The European Union and South East Europe: The Dynamics of Europeanization and Multilevel Governance by Andrew Taylor & Andrew Geddes & Charles Lees

Author:Andrew Taylor & Andrew Geddes & Charles Lees [Taylor, Andrew & Geddes, Andrew & Lees, Charles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Comparative Politics, American Government, Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781136281563
Google: irzxk0b3o9EC
Goodreads: 17918806
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2012-06-22T00:00:00+00:00

The network

Compared to the other cases, Macedonia’s network is very simple and centralised (Figure 4.5), reflecting both its newness as a state and candidate status, both of which necessitate extensive state-building. In common with

Figure 4.5 The cohesion network: Macedonia

Croatia, international bodies other than the EU (for example, World Bank, IMF, United Nations Commission for Europe) are in the network but are of declining importance. The Delegation of the European Commission is a direct participant as, of course, is the EU via enlargement policy and its sponsorship of the OFA, both of which condition the operation of the Macedonian polity. The network’s focus on a few central institutions – the SEA, Ministry of Local Self-Government and the Ministry of Finance – reflects the preferences of elites concerned about centrifugal forces jeopardising membership by undermining stability, and a Commission anxious to see the development of an effective and legitimate state. Both are constrained by past commitments and rhetoric concerning participation and decentralisation. The problem is how to enhance central effectiveness while decentralising power and responsibility. Rhetorically, the Commission and government see the two as so intertwined as to be indistinguishable but in reality the network has two core actors – MSLG and SEA – that manage decentralisation and accession respectively as interconnected processes and which provide access to the centre for subnational and civil society interests in their capacity as gatekeepers. This ensures access to the centre and central control; the Commission accepts this because central capacity is essential for accession and political stability. The Secretariat for the Legislature is part of this core network because of the need to ensure speedy legislation and to ensure parliamentarians are locked into the twin processes of accession and decentralisation. However, as we saw in Chapter 2, legislation can be passed too quickly to be absorbed.

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