International Conference: Current Security Challenges for the Western Balkan Region Addressed by Means of Joint Responsibility and Cooperation Mladen Nakic Mladen Nakic disagreed with the term'fragile state,' arguing that in the Western Balkans there are partially or completely dysfunctional states. A lot of progress has been achieved in the last 20 years and Croatia's integration in the EU is a sign of that progress. The main cause of the failure of some countries to adhere to EU criteria lies with political elites of those countries. Thus, the causes are internal, rather than external. As far as the next round of enlargement is concerned, in this mandate, unfortunately, there will be no enlargement with a lengthy process expecting Montenegro and Albania as candidate countries. A new wave cannot be expected before 10-15 years. As someone from Croatia, two countries are in focus: Serbia and BiH. Serbia has good administrative capacity to implement the negotiation process in a good way. However, apart from public statements, Serbia needs to show in practice that it is oriented towards EU integrations. Croatia will not use bilateral issues towards Serbia, like Slovenia did to Croatia during the negotiating process. These issues can be resolved somewhere in the stage of pre­accession of Serbia. Of course this depends a lot from the policy of Serbia, not only towards Croatia, but towards the region-especially Chapter 35, which will be open among the rst and be closed among the last, and this will have to do in the rst place with the normalization of relations with Kosovo. It is in Croatia's interests that all countries become part of EU and NATO (those who want). However, these countries need to face their past, especially Serbia. If we talk about Kosovo, it has to be brought to the situation where it can consume its independence completely. We know that Serbia continues to lobby against that, we know Russia' stand in the UNSC. As a consequence, Kosovo will not be able to become UN member in the foreseeable future, which also inuences internally in the situation in Kosovo. Macedonia on the other side is the key to regional stability, even more important than BiH, especially when we take into account the Albanian minority and what preceded the Ohrid Agreement. Macedonia was unjustly stopped in its Euro-Atlantic integration. Greece has to show more pragmatism and wisdom, if we are talking about regional stability, and Greece is responsible. However, in Macedonia they have to be more pragmatic regarding the name and eliminate the Greek veto. 105