EU enlargement - Issues | Ipse by Context

Florian Bieber

Inserted 2 years ago

“This is a problem [citizens in the Western Balkans believing that they will never join the EU] because it removes the pressure on the elites to implement reforms. The results of recent elections in North Macedonia show to the elites in the region that, if one puts all eggs in one basket - the EU - one risks being punished by the voters. Without a political message and with the difficulty with the e-word (enlargement), the reports lose the power they once had. They have now become much more of a non-event. Which is a pity - they are in many ways better than five years ago.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Professor at the University of Graz and member of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG)

09 Nov 2021 4 4

Maciej Popowski

Inserted 2 years ago

“The delay on the adoption of the negotiating frameworks with Albania and North Macedonia had the consequences on the entire region… We don't want to lose the Balkans, and the citizens. The overall level of support (for EU enlargement) is still high, but it cannot be taken for granted.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Acting Director-General of the Directorate General Neighbourhood and Enlargement

09 Nov 2021 4 3

Hamza Karčić

Inserted 2 years ago

“Bosnia also needs a strong reaffirmation of its European future - one that puts it clearly on a path towards EU membership. Since the country applied for EU membership in 2016, there has been no momentum-generating EU decision. Now is the time for the EU to grant Bosnia a candidate status. Failure to act early and decisively could invite pernicious actors to escalate their destabilising politics. If Bosnia is pushed over the edge, it will not be only its people that will suffer the consequences, but the whole of Europe.”

Aljazeera

Associate professor at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Sarajevo

08 Nov 2021 5 6

Dimitar Bechev

Inserted 2 years ago

“Serbia, negotiating its accession since 2014, has not opened any new chapters since December 2019. Montenegro, the frontrunner, is now carrying out talks on all EU dossiers, but there is no end in sight for that country either. Then, there is North Macedonia, which has been blocked from launching membership negotiations by its neighbour Bulgaria over a dispute about history and language. Albania, another hopeful, is a collateral damage because it is bundled together with the Macedonians. Bosnia and Kosovo are even further behind in the queue. Kosovars are frustrated that despite meeting all technical conditions they are still denied visa-free travel to the Schengen zone, unlike those living in the rest of the Western Balkans as well as post-Soviet republics such as Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. Europe, it seems, is keeping the region at an arms-length, while continuing to occasionally pay lip service to demands for enlargement.”

Aljazeera

Europe’s Futures Fellow at the Institute of Human Sciences in Vienna

21 Oct 2021 14 8

Olivér Várhelyi

Inserted 2 years ago

“Delays in the official start of membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia have a negative impact on the credibility of the EU. The pending bilateral issues between Bulgaria and North Macedonia should be resolved as a matter of priority. It is essential that EU Member States conclude discussions on the Negotiating Frameworks without further delay and that the first intergovernmental conferences with both countries be held as soon as possible and before the end of this year. Albania has achieved tangible results in judicial reform and the fight against crime, results have been achieved in the fight against corruption and crime. Macedonia has made progress in the reforms imposed by the EU, it has been determined in the fight against crime and corruption, this fight must continue.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

19 Oct 2021 8 8

Jasmin Mujanovic

Inserted 2 years ago

“What's really alarming is that there is still no Plan B. The situation is… already deteriorating, we're already having to deal with new kinds of security, instability threats and still, the EU is not articulating any kind of post-enlargement vision for the region. Russia is very involved in Bosnia. It's explicitly said it opposes Bosnia's membership in NATO, that it considers it a threat to Russia's security interests, which is of course preposterous. But it tells you the extent to which Russia has now elevated this region in its foreign policy thinking.”

Aljazeera

Political Scientist

11 Oct 2021 7 9

Sebastian Kurz

Inserted 2 years ago

“If the European Union does not offer this region [Western Balkans] a real perspective, we have to be aware that other superpowers … will play a bigger role there.”

Aljazeera

Austrian Chancellor

06 Oct 2021 (approx) 3 6

Arturs Krisjanis Karins

Inserted 2 years ago

“Either Europe extends the hand and pulls these [Western Balkan] countries toward us, or someone else will extend a hand and pull these countries in a different direction.”

Aljazeera

Prime Minister of Latvia

06 Oct 2021 (approx) 3 6

Janez Janša

Inserted 2 years ago

“If the EU doesn't expand, others will expand.”

Rferl

Prime Minister of Slovenia

06 Oct 2021 2 5

Ursula von der Leyen

Inserted 2 years ago

“We want them [six Western Balkans states] in the European Union, we are one European family. We share the same history, we share the same values, and I'm deeply convinced we share the same destiny too. I know that still work has to be done, for example, on the rule of law, on the judiciary, on the freedom of the media, to name some. But I think we should also acknowledge the effort that has been done in the past and the progress that has been done.”

Rferl

President of the European Commission

06 Oct 2021 5 6

Janez Janša

Inserted 2 years ago

“The problem is that 90 percent of the topis in the EU institutions are not dedicated to the strategic goal of enlargement. The topic Is how to expel some members and thus not expand the EU, but reduce it.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Prime Minister of Slovenia

01 Sep 2021 3 3

Albin Kurti

Inserted 2 years ago

“As a Prime Minister of a country whose citizens are being kept isolated by being denied visa liberalization, we understand the frustration of Albania and North Macedonia on the lack of progress on accession talks with the European Union but we must nevertheless commit strongly to EU integration, our democratization and economic development agenda for our citizens.”

