The European Union Strategy towards the South European states: the Case of Political Transformation in Serbia

Abstract

Serbia, as a part of SFRY, at the end of 80th of the XX century was a leader of integration processes; but in a result of its collapse and civil wars, also out of the long lasting process of confrontation with the Milosevic's regime, these advantages were lost and the process of institutional reforms was retarded.The failure of the EU peaceful initiatives during the Yugoslavian conflict settlement in 90th leaded to the development and implementation fundamentally newstrategy of stabilization - SAP - economic and political stabilization of the wholeregion in time.The democratic opposition in Serbia took the course on integration into the EU from the very beginning (2000) but during long time it wasn't able to implement theradical reforms.In such conditions the EU' tactics of categorical demands to admit new status of Kosovo and cooperate with Hague in aggregate with economic and financial support of institutional reforms and speeding up the process of the SAP signing,afforded. Such cynical "stick and carrot policy" from the side of EU fortunately was crowned with success.