Open Balkans and/or European integration: An answer or a diversion?
Online webinar
The Open Balkan initiative is a regional integration agreement between countries of the Western Balkans, presented as a reaction to the slowing down of the process of European Integration for the six aspiring countries: Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro – confirmed as candidates for membership – and Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo – potential candidates. Three of them – Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia – have signed agreements to open their national borders to each other’s citizens and products from 1 January 2023, without restrictions. These three countries believe that this economic zone will both prepare them for membership of the European Union and also offer an active way forward in response to the delay in obtaining EU membership. This panel brings together key protagonists to look at the issues in greater depth.
Date: 2 December 2021, 17:00 (Thursday, 8th week, Michaelmas 2021)
Venue: St Antony's College - North Site
Venue Details: Zoom webinar
Speakers: Dritan Abazovic (Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro), Albin Kurti (Prime Minister of Kosovo) (Albin Kurti (Prime Minister of Kosovo)), Zef Mazi (Chief Negotiator with The European Union), Bujar Osmani (Minister of Foreign Affairs, North Macedonia), Jessie Barton Hronešová (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) (Jessie Barton Hronešová (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill))
Organising department: European Studies Centre
Organiser: Julie Adams (St Antony's College, University of Oxford)
Host: Belina Budini (St Antony's College, Oxford)
Part of: South East European Studies at Oxford (SEESOX)
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b4Ogsd2mQPOsxudWG1DDWA
Audience: Public
Editor: Julie Adams