Events

• 11
• Feb
• 2021

On February 11, 2021 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a background discussion on the current situation in the Western Balkans between representatives of the German Government and staffers of the German Bundestag. Christiane Hullmann, Head of Division 209 Western Balkans at the German Federal Foreign Office, Matthias Lüttenberg, Head of Division 212 Bilateral Relations to the Countries of Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia at the German Federal Chancellery, Thomas Motak, Deputy Head of Division E12, EU External Affairs (EU Enlargement, European Neighbourhood Policy, EU External Financing Instruments) at the German Federal Foreign Office, and Helge Tolksdorf, Head of Division EU-Enlargement, Southeastern Europe, Turkey at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), shared their assessments of the situation in the region from the perspective of their respective divisions and presented the goals and challenges for the next months. The discussion focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for the region, the upcoming elections, and the EU enlargement process. The representatives reflected on the past year, in particular on the past German EU Council Presidency. Another topic was the Berlin Process Summit this year in Berlin, especially with regard to the plans of the German Government. The event is part of a series of regular background discussions to enable regular exchanges on current priorities and challenges in the Western Balkans.

• 9
• Dec
• 2020

On December 9, 2020, the Aspen Institute Germany hosted an online discussion on the topic “What Future for the EU Enlargement in Pandemic Times?” with Florian Bieber, Professor for Southeast Europe at the University of Graz, Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Milena Lazarević, Programme Director at the European Policy Centre (CEP) and a member of the Think for Europe Network, Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, Director Western Balkans, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), European Commission, and Ambassador Susanne Schütz, Director for South-Eastern Europe, Turkey, EFTA States, OSCE, and Council of Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office. The discussion was moderated by Adelheid Wölfl, Correspondent for South-Eastern Europe at Der Standard, and focused on the credibility of the EU enlargement process, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region and its repercussions for the reform processes, as well as the efficacy of the EU’s available instruments to support economic recovery and democratization under the current circumstances.
Several speakers expressed regret that no considerable progress was reached in the accession process with Albania and North Macedonia in 2020. The veto by Bulgaria against the accession framework for North Macedonia was described as yet another example of an undue bilateralization of the enlargement process by an EU member state, which undermines its merit-based character. The resulting credibility problem significantly weakens the EU’s transformative power as incentives for reforms are lacking in the eyes of both governments and citizens from the region. To counter growing EU-skepticism in the Western Balkans, the importance of improved communication with citizens was highlighted, as well as the need for honest and critical public statements by the EU regarding shortcomings in the areas of rule of law and democratization. In this context the hope for a potentially resulting competitive pressure in terms of progress in the reform and accession process between countries but also between political parties within the countries was expressed.
As economic performance is expected to drop throughout the region as a consequence of the pandemic, assistance provided by the EU including through the Economic and Investment Plan (worth around 9 billion EUR) was deemed highly important. Yet, some panelists questioned if funds will suffice to allow for substantive economic recovery and to prevent the development gap between the region and the EU from growing. In this context, the risk of third actors providing loans with less strings attached to a financially weakened Western Balkans region and thereby undermining EU conditionality was highlighted.
Furthermore, the recent progress concerning regional cooperation with Common Regional Market (CRM) adopted at the Sofia Summit in November was addressed. Arguments were made that the CRM – if fully implemented – will decrease costs for the business sector and could attract foreign direct investment. Additionally it was underscored that the CRM can and will by no means substitute EU integration but constitutes an instrument to promote the necessary reform processes. Finally, the EU was called upon to utilize its leverage as the Western Balkans’ largest development and trading partner to support the region’s governments in implementing reforms under aggravated circumstances while at the same time insisting on the rule of law criteria. Hopes for a new Biden presidency to cooperate closely with the EU in this regard concluded the discussion.
The entire discussion can be watched here:

