The Western Balkans (WB) region holds significant strategic importance for the European Union (EU) due to its location as a gateway for refugee transit routes, potential for economic growth and development, and historical conflicts and tensions. The EU aims to promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the region as part of its foreign policy objectives and political criterion of accession. Furthermore, EU politicians claim that the future of the WB countries is in the union. However, the EU's enlargement towards the WB has stalled since 2013, and these countries' path to EU integration is beset by numerous challenges, including political instability, corruption, weak rule of law, and a lack of sustainable democracy, prompting questions about how to meet the EU's accession criteria.
Civil society has been recognized as a crucial agent in promoting democratic values and principles and implementing the political reforms necessary for successful EU accession. Nonetheless, the role of civil society in the political arena and the accession process in the region is frequently subordinate. This Ph.D. examines the perspectives of civil society representatives from Albania, Kosovo, and Serbia on the political changes required to accelerate the accession process and establish sustainable democracies. Through literature review, document analysis, and in-depth interviews, this Ph.D. strives to a) contribute to the academic literature on EU enlargement and democratization in the WB, b) shed light on the voices of civil society and evaluate their impact on the EU accession process, and c) propose policy recommendations that can accelerate the accession process and promote the development of sustainable democracies from the perspective of citizens.