THE EUROPEANISATION OF ALBANIA AND NORTH MACEDONIA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PERIOD 2000-2019

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the field of Europeanisation and European Integration in the Western Balkan, as the potential region to join the European Union. For this purpose, Albania and North Macedonia were used as case studies to measure the progress of Europeanisation through the policy adaptation process in these two countries, from 2000 to 2019. Following this approach, the thesis has developed the main research question: 1) Has the Europeanisation regarding the policy adaptation been reached out on same levels in Albania and North Macedonia during the period 2000-2019? Consequently, the thesis developed the following hypothesis: 1) While Albania and North Macedonia are found at the same stage of the Accession process by the year 2019, it doesn’t neccessarely make the case for the both countries to have the same results regarding policy adaptation in the whole spectrum of the Accession criteria. The thesis employs a comparative analysis based on the “Small-N” case-based approach, aiming to find the similarities and differences in 3 (three) indicators: 1) Political System; 2) Judiciary; and 3) Good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation. These indicators are assessed on their Europeanisation progression based on the “three-degree approach” of policy adoption (verbal, legal, and substantive) based on the work of Elbasani (2013). Through this research design, the thesis provides a new approach in the application of the Europeanisation literature in the context of the candidate countries and beyond. In particular, the use Elbasani’s (2013) three-degree level of policy adoption measurement in iii the practice on measuring the Europeanisation on concrete countries through the use of a comparative analysis. The results of the analysis indicate that the Europeanisation of the policy adaptation process in Albania and North Macedonia has been tumultuous and at approximate levels of difficulty but retaining particular differences. In the political system, the most distinctive differences are reflected by their political composition and political maturity. In the Judiciary, the most distinctive differences are reflected by the extension of reforms in this sector and the efficiency of the system. Lastly, in the Good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation, the most distinctive differences are reflected by the bilateral relations established with the neighbours. Overall, both countries have shown to progress over the years, by addressing several issues, however, considering that North Macedonia has resulted to reach out the EU accession milstones quicker than Albania, and in parallel also the Europeanisation in two of the three variables, it may indicate that it will move at the similar pace even during the accession negotiations phase but taking into consideration that the solving of the issue with Bulgaria will play a role prior to the singing of the accession Treaty. In conclusion, the results serve as reference points that can be useful to predict the dynamics regarding the said indicators of the Europeanisation of these two countries. However, the approach taken for the comparative analysis cannot be considered as the sole model to assess Europeanisation.