Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled this week to the six partners in the Western Balkans for the fifth consecutive year and reiterated the EU's support for the region's path towards EU accession and gradual access to the Single Market. During her visit, along with her meetings with Heads of State and Government, she attended the opening ceremony of the EU-Western Balkans Investment Forum in Tirana, as well as the Montenegro Investment Conference in Tivat.
President von der Leyen praised the progress made by Montenegro and Albania. In Albania, in a press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama, she stated: "Albania is on the right track towards the European Union. You have come a long way, you have made progress. And I want to emphasise that there has been a stunning and outstanding record speed acceleration since 2022."
Likewise, in Montenegro, the President praised the country's ambition during a press conference with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić: "You are not only committed to your European future. You are very passionate about it, and it shows. Because you are a frontrunner, without any question, in the accession process. Since my visit last year, you have closed four negotiating chapters – this speed is amazing. And you are on good track to close another five this year."
In both countries, the President further emphasised alignment in relation to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. "The geopolitical momentum is now. Russia's aggression against Ukraine has reshaped our continent. Every European nation must choose its place. And pick a side."
In this sense, during her visit to Serbia, she encouraged the country's leadership to double down on its EU path. During a press statement with President Aleksandar Vučić: "Now is the moment for Serbia to get concrete about joining our Union.Therefore, we need to see progress, on the rule of law, the electoral framework and media freedom. I know these reforms are not easy. They take patience and endurance. They must include all parts of society and the political spectrum. But they are worth the effort. Because they move you closer to your goal.
And they also provide cornerstones for a more stable and peaceful society."
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President commended the progress achieved recently. At a joint press conference with the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers Borjana Krišto she stated: "Bosnia and Herzegovina has come a long way. And you are standing today at the threshold of the European Union.[…] The priority is to hold the first intergovernmental conference. To pave the way for this, you need to pass the right reforms in the field of the judiciary. And most importantly, a chief negotiator must be appointed to steer the accession negotiations. That is now of utmost importance."
President von der Leyen also visited Kosovo, where she met President Vjosa Osmani as well as Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The President reiterated her commitment to a future where all six Western Balkan partners are part of the Union and encouraged Kosovo to keep building strong institutions, de-escalate tensions in the country, and finalise the steps needed to benefit from the Western Balkans Growth Plan.
In North Macedonia she met President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, and the President of the national Parliament, Afrim Gashi. The President reiterated that the Commission remains fully behind North Macedonia on its EU path. President von der Leyen also emphasised: "The next and only step before the opening of the negotiations is clear. You need to make the agreed constitutional change. The ball is in your court. The EU is ready."
During her visits, the President stressed the positive impact that the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans has had in bringing the region closer to the EU. She insisted on its potential saying: "The principle is very straightforward. Your economy gains access to our Single Market and new EU investments. In exchange, you deliver on key reforms. This is how you get a level playing field with the EU. The door of areas of our Single Market is open to your companies and our companies gain a bigger common market. Everybody wins." She also added that the Growth Plan has the potential to double the economy of the Western Balkans in this decade.
In particular, President von der Leyen emphasised the integration into the Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA): "Transaction fees in the Western Balkans used to be up to six times higher than in our Union. Joining SEPA will save your companies roughly €500 million per year. This is real money on your balance sheets. This is exactly what it means to experience the Union on the European continent in your daily lives. It is progress not just on paper but in practice." Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia have joined the SEPA while the rest of the partners are moving towards that goal.
The President also emphasised that people in the EU and in the Western Balkans are at the heart of the enlargement process. Recent polls have shown strong majorities in favour of closer ties. For example, 92% of Albanians would vote for EU membership; in Montenegro, 83% citizens see their partnership with the EU positively; while in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 72% trust the EU. In Europe, two thirds of young people aged 15 to 39 support enlargement.