Balkaninsight

Kosovo Prime Minister

05 Jul 2021 2 5

Corina Stratulat

Inserted 2 years ago

“All this makes what happens with the enlargement depends on the internal politics of Member states. When conditionality is undermined, the credibility is undermined. Unfortunately, I am tempted to say that we are about to see more of the same. Change would also require the better toolkit when it comes to offering solutions to the detected problems.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Senior Policy Analyst with the European Policy Centre and a member of BiEPAG

01 Jul 2021 2 3

Edward Joseph

Inserted 2 years ago

“The EU cannot be the world leader without taking the Balkans seriously. And the EU is not being taken seriously. I am saying this with sadness as an American, because the EU is our ally. If the EU aspires for strategic autonomy from the US, it needs to solve the issue of Balkans first.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Professor at the Johns Hopkins Institute

01 Jul 2021 6 4

Tanja Fajon

Inserted 2 years ago

“To be frank, the region is in a bad condition, the enlargement is in a bad condition, and the EU is in a bad condition. A lot of selfishness, a lot of egoism in the past years, as well as dangerous nationalism. For a country - Bulgaria - to jeopardize another country - this is selfish and dangerous.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Slovenian politician and Member of the European Parliament

01 Jul 2021 3 5

Nikola Dimitrov

Inserted 2 years ago

“This is great timing for this topic and our gathering. However, we have to be honest and open – it is the worst time possible. For the second time, Bulgaria vetoed the accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. It has been two decades since we started the talks with the EU. We do not know whether to expect it anymore. If the EU cannot make a difference in the region, which is not even its backyard, but its courtyard, it is telling about the problem the EU faces. The long-term consequence will be the weakening of those who believe in the transformative process of the enlargement and in European values.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of North Macedonia

01 Jul 2021 4 6

Svetlan Stoev

Inserted 2 years ago

“Bulgaria continues to be principled in supporting the European integration of the Western Balkan countries while respecting the criteria for the individual achievements of each country and respecting the fundamental values of the union as good neighbourly relations. We expect our closest neighbours in the region to work in a spirit of honesty and constructiveness. I want to emphasize that there is a general agreement on this topic and no change can be expected in the national position of Bulgaria.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria

21 May 2021 2 3

Nedim Hogic

Inserted 2 years ago

“By treating all 14 issues as being of equal importance and demanding substantial constitutional changes in exchange for candidacy status with an unclear perspective, the EU tries to achieve too much while offering too little, risking progress even on those issues that are not contested.”

Biepag

PhD Researcher with the Sant’ Anna School of Advanced Studies and a freelance consultant

22 Mar 2021 3 4

Loïc Tregoures

Inserted 3 years ago

“In France, there is this pro-EU argument to be against enlargement. This is probably what president Macron thinks, which is why the new methodology is not enough per se, although we do not know how it will be implemented. It can only work if everyone plays fair – candidates but also all the members. [Recalling the Croatia's accession to the EU] No one could say that the political, social, financial, or demographic balance in the EU changed by an inch after Croatia integrated and that the same would work for Montenegro or North Macedonia. As far as [French] public opinion is concerned – it is true that Macron would not lose one vote by opening negotiations with Albania or North Macedonia, but the fact that they believed the opposite despite every evidence, matters.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

PhD in Political Science and Balkans specialist

05 Mar 2021 4 3

Jean-Louis Falconi

Inserted 3 years ago

“This promise has not been made to any other region. France has been fighting very hard not to make a similar promise to any other region. The position of France has been very clear on this matter. We intend to fulfil this sincere promise. It is not a very fair negotiation, and we can say that it is not a negotiation – if you want to get into the EU, some requirements need to be fulfilled. The dynamic starts from a deliberate political will of the parties to start negotiations.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Ambassador of France to Serbia

05 Mar 2021 4 4

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EU enlargement - Issues

“The delay on the adoption of the negotiating frameworks with Albania and North Macedonia had the consequences on the entire region… We don't want to lose the Balkans, and the citizens. The overall level of support (for EU enlargement) is still high, but it cannot be taken for granted.”

“If the European Union does not offer this region [Western Balkans] a real perspective, we have to be aware that other superpowers … will play a bigger role there.”

“Either Europe extends the hand and pulls these [Western Balkan] countries toward us, or someone else will extend a hand and pull these countries in a different direction.”

“If the EU doesn't expand, others will expand.”

“The problem is that 90 percent of the topis in the EU institutions are not dedicated to the strategic goal of enlargement. The topic Is how to expel some members and thus not expand the EU, but reduce it.”

“The EU cannot be the world leader without taking the Balkans seriously. And the EU is not being taken seriously. I am saying this with sadness as an American, because the EU is our ally. If the EU aspires for strategic autonomy from the US, it needs to solve the issue of Balkans first.”

“By treating all 14 issues as being of equal importance and demanding substantial constitutional changes in exchange for candidacy status with an unclear perspective, the EU tries to achieve too much while offering too little, risking progress even on those issues that are not contested.”

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