• 9
• Dec
• 2020

On December 9, 2020 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted its digital Western Balkans Working Group. The working group offered a closed-door and confidential platform for a select group of high-level decision-makers and experts from the Western Balkans, Germany, the EU and the U.S. to discuss in an informal setting the current state and key challenges of the EU enlargement process. The discussion was based on and informed by the results of Aspen Germany’s Western Balkan conferences and expert workshops which were organized throughout the year. Key issues addressed included the recent veto by Bulgaria against the negotiating framework with North Macedonia and its consequences for the EU’s credibility, the new enlargement methodology, progress in regional cooperation as well as the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Western Balkans.
Expressing disappointment with the Bulgarian veto, decision-makers from the EU and its member states emphasized the strategic importance of the region and reaffirmed their commitment to the enlargement process. However, many participants warned about long-term implications of the veto for the credibility of a merit-based accession process in the eyes of governments and citizens in the Western Balkans, which in turn lowers the incentives to implement reforms and decreases public support for EU integration. Better communication with citizens to explain the benefits of EU integration combined with clear messages by the EU on lacking reform progress were described as crucial to uphold public support in the region. Furthermore, the need for stronger EU visibility in the region (including high-level visits of member states), particularly in the light of growing influence of other international actors such as China and Russia, was underscored.
All participants agreed that EU accession presented the only valuable long-term plan. Yet, the question arose whether it was necessary to elaborate interim steps to provide more tangible rewards on the long way to full membership. The new Common Regional Market was collectively regarded as an important achievement with participants underlining its importance as an instrument to promote EU integration rather than being an alternative to the enlargement process. However, experts called to a realistic assessment of its economic potential.
The discussion also touched upon the various effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. On the one hand, positive effects on joint regional agency and solidarity as well as economic windows of opportunity were mentioned. On the other hand, serious concerns were voiced concerning the pandemic’s impact on economic development in the region, resulting in calls for more EU engagement to prevent the development gap between the Western Balkans and the EU from growing. This was deemed as particularly relevant considering the ongoing emigration from the region towards the EU, including many highly-skilled young people.
The Western Balkans Working Group is part of Aspen Germany’s Regional Dialog Western Balkans Program 2020, which is kindly supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.

• 12
• Nov
• 2020

On November 12, Aspen Germany concluded its series of expert workshops on the effects of the pandemic in the region with a discussion on “Regional Cooperation and the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Western Balkans”. The event gathered a select group of experts and decision-makers from the countries of the Western Balkans, the European Union as well as from international and regional organizations. Main topics of discussion were the impact of the pandemic on regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, the role of regional initiatives in mitigating the economic repercussions, and the future of regional cooperation in the aftermath of the crisis.
Experts reported that the pandemic – similar to previous natural disasters – resulted in increased solidarity within the region and accelerated joint initiatives, for instance the opening of Green Lanes at border crossings or the joint advocacy for EU assistance and inclusion in the EU’s procurement efforts of medical equipment. Furthermore, regional initiatives in different sectors increased their efforts to coordinate and streamline activities in the wake of the pandemic, which is to be maintained even after the crisis. Another issue discussed was the Common Regional Market in the Western Balkans, agreed upon at the Sofia Summit of the Berlin Process on November 10, its various dimensions as well as its potential to support economic recovery after the crisis. Participants called for a fast and full implementation for the initiative to yield fruits, which in turn depends on strong political commitment both within the region and on the EU’s side. At the same time, several experts called for a more realistic assessment of the economic growth potential of increased regional cooperation and stressed the importance of a strategic, targeted, and common approach in FDI attraction and the overall development of the economies in the region. Also, the need for more harmonization and coordination of policies within the region was underlined. Participants also addressed the potential of bilateral disputes to disrupt progress in regional cooperation and suggested for instance to introduce dispute settlement mechanisms. 
The expert workshop series on "The COVID-19 Pandemic in the Western Balkans: Consequences and Policy Approaches" is part of Aspen’s Regional Dialog on the Western Balkans, which is kindly supported by the Federal Foreign Office. Previous expert discussions of the series have dealt with the political effects of the crisis, the impact on the influence of international actors, as well as economic and social repercussions.

