Western Balkan Summit 2021 - Hoofdinhoud

On 6 October the 27 EU leaders met with the leaders from the six Western Balkan at the third EU-Western Balkan Summit, organised by the Slovenian Presidency in Brdo. I asked myself: how did the schoolteacher in Skopje look at this? Or the accountant in Belgrade? To be honest, I hope they did not tune in for the press conference nor read the declaration. The best takeaway for them is probably the €30 billion total funding (including 20 billion private investments) available for the region in the next seven years.

The EU is the region’s main political, economic and trade partner. And although the EU´s financial pledge is not unconditional, it is available under transparent and fair conditions. In contrast with strangle loans from countries like China, worth a fraction of the European money and with non-transparent and unfavourable requirements. The EU investments not only directly improve the life of people, but the funding conditions related to the progress in each country’s accession agenda result in further beneficial improvements of the rule of law, social-economic reforms and anti-corruption measurements.

The adopted declaration is full of nicely worded but empty promises.

So what was the bad news then today? The adopted declaration is full of nicely worded but empty promises. Even ‘unequivocal support’ becomes meaningless when for years now we are going back and forth between giving hope and the cold shoulder. It goes without saying that the Balkan countries still have much more to expect from the EU than from any other partner, but the recent years have produced more frustration than joy. Journalists conclude: ‘Balkan countries not welcome now in EU’. (NOS)

It is extremely worrying that the responsible European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi actively undermines the integrity of the EU enlargement process, suddenly favouring the opening of new accession cluster with Serbia.

It is extremely worrying that the responsible European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi actively undermines the integrity of the EU enlargement process, suddenly favouring the opening of new accession cluster with Serbia. There, media freedom, democracy, judiciary reform and rule of law are in decline instead of improving. This follows recent rumours about actively playing down the importance of rule of law in general. This is especially bitter for North Macedonia and Albania, who worked so hard to meet all conditions and criteria required to start the formal negotiation process for accession. They returned home with ´unequivocal support’, but without a clear timeline.

Really nothing that could convince the teacher or the accountant? Of course, it is encouraging that countries agreed to accelerate further regional integration and to promote innovative, concrete solutions and initiatives that facilitate trade and free movement among Balkan countries. This directly improves quality of life and society. But this process requires a real and tangible perspective for accession if criteria are met. Not delivering on that hugely affects our credibility in all countries and further weakens the transformative power of the EU in countries less on track with reforms.

We as Europeans need to understand the importance of this region also for the EU as it is today.

Moreover, we as Europeans need to understand the importance of this region also for the EU as it is today. Getting this right - strict but fair - is good for the Balkan countries, but it will also force us to step up our game internally, with regard to the deteriorating rule of law. Following a clear and credible strategy on future accession of Balkan countries will help us to overcome one of the biggest challenges we’re facing ourselves: the rule of law crisis. Would that be the reason that some inside the EU rather water down on precisely that?

In or outside the EU, we are all Europeans with a shared history and a common destiny.

The Western Balkan region is entirely surrounded by the European Union and is therefore our single most important foreign region. Let’s treat it accordingly, in our policies and in how we speak about and with them. We owe it to the teacher and the accountant. In or outside the EU, we are all Europeans with a shared history and a common destiny.