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Despite all the achievements of the past few years, the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro) are still perceived as a region characterised by high political and economic instability. The events of the last fifteen years have left many problems unresolved which are still today impeding lasting peace and stability. Among the multiple problems of the Western Balkan countries today, diffused criminal activities are probably among the most complex, as they have proved very difficult to eradicate. Although there have been a number of positive initiatives in recent years against organised crime in Southeast Europe, also within the numerous activities of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe and the Southeast European Cooperation Process, criminal activities continue to represent a serious impediment to achieving more permanent regional stability, and as such are also a major threat to security for the whole of Europe. Organised crime in the Western Balkans is also considered a major obstacle for integrating these countries into the European Union (E.U.). A better understanding of these problems is therefore fundamental, as it can help in the search for remedies for combating crime in the Western Balkans in the future, as well as contribute to their swift integration into the E.U. In trying to shed light on these complex issues, this paper will first give an overview of the multiple factors that have contributed to widespread criminality in the Western Balkans (part 2). Next, it will examine E.U. policies towards the Western Balkans, both during the 1990s and in the post-1999 period, when the Stabilisation and Association Process finally offered these countries prospects of E.U. membership (part 3). Within such European perspectives, some critical elements of E.U. policies towards the Western Balkan region are discussed (part 4). The paper ends with a few concluding remarks (part 5). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious tolerance in Montenegro is a positive example that has contributed to the National Security of Montenegro and its new state in the Balkans. The challenges exist as a result of its geographical position, the diverse population as well as some unique characteristics that are analyzed in the following paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper concentrates in the observation of the religious realities, mainly Muslim in different Albanian inhabited areas in the Balkans, such as in Kosovo, Montenegro, Greece and Macedonia. Areas which the author simply refers to as “the Albanian Periphery Lands”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NATO Advanced Research workshop “Strengthening and Promoting religious tolerance and co-existence in the Balkans and beyond” that was held in Tirana Albania in September, October 2006, brought together researchers and academics, politicians and theologians from different parts of the Balkans and the world at large. The lively and constructive debate brought a number of new key elements and ideas to the table. Albania and its intereligious relationships and experiences were presented as positive examples of religious co-existence. These and other positive experiences were compared and discussed in relation to other developments in the region and the world. It was a privilege of the Millenium Club Center and myself personally as its Executive Director to have been part of this amazing group of people and discussion. I wanted to give a big heartfelt thank you to all the participants and contributors to the workshop. Without your participation, your insight, and contribution, the workshop would not have been the success it was. I hope that this publication will bring through the fundamental issues and topics discussed at the workshop. Due to the editorial and publishers restrictions, we could not fit all the presentations in the book. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the presentations given at the workshop in Tirana, and this book, will further encourage discussion and debate on what has become one of the most sensitive issues of our time. Mentor Nazarko, Executive Director, Millenium Club Center, Co-Director NATO Science for Peace Project, Advanced Research Workshop [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses problem of the Balkans in terms of too much connection and relationship rather than fragmentation. Topics discussed include exploring how the Balkans came to mean fractality in hegemonic terms, how the Balkans constitute problematic connection rather than problematic fragmentation, and ethnographic and linguistic maps.