The European Parliament and memory politics in Croatia and Serbia

What is it about?

The shared memories of the Second World War have played a crucial role in the process of integration of the European Union. After the Enlargement to the East, the EU also sought to accommodate the historical experiences of former communist countries. The result of this process was an EU memory framework focusing on shared suffering under totalitarian (both fascist and communist) regimes. This article examines the impact of this framework and its equalisation of fascism and communism on Croatia (new member state) and Serbia (in accession talks). We conclude the framework is utilised to renegotiate local ideological tensions.

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Why is it important?

We explain and define what the EU memory framework is, and bring a detailed overview of the most important memory resolutions made by the EP since its inception. Our findings show a direct link between memory politics and the EU Accession of new members. The EP serves as a tool and a newly available democratic arena for the promotion of national interests and narratives about the past.