, but as assistance in preserving the peace and the stability of the region. I presume that at a time when these countries express their determination to be part of the process of integration, these missions are believed to be more domestic than those led by UN.
Once more I would like to emphasize the common ideal which unites the EU countries, although different in history, traditions, culture, opinion: to make Europe a better place to live by keeping peace and freedom. It is my opinion that this concept of European Union as economic, political, social and security-related framework for enhanced relations and co-operation between countries within a region may be applied in other parts of the world as well, a concept that can help the region to secure political and economic stabilization and development.
In closing, the allegations that the EU is the only scenario that offers stability and prosperity have their own confirmation in the long-term aspiration of all SEE countries to full integration to the European Union.
Bojana Spasoska
post-graduate student
at Skopje University
Skopje, 12th June 2004
Short presentation by Esma Adilovic
After the Second World War two super powers countries US and Soviet Union
take control of international politics. After more than forty years of
periodic hostility and tension the improved relationship between the US and Soviet Union which had developed since 1985, opened up 
the prospect that the 1990s would usher in a new European order. At the Malta summit in December 1989 between President Bush and President Gorbachev the leaders of the Super powers declared that Cold war is finally over. The events of 1991 represented a collapse of Soviet power and the beginning of a process disintegration which had profound implications for European security. Although this left the US as the sole Super power, the Dramatic changes in Eastern Europe and Soviet Union also signalled a weakling of an American involvement in Europe. This decline in the role of the super powers had a major impact on alliances which had instutionalized the conflict between East and West since the 1950s. The Warsaw Pact ceased to exist in 1991 and Soviet forces began to withdraw from the countries of East Europe. NATO was faced with increasing pressure to transform itself from military alliance into a more political organization to reflect the changes that were taking place. Despite the euphoria over the events of 1989 it is important to remember the reactions which followed the revolutions. The problems of Yugoslavia war in Bosnia and after in Kosovo, and later the conflict in Macedonia were European countries couldn’t find solutions without help of America. But in the future we can not expect that US will always have interest to intervene in regional conflict in Europe. Europe Union has to be able to solve any conflicts in Europe. Some countries like UK are part of European Union but the politics of UK is closer to US than to EU, and sometimes they support US, although EU are against that (for example attack on Iraq). But the wars from Yugoslavia provide timely warning of enormous potential for instability which lies smouldering beneath the surface on European Continent. This 1990 is an era of transition. During that period a new system of European security was gradually almost inadvertently-built on the ruins of the old classical balance of power system from the Cold War. The EU is the product of reconstruction and reconciliation that followed Second World War and as such is a model for South East Europe. For the past 10 years the EU has been helping countries in the region to rebuild their economies and rejoin the mainstream of European development. EU promotes long term peace and prosperity in South East European countries, the EU is pursuing a new regional Approach aimed at building cooperation among the former Yugoslav republics plus Albania, Romania. EU now hopes to draw these countries closer to the EU institutions trough new negotiations. These aim at developing existing trade ties, reforming political and economics institutions, it South East European countries, and preparing them for eventual EU membership. EU from clearly geographical, politics and historical reasons has got special interests and responsibility for develop and stabilizations to South East countries of Europe. The aim of EU is stable Europe to ensure peace democracy and respecting human rights. But the situations in the South East countries of Europe are very complicated because most of nationality lives out of own countries borders. But these countries from South East Europe if they want to be part of EU family have to respect all rules and principles from EU. I believe that is not easy (special for countries were wars finished couple of years ago), to do all reforms what EU looking from them but they haven’t choice. EU offer prospect for peace in South East European countries for now but I can not predict for how long. These countries including Macedonia have to be as soon as they can members of EU, because it is only one way for peace and economics development. Despite the vast political, economic and social changes, it is still too early to predict that the future is going to be wholly unlike in the past because Europe is a place where relive the violent conflict of previous generations. I want to see Macedonia part of the European family where it belongs. I wish Macedonian young people to educate in countries from EU where they can get different educations and experience, and represent own country.
My thanks to family Tanevski and all organizations of this meeting because it was a good experience for me to represent my view about this issue, and meet other young people and professors.
Esma Adilovic
Skopje, 12th June 2004