• 11
• Nov
• 2020

On November 11, the third issue of Aspen Germany’s digital expert workshop series on "The COVID-19 Pandemic in the Western Balkans: Consequences and Policy Approaches" took place. The topic of the workshop was "Economic and Social Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Western Balkans: How to Respond?". Regional and international experts as well as decision-makers from the Western Balkans, the European Union, and international organizations were gathered to discuss the measures taken by the governments of the Western Balkans to fight the pandemic and how to prioritize further actions. The workshop also evaluated which long-term economic and social transformations are to be anticipated in the wake of the crisis and to what extent the pandemic could offer windows of opportunity for the region.
Participants agreed that the region largely lacks economic resilience and is not well prepared to weather the pandemic and its consequences. Pre-existing structural weaknesses are and will be further aggravated by the crisis, such as weak health sectors, high unemployment, poverty, a large informal labor market, and high public debt. Only Serbia seems to be an exception with a less bleak economic outlook. Furthermore, the politicization of the crisis in some countries of the region was mentioned as a factor hampering an adequate reaction to the crisis. In terms of prioritizing government actions, participants mentioned the protection of jobs and support to businesses affected by the lockdown measures as well as protection of vulnerable sections of the population. As potentially promising effects of the crisis, experts mentioned the push for digitalization, the opportunity to attract more foreign direct investment based on potential near-shoring of production and services by EU businesses, as well as a potential momentum for restructuring the economy. However, further convergence with the EU remains a challenge.
The Expert Workshop Series was organized in the framework of Aspen’s Regional Dialog on the Western Balkans, kindly supported by the Federal Foreign Office. The first and second workshop of the series dealt with the political effects of the crisis and the impact on the influence of international actors in the region, respectively. The focus of the fourth and last issue lies on regional cooperation and COVID-19 in the Western Balkans.

• 24
• Sep
• 2020

On September 24, 2020 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted the second issue of its Online Expert Workshop Series “The COVID-19 Pandemic in the Western Balkans: Consequences and Policy Approaches“. The closed-door workshop focused on “The Changing Roles of Key International Actors in the Western Balkans Amidst the COVID-19 Crisis” and gathered a select group of regional and international experts, high-level representatives of the U.S. and EU member states as well as from EU institutions to assess the situation and jointly develop recommendations on how to respond to the current dynamics. The workshop dealt specifically with the roles of China, Russia, and Turkey in the Western Balkans.
While participants agreed that China gained strong media presence in the region through its “mask diplomacy” also at the expense of other actors, the Russian involvement in the Western Balkans was marked by a continued utilization of its crisis-relief infrastructure already in place. Turkey, in turn, seemed to have used its pandemic-related assistance to the region also for domestic political purposes. At the same time, it was stated that the EU had difficulties to be present with its support in local communication channels due to a lack of independent media in some countries of the region. Participants also noted that disinformation and conspiracy theories further spread throughout the region, especially concerning health-related topics. Regarding the question of how the U.S. and the EU should react to these tendencies, the importance of cooperation and coordination between the two actors was highlighted. Furthermore, the need to fight disinformation, to increase resilience and to strengthen independent media was emphasized. Additionally, the EU (along with its member states) was encouraged to act faster, to be more blunt in messaging and to show a stronger personal presence in the region to increase its visibility and credibility.
The Expert Workshop Series was organized in the framework of Aspen’s Regional Dialog on the Western Balkans, kindly supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. While the first issue in June focused on political effects of the pandemic, upcoming issues will deal with economic and social developments in the aftermath of the public health crisis as well as effects on regional cooperation.

• 22
• Sep
• 2020

On September 22, 2020 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a background discussion on the current situation in the Western Balkans between representatives of the German Government and staffers of the German Bundestag. Claudia Brinkmann, European Relations with EU Member States, EU Enlargement, External Relations at the German Federal Chancellery, Sascha Fuzul, Division EC4 - EU-Enlargement, Southeastern Europe, Turkey at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Alexander Jung, Deputy Head of Division 212 Bilateral Relations to the Countries of Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia at the German Federal Chancellery, Christiane Hullmann, Head of Division 209 Western Balkans at the German Federal Foreign Office, and Thomas Motak, Deputy Head of Division E12, EU External Affairs (EU Enlargement, European Neighbourhood Policy, EU External Financing Instruments) at the German Federal Foreign Office, shared their assessments of the situation in the region from the perspective of their respective divisions and presented the initiatives and challenges for the next months. The discussion focused on the priorities of Germany’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the EU accession processes, in particular regarding the negotiating framework with Albania and North Macedonia. Another topic was the recent elections in the Western Balkans and their impact on the EU accession processes of the respective countries as well as the overall political and economic situation in the region. The event is part of a series of regular background discussions to enable regular exchanges on current priorities and challenges in the Western Balkans.

