Sfidat Ekonomike të vendeve të Ballkanit Perëndimor drejt anëtarësimit në Bashkimin Europian, në përputhje me kriteret e Kopenhagës, implikimet mbi investimet e huaja direkte
The Economic Challenges of the Western Balkan countries towards membership in the European Union, in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria, the implications on foreign direct investments

Summary/Abstract: In this paper we analyzed the main economic challenges of the Western Balkan countries such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia and Serbia towards EU integration. In this regard in the paper, we present the economic development of these countries, corresponding to the Copenhagen economic criteria, which are considered as valid contenders for membership of countries in the European Union structures. For this purpose we used the data from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the period 2000-2010, to reflect developments in privatization, price liberalization and restructuring of enterprises, competition policy, liberalization of foreign trade and liberalization of non – bank financial institutions. In this paper, we also consider the relationship between transition progress indicator, measured by EBRD indexes and Foreign Direct Investment inflows (FDI) in the SEE countries, to depict the importance of transition reforms on FDI, as well as the milestone role of FDI on improving the transition performance of SEE countries. Results of the study confirm that the Western Balkan countries, have to overcome the challenges associated with banking reforms and liberalization of the banking system, in order to be closer to EU countries. The result of the study, also confirms positive relationship between transition progress and FDI, thus reflecting the specific role of FDI on the improvement of the transition performance of SEE countries.

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