THE CHALLENGES OF THE ACCESSION OF THE WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES (WB6) TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) IN NEW GEOPOLITICAL RELATIONS

MILA GADŽIĆ; ŽANA MRKONJIĆ; MARINA JERINIĆ

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Naslov: THE CHALLENGES OF THE ACCESSION OF THE WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES (WB6) TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) IN NEW GEOPOLITICAL RELATIONS

Godina: 2024

Autori: MILA GADŽIĆ, ŽANA MRKONJIĆ, MARINA JERINIĆ

Sažetak: It is obvious that the whole world is facing challenges and changing geopolitical relations, including the influence of the major players (European Union, United States and Russia) with the growing influence of China in the Western Balkan countries (WB6), which are becoming more geopolitically attractive than ever. While facing the consequences of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, inflationary pressures and slowing economic growth, these countries are striving to strengthen their economies, fight unemployment and increase competitiveness in line with EU standards. The increasing presence of China and Russia in the WB6 countries makes the accession process more complex. These actors are undoubtedly pursuing their own interests, which sometimes conflict with the EU's objectives. The situation is further complicated by China's recent increased presence in the WB6 region through various trade, investment and infrastructure projects. While cooperation with China has its advantages, the question arises as to whether it can simultaneously disrupt the EU accession process. The aim of this paper is to highlight the specificities of the economic and political transformation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and other Western Balkan countries by analyzing and comparing EU and WB6 economic indicators. It will also highlight the role of China's presence and activities in the EU integration process and propose optimal measures for membership, taking into account the dynamics of change and the influence of external factors. Academic articles published in first and second quartile Web of Science (WoS) journals form the basis of the literature review, while the comparison of key macroeconomic indicators is based on secondary data from various sources. As EU accession is a priority for them, the WB6 countries can only enter into partnerships with 'non-European' countries, including China, if they comply with EU requirements.

Vrsta rada: Izvorni znanstveni članak

Izdanje: Proceedings of the 13th International Scientific Symposium on Region, Entrepreneurship, Development (RED)

Znanstvena područja: DRUŠTVENE ZNANOSTI

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