EU wants closer ties with Western Balkans

At the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, EU leaders have affirmed their determination to accelerate the EU accession process for the Western Balkan states. A precondition for integration is "credible reforms" in Albania, Serbia, Northern Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo, as well as their support for sanctions against Russia. According to the summit's final declaration, the Balkan states will also receive one billion euros to tackle the energy crisis. What further steps are needed?

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Frankfurter Rundschau (DE) /

More willingness to take risks needed

The courage to take unusual steps is lacking in the process of integrating the Western Balkans, criticises the Frankfurter Rundschau:

“Brussels didn't look quite as closely when it came to admitting Bulgaria and Romania, hoping that it would be better able to deal with the deficits if the duo were part of the bloc. Things are not that simple in the southeast of the continent, of course. ... But if you really want to make progress in the six Balkan states, you have to take certain risks. Otherwise the various admission processes of the candidates won't be accelerated.”

Magyar Nemzet (HU) /

Enlargement is in everyone's interest

The EU must show greater resolve here, the pro-government daily Magyar Nemzet insists:

“The Western Balkans could once again become Europe's powder keg if the region is not given a real chance of accession but kept waiting indefinitely in the antechamber. ... The less Europe allows external powers such as Russia, the United States, Saudi Arabia or Qatar to enter the vacuum and make the Balkan communities their vassals on the basis of ethno-religious sympathies, the more it can keep the Balkans in its camp by offering mutual benefits.”

Dnevnik (SI) /

This will go down well with citizens

Dnevnik observes positive developments in the relationship between the EU and the Western Balkans:

“Economic and political initiatives by various sponsors (Germany, the US and France) within the framework of a newly discovered European interest in the Western Balkans now complement the enlargement process. ... By integrating the Balkan countries more closely in areas that are important to their citizens, the EU is giving the best it can offer at this stage of the process, in addition to financial aid and repeated enlargement guarantees. The possibility of educating citizens from these states at universities in EU countries, free border crossing with identity cards, mutual recognition of academic qualifications and the reduction of roaming costs are benefits for the region the impact of which will also be felt by its citizens.”

Jutarnji list (HR) /

Croatia can count itself lucky

The hurdles on the path to EU accession are getting higher and higher, Jutarnji list observes:

“Croatia can count itself lucky that despite all the difficulties it was able to join the EU in 2013 and is now poised to join the Eurozone and Schengen. We should not forget how difficult it was. We negotiated longer than any other state before us and had to fulfil even more criteria. Those who come after Croatia are having to negotiate for even longer and fulfil even more criteria. ... It is good that Croatia supports the EU accession of its near and distant neighbours and is willing to use its experience to help them. Because even though we are in the EU, we still have the same neighbours whose prospects are tied to our stability, our progress and our national interests.”

Peščanik (RS) /

He came, after all

After initially threatening not to attend the summit in protest against Kosovo's policy, Aleksandar Vučić went after all. Peščanik pokes fun at the Serbian President:

“I will never come to Tirana - Vučić stated angrily from Tirana. Okay, it wasn't quite like that. ... But why is Vučić going to Tirana after angrily protesting that he wouldn't? He's going to Tirana to tell everyone there that he didn't want to go to Tirana. Because, think, reader, think: if he didn't go to Tirana, who would tell the people there that Vučić doesn't want to go to Tirana? The people in Tirana would be left in a state of great ignorance, because they wouldn't even know how Vučić feels.”