• 17
• Sep
• 2020

On September 17, 2020 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted an online discussion on “Albania’s EU Integration: A Reform Laden Path”. Lutfi Dervishi, Member of the Board, Institute for Political Studies (ISP), Christiane Hullmann, Head of Division 209 Western Balkans, German Federal Foreign Office, Afrim Krasniqi, Executive Director, Institute for Political Studies (ISP), and Christian Schmidt, Member of the German Bundestag, Federal Minister (ret.), discussed the opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and the related conditions of the European Council. Albania is urged to make further progress in electoral and judicial reforms as well as the fight against organized crime and corruption. Therefore, the online discussion focused on the reform processes in Albania, in particular on the implementation of the judicial reform and the current developments regarding the electoral reform. Albania has made progress in both fields. However, the functioning of the highest courts remains a challenge: due to a lack of qualified applicants it has so far not been possible to fill all positions. Regarding the electoral reform, progress was made as well. However, questions remain with regard to the impact of a controversial constitutional change, which will influence the elections and was passed without the biggest opposition party which decided to return their parliamentary mandates last year. Another topic was the ongoing debate on a new media law and the internal political situation in Albania. The virtual discussion is part of the Aspen Berlin Policy Hub for think tanks from the Western Balkans, a project funded by the Open Society Foundation and the Federal Press Agency.

• 10
• Sep
• 2020

On September 10-11, 2020 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a digital conference on the topic of “Emigration from the Western Balkans – Addressing the Challenge“. The conference offered a closed-door and confidential platform for a select group of high-level decision-makers from the Western Balkans, Germany, the EU as well as international organizations to identify and discuss the key challenges the Western Balkan countries and their partners are facing due to emigration.
In the course of the two-day conference, the discussion focused on the key areas in which reforms are needed to reduce push factors for emigration and to promote the return of emigrants, namely reforms concerning the rule of law, democracy, and anti-corruption, but also in the areas of education and labor market policy. Another topic of the conference was the process of policy-making in the field of emigration with regard to the necessary involvement of relevant state and non-state actors at various levels of governance. The multifaceted role of the diaspora was another point of discussion. Participants formulated ideas on how the financial contribution through remittances could be used more effectively for the economic development of the countries, but also how potential returnees could be successfully integrated into the domestic labor market. Finally, the potential of regional cooperation in addressing the challenge was highlighted, including through coordination of national policies, cooperation in data collection, as well as through the continued implementation of the Regional Economic Area (REA) that was agreed upon at the Berlin Process Summit in Trieste in 2017.
The conference was organized in the framework of Aspen’s Regional Dialog on the Western Balkans, which is kindly supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. 

• 3
• Sep
• 2020

On September 3, 2020 Aspen Germany hosted a public virtual discussion called „North Macedonia After Elections – A Clear Path to EU Accession Negotiations?“ in cooperation with the European Policy Institute (EPI) from Skopje. Simonida Kacarska, Director of the European Policy Institute, Matthias Lüttenberg, Head of Division 212 Bilateral Relations to the Countries of Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia, German Federal Chancellery, Thomas Motak, Deputy Head of Division E12, EU External Affairs (EU Enlargement, European Neighbourhood Policy, EU External Financing Instruments) at the German Federal Foreign Office, and Malinka Ristevska Jordanova, Member of the Managing Board of the European Policy Institute, shared their assessments of the situation in North Macedonia after the elections. Given the special spotlight the country currently enjoys as a consequence of the opening of EU accession negotiations, the panelists addressed the preparation and commencement of the negotiations as well as the question of how quickly country will be able to advance reform processes in the fields of rule of law and democracy. The role of Bulgaria in these processes was discussed and also topics such as the internationally celebrated Prespa Agreement of 2018 and 2015's wiretap scandal were also touched upon. The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences for North Macedonia and the wider region were another focus of the discussion. This event was open to the interested public.

