Democratic security in the Western Balkans

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 16376 | 14 April 2026

Signatories:

Mr Piero FASSINO, Italy, SOC ; Mr Denis BEGIC, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Deborah BERGAMINI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Elena BONETTI, Italy, ALDE ; Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Romania, SOC ; Mr Yves CRUCHTEN, Luxembourg, SOC ; Ms Edite ESTRELA, Portugal, SOC ; Ms Aurora FLORIDIA, Italy, SOC ; Ms Elisabetta GARDINI, Italy, ECPA ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Gökçe GÖKÇEN, Türkiye, SOC ; Ms Zita GURMAI, Hungary, SOC ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ LIMONES, Spain, SOC ; Mr Pablo HISPÁN, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Julian JOSWIG, Germany, SOC ; Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, France, SOC ; Ms Bisera KOSTADINOVSKA-STOJCHEVSKA, North Macedonia, SOC ; Ms Elvira KOVÁCS, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Ms Iris LUARASI, Albania, SOC ; Mr Saša MAGAZINOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOC ; Mr Didier MARIE, France, SOC ; Mr Fabian MOLINA, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Marko PAVIĆ, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Austria, SOC ; Mr Ivan RAČAN, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Theodoros ROUSOPOULOS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Ms Dunja SIMONOVIĆ BRATIĆ, Serbia, SOC ; Mr Roberto SPERANZA, Italy, SOC ; Mr Georgios STAMATIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Ivanka VASILEVSKA, North Macedonia, EPP/CD ; Mr Francesco VERDUCCI, Italy, SOC ; Ms Sandra ZAMPA, Italy, SOC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Democratic security is a fundamental European concept that has played a decisive role in bringing peace and prosperity to the continent – by establishing stable institutions, encouraging citizen participation and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.

When applying to join the Council of Europe, the countries of the Western Balkans committed themselves to these principles and have made tangible progress in their implementation since then. At the same time, important challenges remain, including political polarisation, volatile public trust in institutions, and continued vulnerability to external influence. While regional co-operation has advanced, unresolved bilateral issues and historical legacies continue to require sustained and responsible political engagement.

The appropriate response to Europe’s current profound challenges is more, not less, democratic security. For the countries of the Western Balkans, this means redoubling efforts to fully implement Council of Europe standards, which forms an essential benchmark in their EU accession process and a key reference point for assessing progress.

Democratic security thus carries clear strategic importance for the Western Balkans. Given their close interconnection with the rest of Europe, it is equally significant for the continent as a whole, representing an investment in Europe’s future resilience, cohesion and strength.

The Parliamentary Assembly should therefore step up its political engagement in the Western Balkans to consolidate democratic security. Priority should be given to strengthening transparent, accountable and resilient democratic governance, notably by making full use of the Venice Commission’s expertise. In parallel, the Assembly should engage with the institutions of the European Union to accelerate the accession process for Western Balkan countries – while preserving focus on the rule of law, democratic governance, and fundamental rights – as a key contribution to the democratic security of Europe.