The project was joint effort of the South-East Europe Programme of ELIAMEP and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Athens as part of both organizations’ efforts to promote the Western Balkan countries’ accession to the EU.
With the onset of the crisis, the issues surrounding accession were brought to a heightened level. Wealthier EU states appeared increasingly skeptical, not only towards their less fortunate EU partners but also towards problematic states outside the EU. Countries within the EU, grappling with their own crises, seemed to deprioritize enlargement efforts, including Greece, which had previously been among the most fervent supporters of Balkan enlargements and was set to hold the EU presidency.
The proposed project consisted of two components. The first, broader component aimed to delve into the current status and problems of the EU accession process in the Western Balkans. It sought to investigate these issues and provide policy recommendations, particularly in light of the forthcoming Greek EU presidency. The second component focused specifically on Albania, a Western Balkan state. In the context of Albania’s EU accession process, the project comprehensively examined the current status and challenges of Greek-Albanian relations.
The second component of the project was co-implemented with Tirana’s Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), which had secured matching funds locally for all the necessary research and activities conducted in Albania.
The project was funded by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Athens.
