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Survey of IRI for the Western Balkans: Strong support for EU membership, attacks by Russia on Ukraine are unjustified

by AI | 14.May 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Regarding the question of whether they would support accession to the EU if a referendum were held today, in five out of six countries a strong majority would vote for accession to the Union, ranging from 68 percent in North Macedonia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina to 92 percent in Albania. In Serbia, more than 40 percent support EU accession.

Questionnaire on IRI's attitudes towards the EU in the Western Balkans. (Photo: MIA)

Washington – The latest multinational survey on the Western Balkans by the Survey Research Center (SRI) of the International Republican Institute (IRI) shows widespread support for joining the European Union (EU) and a strong majority considering the Russian war against Ukraine as unjustified. The survey was conducted in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia between February 2 and March 5, 2024, according to IRI Macedonia.

In response to the question of whether they would support joining the EU if a referendum were held today, in five out of the six countries a strong majority would vote for joining the Union, ranging from 68 percent in North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to 92 percent in Albania. In Serbia, most of the 40 percent support joining the EU.

Paul McCarthy, Director for Europe at IRI, commenting on the survey, assesses that there is a strong desire throughout the Balkans to strengthen ties with Western economies and to join the EU.

– This widespread support shows that people across the region believe that further integration into the European Union can help achieve sustainable prosperity, says McCarthy.

In fact, economic issues dominate the priorities of the citizens for the governments of the Western Balkans. Besides Albania, where unemployment is a major problem, high prices and the cost of living represent the biggest concern for citizens in the other five countries of the Western Balkans. In addition, in all six countries, corruption emerges as one of the top three priority problems.

The survey also showed that the majority in five of the six surveyed countries believe that the Russian war against Ukraine is completely or somewhat unjustified. In Serbia, however, most of the 49 percent completely or somewhat justify Russia. (May 14)