This news article provides a summary of the panel discussion on ‘Finishing the Job in the Balkans’, hosted by The Hague Institute for Global Justice on 16 July 2014.  All panellists agreed that the countries of the Western Balkan should join the European Union. It was argued that for this to happen European values must be integrated into the fabric of society of the countries and the EU must open accession negotiations without lowering the criteria or promising accession dates. It was also argued that for the accession process to work, the methodology must be changed to focus on reforms in the Western Balkans rather than conditionality on principles issues. All panellists agreed that ‘mutual acknowledgement of harm done’ is the indispensable heart of the matter of reconciliation. This has not occurred in the Balkans, and cannot be imposed from Europe. It requires regional engagement to ‘promote dialogue of justice’.

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