Conflicting objectives of EU conditionality uncovered: Roma policies in the Republic of North Macedonia. CEP Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe, No. 2019-05, May 2019 2019

Kacarska, Simonida (2019) Conflicting objectives of EU conditionality uncovered: Roma policies in the Republic of North Macedonia. CEP Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe, No. 2019-05, May 2019 2019. [Policy Paper]

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Abstract

This policy paper examines the conflicting objectives of EU conditionality in relation to Roma in the aftermath of introducing visa-free travel for the Western Balkans, studying the case of North Macedonia. Since the eastern enlargement, EU conditionality on Roma has gradually advanced in terms of both the acceding countries and EU member states. At the same time, the pressures to curb migration in the EU have inadvertently affected the position of Roma. In acceding countries from the Western Balkans, the tension between these two trends has been clearly illustrated with the EU and national responses to the rise of the number of asylum seekers in the EU from this region. Looking at the case of North Macedonia, the paper shows how national authorities, in response to EU member state requests, have instituted practices at the national level that have led to a violation of the rights of the Roma community, by limiting their freedom to exit the country.

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