Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group


The Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group is an expert group founded in 2013 by European Fund for the Balkans and Centre for Southeast European Studies of the University of Graz. It is composed of the senior researchers from the Balkans and wider Europe who are researching political, economic and social trends in the Balkans.
In March 2017, they published policy paper The Crisis of Democracy in the Western Balkans: Authoritarianism and EU Stabilitocracy which dealt with democracy in Western Balkans. Policy paper pointed out that because of EU's emphasis on stability of Western Balkans, rise of the authoritarianism is connived. Paper was presented at a round-table in the European Parliament 28 March 2017.
On its 10th anniversary of the European Fund for the Balkans the Declaration of a European Balkans Partnership was launched. The document was signed by numerous Balkan actors which calls for more engagement by the EU in the Western Balkans to complete the region's socio-economic transformation. Declaration was authored by Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group who consulted Balkans state officials, representatives of European Union, representatives of civil society and renowned experts and intellectuals.
The group is currently coordinated by Florian Bieber. and Igor Bandović.

Members

Former members