The sound of the UK clacking the door has been still in the ears, when the EU re-launched the process of accession for Albania and Northern Macedonia, bending the rules under label of “new methodology“, creating a fast track for Western Balkan countries, making the membership possible just in six years.
With this new approach the EU firmly abandoned Copenhagen criteria (1993), as q compass, replacing it by fast-track “simplified” enlargement rules – absolute triumph of political volunatirsm & geopolitics. Inclusion of Western Balkans into block is the ultimate goal, to be achieved by bending rules accordingly.
The EU new “methodology” for #Enlargement will open fast track for accession of Western Balkans. In practical terms “cluster system” means whole process can take as little as six years, the Members of the European Parliament concluded, while discussing the issue with Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi (pictured).
The new EU Enlargement policy proposes two tracks: fast-track for desirable candidates as Albania & Northern Macedonia, and continuation of old-style rules for those for those who are already in process, like Turkey. However it is not a bitter irony of double standards, but geopolitical thinking in action!
Just in five days after Brexit, the EU felt sufficient “absorption capacity” to accelerate the accession process of the Western Balkan countries, namely Albania and Northern Macedonia in first ranks. In the enlargement enthusiasm the EU has already allocated €28M and €50M to the counties, ignoring the systemic economic and social problems, caused by endemic corruption and criminality.
The fast-track accession procedure to Albania dabbed as “Colombia of Europe“, the pariah, notorious for organised crime, considered world top heroin “narco-state”, successfully operating also in cocaine and cannabis traffic, represents a serious existential threat to the EU in different areas. The experts say that yearly the Albanian and Italian costal guard intercept from 5% to 10% of the huge drugs flows, allowing to receive sufficient profit to mafia to maintain their European networks. But not only, because the wealth translates into party financing and accessing political power, and not least the erosion of the judiciary, nourishing corruption at the highest levels.
Praising Northern Macedonia for changing the name after decades of pressure from Athens, the perspective of six years EU accession talks looks like an indulgence for all mortal sins in one.
Transparency International warns about degrading situation in Northern Macedonia with overall corruption, including political “manifested through instances of abuse of power, conflict of interest and dubious practices of financing political parties and election campaigns is widespread, while political interference in all spheres of governance seriously hampers the implementation of anti-corruption reforms”.
Poor score indicating to the general toxic climate of deviation from democratic norms and standards by no means explains the bubbly enthusiasm of Commissioner
Oliver Varhelyi towards both countries accession to the familiy of the European democracies.
The are two major reasons for this phenomena, difficult for understanding from the common sense point of view.
First of all it is an emotional reaction to the UK departure, causing the EU apparatchiks energetic attempts to create an illusion of attractiveness of the bloc, and subsequently falling into trap of undiscriminating. An obsession with dynamics, a trompe d’œil of perpetum mobile of the European project, the idea of movement as proof of live and even vivacity.
The other aspect of this move is the genuine belief of the EU mandarines in their healing powers, bestowing progress and civility upon humanity. This particular belief, as any other is unjustified irrational sentiment, has been transferring the idea of European project into a modern cult. As any cult it requires ardeur of conviction, often denying the realities of physical world around: Greece has not completed land register since joining the EU in 1981 (!), and continues to avoid it in spite of Troika ultimatums during debt crisis in 2015. A little illustration of the huge discrepancy between EU imaginary powers of transformation, and valid capacities. However Greek experience did not discourage EU bureaucracy to roll red carpet for Albania, the second and the only country outside the EU in Europe without the land register.
The other level for Albania & Northern Macedonia accession is explained by geopolitics: and here the EU has to bow to the United States, as the major provider for defence of European continent under NATO umbrella. The clear trend of imposing maximum Alliance members onto the European bloc perfectly serves the American long term interest to prevent development of Common European defence, (once upon a time derailed by French National Assembly, but experiencing resurrection under President Macron). Flooding the EU with NATO allies will prevent Europe from growing muscle, constructing its own independent from the USA defence system. From that point of view inclusion of ensemble of Balkan allies, will secure NATO’s monopoly for the future in a completely democratic way – by voting in the European Council – the “legalised abortion” of European defence. Trojan Horses of the European project.
Anna Van Densky blog 