Shqipe Kajtazi

Common Interests As Impetus for Regional Integration: Regional Cooperation of Western Balkan Countries Shqipe Kajtazi

The Wars of 1990''s in the Balkans have reduced cooperation and shown lack of trust between all countries in the region. EU initiated the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe (SEE). In the founding document, over 40 partner countries and organizations committed to strengthen the countries of SEE "in their efforts to foster peace, democracy, respect for human rights and economic prosperity in order to achieve stability in the whole region" (SP). Hence Cooperation in Regional level is the cornerstone in this course. This book focuses in shading light to the efforts that western Balkan countries made for developing efficient regional transport network in order to integrate into the Trans-European Transport Network. Cooperation is promoted by the EU CARDS Programme, and the MoU that SEE countries signed for development of the Core Regional Transport Network. What efforts have the countries made? How is process developing? and Which are the forces to help overcome the problems? are some of the questions addressed here. The most complex is the case of Kosova. Although having antagonist relations with Serbia, progress was made in the sphere of transport network development.