ABSTRACT
At the Thessaloniki summit in 2003, the European Council declared, “the future of the Balkans is within the European Union.”1 This political commitment of the heads of state and prime ministers of the EU countries was understood as a strong incentive and a promise that the future of the region, within the EU, will be stable and prosperous. At present, the Western Balkan region has experienced more than a decade
of peace. The region has become relatively stable, with no military conflicts, and free, if not always fair, elections. In the meantime, the international community has invested significant amounts of financial assistance and human resources in the Western Balkans.2
