Lessons and good practices from the Western Balkan countries for the EU accession process of the Republic of Moldova

Between 28 September and 7 October 2022, the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) and the New Europe Center (NEC) from Kyiv, with the support of the Open Society Foundations (OSF), organized a study visit to Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia. The purpose of the study visit was to analyze the experience of the three states in the EU accession process and to strengthen cooperation between public institutions and research centers in the Republic of Moldova, on the one hand, and those in Zagreb, Podgorica and Skopje, on the other hand.

During the visit to Zagreb, IPRE and NEC representatives had meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Regional Development and European Funds and the Croatian Parliament. Experts from the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine held discussions at the Representation of the European Union in Croatia and at the Foundation for Human Rights and Solidarity.

In Podgorica, the Moldovan and Ukrainian experts had meetings with officials from the Ministry of European Affairs, the Parliament of Montenegro and the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro. At the same time, our colleagues talked with representatives of two important research centers in the capital of Montenegro: the Alternative Institute and the Center for Civic Education.

In North Macedonia, meetings were held with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Secretariat of European Affairs. Our colleagues also met with representatives of the Institute for European Policies, the Foundation for an Open Society and the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, as well as former high-ranking officials involved in managing North Macedonia’s EU accession process.

During the study visit, the main constraints and priorities of the Western Balkan states in the context of EU accession were examined, including the institutional working formats at the governmental and parliamentary level for the coordination of EU accession negotiations.

The study visit to Western Balkans was organized within the project ”Strengthening the role of  think-tanks in supporting the national effort of European integration of the Republic of Moldova and the EU accession process”, implemented with the support of the Open Society Foundations (OSF).