• 23
• Jun
• 2020

On June 23-25, the Aspen Institute Germany together with the Southeast Europe Association hosted a digital expert workshop series on “Causes, Effects, and Policy Approaches – Addressing Emigration from the Western Balkans.” The event provided a forum for more than 30 experts from the Western Balkan and the EU in the field of migration and also included representatives of international organizations, regional business associations and youth organizations.
Short input papers by selected researchers provided the basis for the respective expert discussions. Workshop 1 analyzed the trends, motives, and effects of emigration from the Western Balkan region based on insights by Miran Lavrić, Associate professor of Sociology at the University of Maribor, and Nenad Jevtović, Director of the Institute for Development and Innovation in Serbia. The focus of Workshop 2 was on concrete measures and strategies to cope with the challenge of emigration, departing from suggestions by Mirna Jusić, Charles University Prague, and Jelena Predojević-Despić, Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade. Best-practice examples and lessons learned from Romania in the field of brain gain policies were added to the discussion by Remus Anghel, Romanian Institute for Research on National Minorities, and Monica Roman, Bucharest University of Economics. Workshop 3 covered the role of the diaspora with contributions by Nermin Oruč, Director of the Centre for Development Evaluation and Social Science Research (CREDI) in Sarajevo, and Lumnije Jusufi from Humboldt-University in Berlin. Furthermore, participants discussed the potential of regional approaches in addressing the challenge departing from ideas put forward by Silvana Mojsovska, University “Ss.Cyril and Methodius” North Macedonia, and Dafina Peci, Governing Board member of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO). Following the presentations, the participants were divided into small working groups to jointly elaborate specific policy recommendations for the respective topics.
The event was supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. The topics and results discussed will feed into a high-level conference on emigration from the Western Balkans, which will be jointly organized by Southeast Europe Association and Aspen Germany in October 2020 in the framework of the German EU Council Presidency.

• 22
• Jun
• 2020

On June 22, 2020 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a background discussion on the current situation in the Western Balkans between representatives of the German Government and staffers of the German Bundestag. Alexander Jung, Deputy Head of Division 212 Bilateral Relations to the Countries of Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia at the German Federal Chancellery; Thomas Motak, Deputy Head of Division E12, EU External Affairs (EU Enlargement, European Neighbourhood Policy, EU External Financing Instruments) at the German Federal Foreign Office, and Sabine Stöhr, Head of Division 209 Western Balkans at the German Federal Foreign Office, shared their assessments of the situation in the region from the perspective of their respective divisions and presented the priorities, initiatives and challenges for the next months. The discussion focused on the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in the region, the current political situation with regard to past and upcoming elections in the region, and the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue. Another topic was the upcoming German Council Presidency and the latest developments in the EU accession processes of the Western Balkan countries. The event is part of a series of regular background discussions to enable regular exchanges on current priorities and challenges in the Western Balkans.

• 17
• Jun
• 2020

On June 17, 2020, the Aspen Institute Germany and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) hosted an online discussion on the topic “Viktor Orbán’s Growing Interest in the Western Balkans“ with Goran Buldioski, Director of the Berlin Office of Open Society Foundations and Director of the Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSIFE), Adnan Ćerimagić, Analyst at European Stability Initiative (ESI), Ivana Jeremić, Editor at Balkan Insight, and Péter Krekó, Director at Political Capital Institute and Europe’s Future Fellow, IWM/Erste Stiftung. Together with the other participants of the event, they discussed the influence of Hungary in the Western Balkans, more specifically in Serbia and North Macedonia. The focus was on the economic ties between Hungary, Serbia and North Macedonia, the relationship and common interests of Viktor Orbán and Aleksandar Vučić, and the role of civil society. The effects on the EU enlargement process and rule of law as well as the relevance of other external actors in the region were also discussed. The event was jointly moderated by Valeska Esch, Deputy Executive Director, and Program Director Europe, Aspen Institute Germany, and Milan Nič, Head, Robert Bosch Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

• 12
• May
• 2020

On May 12, 2020, the Aspen Institute Germany hosted an online discussion on the topic "Political Developments in Serbia and Their Implications" with Vukosava Crnjanski, Founder and Director, Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), Sonja Licht, President, Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (BFPE), Srđan Majstorović, Chairman of the Governing Board, European Policy Centre (CEP), and Sabine Stöhr, Head of Division 209 Western Balkans, German Federal Foreign Office. The online discussion focused on the latest political developments in Serbia. Despite a state of emergency and the strictest lockdown measures in the region, Serbia was hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than neighboring states. At the same time, criticism has been getting louder that President Aleksandar Vučić is using the crisis to further undermine the Serbian democracy and strengthen his rule and that he is even turning his back on the EU relying more and more on China. The discussion therefore reviewed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Serbian democracy, the role of the civil society and the influence of Russia and China. Another topic that was also discussed was the Serbian parliamentary elections which had to be postponed due to the pandemic as well as the current developments with regard to the EU accession process of Serbia and the dialog with Kosovo. The event was moderated by Valeska Esch, Deputy Executive Director and Program Director Europe at Aspen Institute Germany.

