European enlargement in post-conflict areas: a comparative case study of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia
European enlargement in post-conflict areas: a comparative case study of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia
Samenvatting
What lessons in terms of democratization can Bosnia and Herzegovina learn from Croatia’s accession to the EU? The objective of this study was to support the existing theory about the EU’s role in democratization and to provide insight on how the country can improve on the way it moves forward in its accession process. Based on a comparative case study looking at the past and current political, economic and ethnic situation; the challenges faced during EU accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia; and by showing how factors that determine the process of EU conditionality work differently in both post-conflict settings, this thesis concludes the following: the findings confirm the relevance of EU conditionality as well as the effects of ethnic conflict on the effectiveness of the used conditionality and EU membership incentives. A continuation of promoting the benefits of EU membership is necessary for improving the support and trust in the process, but most importantly, democratization becomes a difficult and slow process when legacies of ethnic conflict interfere with a country’s ability to promote a clear and unified pro-European policy. While Bosnia and Herzegovina will have to solve this issue using an approach that applies to their specific situation, it is the most important lesson that they can learn from Croatia’s accession process. The relevance of the subject is that Bosnia’s accession to the EU will contribute to the credibility of the European Union’s emerging foreign policy, the economic and political future of its neighbouring regions, as well as that it would lessen the gap between the more and lesser advanced countries in the Balkan area.
Organisatie | De Haagse Hogeschool |
Opleiding | MO Europese Studies / European Studies |
Afdeling | Faculteit Management & Organisatie |
Jaar | 2018 |
Type | Bachelor |
Taal | Engels |