The European Parliament and Yugoslavia from the 1970s to the Wars of Dissolution: Human Rights, Democracy, Integration

The thesis examines the origin and development of the European Parliament's policy towards Yugoslavia, from the 1970s until the break-up of the Yugoslav federation in the early 1990s. It is a systemic historical study, based on archival documents from the Historical Archives of the European Union (Florence). Through a European Parliament-centered approach it explores the process of EC/EU external policy-making and institutional response to the Yugoslav question and the wars of dissolution. Looking at the active role of the European Parliament (EP) in EC/EU external affairs, through its incremental increase in powers, especially in the sphere of human rights and democracy, as well as its proactive role in European integration, the analysis concludes that the EP was a significant actor in influencing and shaping EC- Yugoslavia relations in multiple policy areas, including human rights, democratization, and integration. Besides, the thesis argues that the Parliament not only influenced policy outcomes but also was a crucial factor in maintaining and strengthening the bilateral relations over times of crisis and instability emerging from the Yugoslav internal political, economic, and social developments, which directly affected the security and stability of the Balkan region.