• 2
• Apr
• 2020

The Aspen Institute Germany together with the Group for Legal and Political Studies hosted an online discussion on the topic “The Political Crisis in Kosovo and the Consequences for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue” with Taulant Kryeziu, Acting Deputy Minister for European Integration of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Arbëresha Loxha, Executive Director at Group for Legal and Political Studies, Peter Beyer, Member of the German Bundestag and Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation at the German Federal Foreign Office, and Ambassador Susanne Schütz, Director for South-Eastern Europe, Turkey and the EFTA States at the German Federal Foreign Office. The event was moderated by Valeska Esch, Deputy Executive Director and Program Director Europe at Aspen Institute Germany. The online discussion focused on the current political developments in Kosovo. The government led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti recently fell as a consequence of a no-confidence motion initiated by their coalition partner. Disagreements between the political parties in Kosovo include adequate responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, the tariffs on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the future of the dialog between Belgrade and Pristina. The participants discussed the next steps, the consequences for Kosovo’s European and transatlantic relations, visa liberalization, the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and how to adequately response to Codvid-19 pandemic amid the political crisis. Another topic that caused some debate was the EU-US relationship, in particular regarding the differences vis a vis the vote of no confidence as well as the future interaction of the EU and US Envoys for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

• 20
• Feb
• 2020

On February 20, 2020 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a background discussion on the current situation in the Western Balkans between representatives of the German Government and staffers of the German Bundestag. Alexander Jung, Deputy Head of Division 212 Bilateral Relations to the Countries of Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia at the German Federal Chancellery; Sabine Stöhr, Head of Division 209 Western Balkans at the German Federal Foreign Office; Thomas Motak, Deputy Head of Division E12, EU External Affairs (EU Enlargement, European Neighbourhood Policy, EU External Financing Instruments) at the German Federal Foreign Office; Helge Tolksdorf, Head of Division EU-Enlargement, Southeastern Europe, Turkey at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and Daniela Bergelt, Political Advisor for Serbia and Belarus, Division 302 “Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe and Caucasus” at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development shared the priorities and assessments of the situation in the region from the perspective of their respective divisions and presented an outlook for this year. The discussion focused on the current reform processes and domestic political developments within the countries of the Western Balkans, the new proposal of the European Commission on the enlargement of the European Union and the discussions regarding the accession negotiations within the EU. The event is part of a series of regular background discussions to enable regular exchanges on current priorities and challenges in the Western Balkans. 

• 11
• Dec
• 2019

The Aspen Institute Germany hosted its annual Working Group Western Balkans on December 11-12, 2019 in Berlin to conclude its Western Balkans Program 2019. The goal of this working group was to develop concrete policy recommendations as a result of the issues discussed throughout the Aspen Western Balkans conferences this year and to identify the next steps that should be taken by Western Balkans, German, and EU decision-makers. The key topics during the Aspen conferences in 2019 included economic development and emigration as well as strengthening parliaments and their role in the Western Balkans. Moreover, the working group took stock of the current situation in the EU integration process of the Western Balkan countries and discussed ways of reinvigorating this process. The working group consisted of one high-level government representative from the Western Balkans Six, select experts as well as representatives from the EU, the German Government, and Bundestag.

• 4
• Dec
• 2019

On December 04, 2019 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a background discussion on the EU accession negotiations with the Western Balkan countries. Sabine Stöhr, Head of the Western Balkans Division at the Federal Foreign Office and Thomas Motak, Deputy Head of Division E12, EU External Relations (EU Enlargement, European Neighborhood Policy), discussed the EU accession process and latest developments in the region with staffers of the German Bundestag. The discussion focused especially on the the failure of the European Council to agree on opening EU accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia, the consequences for both countries, the membership perspective for the Western Balkan region overall as well as the next steps that are to be expected at the European level.

• 29
• Oct
• 2019

From October 29 to November 1, 2019, the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a closed conference in Budva with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office and in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry of Montenegro on “The Western Balkans Between Economic Development and Emigration”. Among the conference participants were government representatives, Members of Parliament, mayors from the Western Balkans as well as experts from civil society from the region, Germany, and the EU. The aim of this conference was to offer a platform for these high-level participants to discuss central challenges the Western Balkans countries and their partners are facing. The following questions were in the focus of the discussions: Why are people leaving the WB6? How can economic activity and growth be fostered in the Western Balkans? How can attractive jobs be created in a sustainable way? What role can the digital economy play for economic development? How can entrepreneurs and start-ups be better supported? To what extend do underdeveloped networks of critical infrastructure constitute an additional obstacle to regional economic development? What role can the Regional Economic Area play and how can its creation be sped up? Besides these questions, the recent failure to come to an agreement about the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia at the last European Council meeting and how this will impact the future of the WB6 and EU relations was discussed during the event.

