Developing a framework for sustainable regional development in the Western Balkans

The Western Balkans continue to face persistent challenges, including fragmented economies, institutional fragility, and environmental vulnerability, despite decades of integration efforts. However, existing research often addresses regional cooperation, economic integration, or sustainability in isolation, creating a gap in understanding how these dimensions interact to shape long-term development (Sanfey & Milatović, 2019; Zeneli, 2014). This study addresses this problem by developing a multidimensional framework for sustainable regional development that systematically integrates these three interdependent pillars. Using qualitative document analysis of 39 policy reports, academic studies, and civil society contributions (Bowen, 2009), the research identifies key barriers including fluctuating political will, uneven governance, and policy fragmentation alongside opportunities in civil society engagement, innovative financing, and European Union (EU) aligned collaboration (Draçi et al., 2022; Bartlett et al., 2022). The findings demonstrate that economic integration cannot succeed without parallel governance reforms, and that sustainability must be embedded as a foundational principle rather than an add-on. By bridging this gap, the study contributes both a theoretical synthesis and a practical roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders to harmonize economic, institutional, and environmental reforms in the Western Balkans.