Southeast Europe COVID-19 Bulletin No 4: Pandemic Politics
In this 4th and final Bulletin before the summer, we focus on the latest developments with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic in the region, and the impact it has had on the overall political environment within each country, many of whom are facing impending electoral challenges.
The deterioration in democratic standards and delays in EU related reforms as the pandemic unfolded throughout the region, in countries where institutions were already weak, should be a cause for concern for the EU as it pursues its enlargement agenda.
With the postponement of the European Commission’s annual enlargement communication with accompanying country reports to the autumn, this deterioration is likely to continue unchecked without more rigorous monitoring and enforcement actions from the European Union. In this respect, the forthcoming rule of law monitoring reports from the European Commission will be a useful indicator.