• 24
• Oct
• 2019

On October 24, 2019 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a roundtable discussion entitled “Resolving the Enlargement Deadlock: Between Rule of Law Deficiencies in the WB6 and the EU’s Absorption Capacity“. Ardita Abazi Imeri, Head of Programs, European Policy Institute (EPI), Milena Lazarević, Programme Director, European Policy Centre (CEP), Arbëresha Loxha, Executive Director, Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS), Dina Bajramspahić, Researcher, Institut Alternativa (IA), and Thomas Motak, Deputy Head of Division E12, EU External Relations (EU Enlargement, European Neighborhood Policy), German Federal Foreign Office, discussed the rule of law in the region, its integration processes and related reforms as well as the EU’s absorption capacity with staffers of the German Bundestag, experts from civil society, and the interested public. The focus of the discussion was on the methodology of the EU enlargement process and its shortcomings, especially in terms of regional democratization processes and rule of law reforms. After the failure of the European Council to agree on opening EU accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia, experts from the Think for Europe Network (TEN) took this opportunity to point out some methodological shortcomings in the process, which especially France had offered concerns about, and proposed potential solutions. These were discussed with Mr. Motak, who emphasized that the German government is in favor of opening accession negotiations with both countries as soon as possible.

• 11
• Sep
• 2019

• 9
• Jul
• 2019

On July 09, 2019, the Aspen Institute Germany organized an informal debrief on the 2019 Berlin Process Summit in Poznań. Christiane Hullmann, Deputy Head of Division 209 Western Balkans at the German Federal Foreign Office, Matthias Lüttenberg, Head of Division 212 Bilateral Relations to the Countries of Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia at the Federal Chancellery, Helge Tolksdorf, Head of Division EU-Enlargement, Southeastern Europe, Turkey in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and Valeska Esch, Program Director with the Aspen Institute Germany shared their experiences and elaborated on their perspectives on the summit’s outcomes. With representatives from the German Foreign Office, the Federal Chancellery, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and civil society, the summit was analyzed in depth and with respect to all of its parallel events. The participants consisted of representatives from the Bundestag and civil society, such as journalists, think tanks or political foundations.

• 24
• Jun
• 2019

• 13
• Jun
• 2019

On June 13, 2019 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a background discussion on the current situation in Albania and North Macedonia with regards to the possible opening of EU accession negotiations with both countries this year. Sabine Stöhr, Head of the Western Balkans Division at the Federal Foreign Office and Alexander Jung, Deputy Head of Division 212 Bilateral Relations to the Countries of Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia at the German Federal Chancellery discussed the EU accession process and latest developments in the two countries with staffers of the German Bundestag.

• 3
• Jun
• 2019

On June 03, 2019 the Aspen Institute Germany, the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Berlin, and the Aspen Institute Central Europe hosted a panel discussion on the topic “Visegrad Countries and Germany – New Avenues of Cooperation and Enhanced Consultation”. Beyond robust economic relations between Visegrád 4 countries and Germany, there is still space for closer political ties. State Secretary Claudia Dörr-Voß, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany, State Secretary František Ružička, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Jiří Nantl, Director, Central European Institute of Technology and Chairman of Alliance4Life, and Olaf Osica, Director of International Affairs, European Economic Congress Katowice, discussed conclusions of 2 years of V4-Germany Forum aimed at the joint development of new ideas to further strengthen cooperation through unleashing innovative potential and jointly exploring new opportunities. How can economic relations be further developed beyond a supply chain for large German companies? Which sectors should be considered in order to remain competitive in a changing global economy? How can economic cooperation better translate into closer political cooperation? The discussion was moderated by Jiří Schneider, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Central Europe.

• 3
• Jun
• 2019

• 20
• May
• 2019

• 17
• May
• 2019

• 7
• May
• 2019

• 11
• Apr
• 2019

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• 29
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• 12
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• 15
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• 31
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• 2017