Rome – ESI lecture on war and peace in the Balkans at the NATO Defense College

Photo: ESI

ESI’s Gerald Knaus was invited to give a lecture on “War and peace in the Balkans – The real story of post-Cold War Europe” at the NATO Defense College.

In his lecture, he analysed past and present security challenges, as well as new opportunities in the region, and possible future geopolitical developments. He also spoke about the NATO and EU intervention policies in the region of the Balkans and examined possible future roles for both bodies.

Furthermore, Gerald expressed his concern over tensions between Kosovo and Serbia and the resurgence of nationalist sentiment and border disputes. He stressed the EU’s role in reinvigorating the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue and offering a tangible EU integration pathway for both countries.

Gerald also called for reinvigorating the accession process for the Western Balkans. He suggested a unified EU goal that motivates all candidate countries and curtails Russia’s capacity to destabilise the region. He proposed giving Western Balkan countries that meet EU criteria access to the Single Market and the four freedoms.

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• ESI proposal: “Abandon clichés about Bosnia: Push EU-related reforms instead of arbitrary conditions”
• ESI proposal: “No partition: Why Kosovo and Serbia must not discuss territory”
• ESI report: “Anti-Corruption Report for the West Balkans: Measure corruption in order to fight it”