Kathimerini Forum: Signs of optimism in the Western Balkans, but no closer to EU accession
There are signs of optimism in the Western Balkan, but the countries in the region are not closer to becoming part of the European Union, despite the bloc’s investments, said Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis on Tuesday.
Speaking in Washington at the 5th Forum for Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, the minister said that the Balkan nations face a variety of challenges, including demographic issues, rule of law, corruption, but expressed optimism for the future and noted that Greece is regaining a leading role in the region.
The discussion focused on the future of the Eastern Mediterranean, energy cooperation and energy transition, but also the challenges for the security architecture of the region and is part of the 5th Forum for Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, co-organized by Kathimerini English Edition, the Delphi Economic Forum, and the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC).
The talk was joined by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou, the diplomatic advisor to the leader of the main opposition SYRIZA party Evan Kalpadakis and Delphi Economic Forum head Symeon G. Tsomokos.
Referring to the migration issue, Kairidis said migration flows into the US are linked to those affecting the EU and if the flow into the US stopped at the border with Mexico, it would instead be redirected to Europe.
Kalpadakis underlined the importance Greece can play in the European perspective of the Western Balkans. He said that the Prespa Agreement, reached in 2018 between Greece and its Balkan neighbor North Macedonia, which gave a fresh boost to the Western Balkans’ EU accession talks. This, together with the energy programs ongoing in the region, emphasize the importance of trans-Atlantic cooperation, he added.
However, he expressed pessimism over Europe’s international role, pointing to the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact, which has limited funds and is based on German interests that currently seek to prioritize Ukraine. However, the Pact brings an important innovation as it seeks for the first time as an intermediate stage of the accession process the partial integration of the Western Balkans into the Common Regional Market. Greece should develop its leading role in the process and encourage the EU to support North Macedonia’s accession, which could serve as a positive model in the region.
Papadopoulou’s comments focused on the current confusion stemming from EU enlargement, noting that the least the bloc could do would be to give the citizens of candidate nations hope, and realize that these are people who live at the heart of the European continent, are educated, and know what’s going on around them.
