This Policy Dialogue saw the launch of the 2017 edition of the Balkan Barometer, the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) yearly comprehensive survey of the business community and the public’s attitudes, aspirations, perceptions, and expectations across South East Europe, on a wide array of subjects. Recent developments in the Balkans, including the formation of a new government in Skopje and discussions on regional economic cooperation at the Trieste Summit in July, have provided reason for renewed optimism about the region’s future and its EU accession perspective. Looking at the main findings of the report, a panel of experts discussed whether this renewed optimism was present across the board in the Balkans, what businesses and citizens thought of the region’s current state of democracy, and what their main concerns and expectations are for the future.

Speakers included: Corina Stratulat, Senior Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre, Goran Svilanović, Secretary General, Regional Cooperation Council, Maciej Popowski, Deputy Director General, DG NEAR, European Commission, Vladimir Gligorov, GfK Expert Consultant, Researcher at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, Vedran Džihić, Co-Director, Center for Advanced Studies South East Europe, University of Vienna, Jesper Johnson, Policy Analyst, OECD SIGMA, Mark Vasić, Senior Manager, International Regulatory Affairs, Deutsche Telekom AG, Davor Dubravica, Chairperson of the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative, Nikica Mojsoska Blazhevski, Dean, School of Business Economics and Management, University American College, Skopje, Orhan Usein, Team Leader, Roma Integration 2020.