Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group

Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG)
Logo of the group
Formation 2013 (5 years ago)
Founder
Type Expert group
Legal status Active
Purpose Policy research, policy advocacy, policy debate, democratization and Europeanisation of the Western Balkans, European integration
Region
Southeastern Europe
Membership (2018)
20 researchers
Official language
English
Coordinator
 Florian Bieber
Website www.biepag.eu

The Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (abbreviation: BiEPAG) is a expert group founded in 2013 by European Fund for the Balkans and Centre for Southeast European Studies of the University of Graz.[1][2] It is compromised 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.[3][4] Paper was presented at a round-table in the European Parliament 28 March 2017.[5]

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.[6]

The group is currently coordinated by Florian Bieber.[7]

Members

  • Dimitar Bechev
  • Florian Bieber
  • Srđan Cvijić
  • Srđan Majstorović
  • Shpend Emini
  • Milica Delević
  • Marika Djolai
  • Vedran Džihić
  • Dejan Jović
  • Marko Kmezić
  • Jovana Marović
  • Milan Nič
  • Dane Taleski
  • Corina Stratulat
  • Nikolaos Tzifakis
  • Alida Vračić
  • Natasha Wunsch
  • Blerjana Bino
  • Tobias Flessenkemper
  • Zoran Nechev

Former members

  • Nikola Dimitrov
  • Leon Malazogu
  • Danijela Dolenec
  • Arolda Elbasani
  • Nenad Koprivica
  • Nebojša Lazarević
  • Marija Risteska
  • Theresia Töglhofer

References

  1. ↑ "Advocating Europeanization and regional cooperation - Balkan Fund". Balkan Fund. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  2. ↑ "About the Group – BiEPAG". www.biepag.eu. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  3. ↑ "BiEPAG Think Tank: Democracy in Balkans in Decline | Exit -..." Exit – Explaining Albania. 2017-04-04. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
  4. ↑ "The West backs Balkan autocrats to keep the peace, again". The Economist. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
  5. ↑ Archives, EWB (28 March 2017). "BiEPAG in EP: The Crisis of Democracy in the Western Balkans - Authoritarianism and EU Stabilitocracy - European Western Balkans". European Western Balkans. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "Zalažemo se za novo partnerstvo Evropske unije i Balkana". Dnevni list Danas (in Serbian). 2018-04-14. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
  7. ↑ "Florian Bieber – BiEPAG". www.biepag.eu. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
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