Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group

The Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (abbreviation: BiEPAG) is an 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 composed of the senior researchers from the Balkans and wider Europe who are researching political, economic and social trends in the Balkans.

Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG)
Logo of the group
Formation2013 (5 years ago)
Founder
TypeExpert group
Legal statusActive
PurposePolicy 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
Websitewww.biepag.eu

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] and Igor Bandović.

Members

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

References
  1. "Advocating Europeanization and regional cooperation - Balkan Fund". Balkan Fund. Archived from the original on 2018-06-26. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  2. "About the Group – BiEPAG". www.biepag.eu. Archived from the original on 2018-06-26. 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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