
Western Balkans Nations Voice Frustration Over EU Accession Delays
Speakers at the Budapest Balkans Forum warned that the EU’s enlargement policy lacks credibility and clarity.

Speakers at the Budapest Balkans Forum warned that the EU’s enlargement policy lacks credibility and clarity.

“The Balkans should not be treated as Europe’s backyard but as a strategically central position.”

Checkpoints across Bosnia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia are blocked, with Serbian crossings also affected.

Ukraine’s membership alone would cost the common budget €190 billion, but cost should not be the only consideration.

For five years, the Commission turned its back on the Western Balkan countries, the enlargement chief said, but now “the EU means business.”

The project, led by the Hungary Helps Agency, aims to provide victims of abuse resources and mentorship to help them rebuild their lives.

European Council Charles Michel believes the EU needs to make a geopolitical statement.

The Open Society Foundation is looking to guide the accession process for Ukraine and the Western Balkans, laying plans for Poland in particular as Warsaw grows in geopolitical importance.

For the Italian government, the Trieste conference represents a concerted effort to improve Italy’s credibility with respect to its role in European regional geopolitical issues.

It is easy to distinguish and denounce a full-blown dictatorship, one that haunts, censures, and kills thousands. It is less straightforward to spot a soft dictatorship in an EU candidate country.