GRADE

50 EASTERN EUROPE AND THE BALKANS
Western Balkans
Activity
Determination
Impact
Normative aspect
Final mark
B
C
B
B
B
In the context of the regee crisis and the significance of the Balkan migration route,
the policy of the EU and Czech Republic in relation to the Western Balkans has become
considerably more active. There has been more frequent mention of support for integration
into Euro-Atlantic structures and promises of specific assistance. A tangible result of
Czech policy in relation to the region is the commencement of activi of the Western
Balkans Fund.
Last year was a turning point for Czech policy in relation to the Western Balkans.
After a decline in attention focused on the region by EU institutions and the Czech
Republic in 2014, the Western Balkans became a priori from the beginning of 2015.
The event that tri≫ered renewed interest was the regee crisis and the considerable
increase in the number of migrants entering European Union countries along the
Balkan Route (pically Greece-Macedonia-Serbia-Croatia). The change in policy reflects
the key interest of the EU in the stabili of the Western Balkan states and their abili
to control the migrants passing through these countries.
In early September, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka traveled to Serbia. He met
with his counterpart Aleksandr Vučić to discuss mutual investments and promised
CZK 10 million of assistance to manage the regee crisis. In Prague, the Czech
Prime Minister met with the Prime Ministers of Montenegro and Albania. Then in
October, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek visited Croatia and Bosnia and
Herzegovina. During these meetings, Czech representatives expressed more vocal
support for the Euro-Atlantic integration of all countries in the region than in the
past. At the October summit on the regee crisis, Zaorálek reiterated the need for the
involvement of all these countries in seeking a solution and promised them financial,
material and human resources assistance.
In November 2015, during the Czech V4 Presidency, the foreign ministers of six
Western Balkan countries came to Prague to launch the Western Balkans Fund, whose
creation was initiated by the Czech Republic during its last presidency of the group.
The Fund will be based in Tirana, Albania. Funding received to date, however, is only
in the order of a few million CZK.