The financial and political support from the European Union for fundamental rule-of-law reforms in the Balkan countries has had little effect so far. According to a report by the European Court of Auditors, these countries continue to face problems regarding the independence of judges, widespread corruption, and suppression of freedom of speech.
The EU has been granting these countries hundreds of millions in subsidies over the past twenty years to support their gradual integration into the Union. On July 1, 2013, Croatia was the first of seven countries to join the EU; Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia, and Albania are in line to become members.
Accession negotiations have already begun with Montenegro and Serbia. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.
No new EU memberships are expected in the coming years. Within the EU, increasing voices call to first modernize the EU’s own organization, including its tasks, powers, and funding. Some EU member states have explicitly voiced opposition to further EU expansion.
The European Commission must first do more to enforce rule-of-law reforms in the Western Balkan countries, it is concluded. The European Court of Auditors also stresses that the substantial subsidies have so far been unsuccessful.
In an initial response, spokespeople for the European Commission emphasized that important progress has been made in recent years, while also acknowledging that much more remains to be done.
The report notes that the blame should not be placed solely on the European Union. It states that local governments in the candidate countries have also done too little to meet EU criteria.
“This means that the money allocated for these initiatives is de facto wasted, as lasting change cannot be said to have occurred. The progress achieved over the past two decades remains particularly modest.”
“This in turn poses a threat to the sustainability of the provided support. Ongoing reforms lose credibility if they do not yield tangible results.”.