Selim Ibraimi- European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen visited the Balkan states, pledging to keep the Balkans’ integration into the European Union (EU) a priority for enlargement. Recent statements from the region show that Brussels is committed to the Balkans, but the final say lies with Balkan governments to deliver on reforms and demands.
“The time to invest in the Western Balkans is now. Because if you choose the Western Balkans, you choose Europe,” she said during a meeting with regional officials. During a summit in Tirana between the EU and Balkan states, Von der Leyen invited investors to participate in the Growth Plan, which is believed to make the region more economically sustainable and offer more to the EU. “The EU is the promise of peace, prosperity, and solidarity,” she said.
In Serbia, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said kind words, although the Serbian population has a different view of the EU and NATO, which is similar to the policies of the Serbian government. Later on in the tour, she stopped in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “My visit to the Srebrenica memorial touched me deeply. I honored the memory of more than 8,000 Bosniak boys and men who were killed in Srebrenica 30 years ago. “I paid homage to the mothers, women, and daughters who carried the weight of loss for three long decades. It is our duty to preserve the truth and to actively work for reconciliation. The EU will always remember the Srebrenica genocide.” “Bosnia and Herzegovina has come a long way. Accession negotiations were opened. This was a historic moment that we should be proud of. This spirit must now carry us forward. Accession negotiations require focus, perseverance, and, above all, unity.” said Ursula von der Leyen in Sarajevo. During her meeting with North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the EU’s same views on the country.
“We remain fully supportive of North Macedonia on its path to the EU. You can count on us. The next and only step before opening negotiations is clear. You need to make the agreed constitutional changes. The ball is in your court. The EU is ready,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
A day later, the Macedonian Prime Minister declared that without guarantees from the EU and Bulgaria, there will be no constitutional changes. She further said during a meeting with senior Kosovo officials: “We remain committed to a future where all six Western Balkan partners are part of our union. For this, Kosovo must continue to build strong institutions. To reduce tensions in the country. Kosovo must also finalize the necessary steps to benefit from the Growth Plan.
“In Montenegro, the European official’s comments were in a different vein. “Every time I come to Montenegro, I can feel the heart of Europe beating. You are not only committed to your European future. You are passionate about it. And it shows. Because you are a leader in the accession process.
According to Ursula von der Leyen, Montenegro can achieve its EU ambitions if it remains focused and united. As we have mentioned in our previous articles on EU policy towards the Balkans, Brussels has played a major role in transforming the Balkans with democratic, financial, and economic development, which has been integrated into the Berlin Process, the Growth Plan, and other initiatives. But some countries in the Balkan region have pursued different policies of EU membership and rapprochement with countries outside the union, such as Serbia and North Macedonia, which believe that better days are ahead. Despite the EU’s internal issues, the finances and time the EU has spent in the region can be said to have kept its promises, and it will continue with this enlargement policy. The remaining obstacles in the region are unresolved by the Balkan governments themselves. European statesmen have called for a closer connection between the Balkans and the EU. Therefore, in times of crisis, Balkan governments should work more with the EU.
However, it remains up to the governments and citizens of the region to continue with social, political, interethnic, etc. insecurities, or to focus on solving interstate and internal problems. According to reports from Brussels, countries like Serbia and North Macedonia are stuck in reforms and in squabbles with their neighbors with no clear conclusion on when the troubled states will emerge from the nightmares of the past. Recently, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Moldova joined the financial transactions called the Single Payments Area (SEPA), saving the EU up to 500 million euros. After the rapid entry into the EU and NATO of the former Warsaw Bloc countries, some countries that emerged from the former Yugoslavia have stalled and do not want to join the EU, promised other strategic solutions.
Despite their wishes, the EU remains their important trading partner, a fact that cannot be denied by governments that are not moving towards reforms and resolving disputes. Ultimately, the EU remains the best solution for Balkan governments, considering economic, trade, and other ties. In Balkan government circles and beyond, a view prevails that the EU should take care of everything without reforming or establishing the rule of law. But this is not the only paradox. Even worse, they want European taxpayers’ money much more than they want to solve problems. This mentality needs to be changed for a quick solution and to think about how to move forward.
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