Membership Prospective for Western Balkans Between the Eu Criteria and New Geopolitical Conditions

As it moves towards European integration, striving to meet EU requirements, the Western Balkans must overcome the prejudices and shadows of the past, while facing the challenges imposed by internal and external developments. This paper aims to assess the degree of progress made in areas such as democracy, economic development and security in the region. Through the comparative data, it is sought to shed more light on the trajectory that the region should follow in the new geopolitical conditions created. The analysis of the main internal indicators is balanced with the impact stemming from developments outside the region. Thus, it is intended to understand whether the framework of conditions that the EU has set for the region is sufficient and guarantees a rapid membership of the latter in the EU. Or in the face of new geopolitical developments, a new faster integration course is needed for the Western Balkans region. Received: 10 December 2024 / Accepted: 19 February 2025 / Published: 06 March 2025