The EU is expected to grant an additional EUR 30 million to reinforce the effort of the Western Balkans to complete the necessary changes for their energy upgrade. Thus, six countries, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, according to the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn, are expected to receive the […]
Bulgaria is systematically working together with other European Union countries to implement the activities outlined in the Sofia Declaration adopted in May 2018 at the EU-Western Balkans summit, Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zakharieva has told the National Assembly. The Sofia Declaration and the annex to it, known as the Sofia priority agenda, were signed on May […]
The Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati is in Brussels to participate in the meeting of NATO’s Foreign ministers. During his stay in Brussels, minister Bushati had a meeting with the head of the Committee for Foreign Policy at the European Parliament, David McAllister. Minister Bushati thanked Mr. McAllister about the constant […]
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz this Monday in Vienna is organizing a meeting for Prime Ministers of the Western Balkans which is to be attended by EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn as well as Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel. The talks will be attended by the Prime Minister […]
Merkel’s announced departure from the leading position in her party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), will inevitably bring changes in the perception of official Berlin towards the Western Balkans. Whether it will be a dramatic deviation or cautious distancing, we will have to wait for the December CDU Congress and the election of the new […]
NATO strongly supports the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and all efforts that will result in reducing of tensions and solving problems, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. He arrived in Belgrade yesterday and in an interview with Pink TV, stressed that NATO had excellent dialogue with Serbia and respects the decision not to be part of the Alliance. […]
In his annual State of the Union speech, President of European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker reflected on the European integration of the Western Balkans. “We need a fortright attitude towards the accession of the Western Balkans. Otherwise, our immediate neighbourhood will be shaped by other actors”, he said. “We must find unity when it comes to […]
The head of the European Initiative for Stability, Gerald Knaus says that the debate for border changes between Kosovo and Serbia is a dangerous one and could spark conflicts in the Balkans. “The idea that the best solution of the problems with the minorities is by removing minorities or by changing borders, has always been […]
Germany is against territorial exchanges between Kosovo and Serbia or border changes in Western Balkans. German chancellor, Angela Merkel said on Monday that there cannot be any border changes in Western Balkan countries. She made these comments following a meeting with the Prime Minister of Bosnia, Denis Zvizdic with which she discussed relations in the […]
A government delegation led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev including Deputy PM for European Affairs Bujar Osmani and Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov takes part July 9-10 at EU-Western Balkans Summit in London, the fifth summit convened under the Berlin Process. Summit’s central events will begin on Tuesday with the reception organised by the UK Prime […]
A delegation of Montenegro’s Ministry of Defense, led by State Secretary Slobodan Filipovic, on an invitation of his Macedonian colleague Dragan Nikolic, paid a working visit to Macedonia for the past two days. Within the visit, the excellent bilateral co-operation between the two ministries and armies was highlighted, which could serve as an example for […]
This is a good week for your country and for the Western Balkans. The EU ministers set out the path towards opening accession talks with Macedonia and with Albania in June 2019, and in just a few hours, I expect that the EU Heads of States will endorse this decision, European Council President Donald Tusk […]
The 98th Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which is held in Skopje from 27 to 29 June is dedicated to Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Western Balkans: Reinforcing the European Peace Project. Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi in the introductory speech said that he is convinced that name dispute agreement signed by Prime Ministers Zoran […]
Political analyst Daniel Serwer believes that agreement that Macedonia signed with Greece is not only a major step forward for both countries, but also for entire Balkans, MIA correspondent from Washington reports. Serwer told MIA that if the agreement is passed in both parliaments and if passed on a referendum in Macedonia “it will improve […]
The EU-integration is the best instrument at Brussels’ disposal for assisting those countries that wish for changes and reforms, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov said Wednesday in Sofia at a conference on Western Balkan European prospect. The European Commission’s positive report and recommendation justifies Macedonia’s expectation to get a date for commencing the EU accession […]
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev held talks Friday with Fiona McIlwham, Director for Western Balkans at the British Foreign Office, the government said in a press release. McIlwham voiced support for the policies of Macedonia’s government, focused on reforms and building friendships as democratic values significant for the country’s integration with European, Euro-Atlantic organizations. Macedonia-Bulgaria Friendship Treaty is […]
European construction for us is not under threat, it is a necessity, but there is still a lot of work to be done because we have came across some organizational limitations. We have to work hard, particularly in terms of the decisions we have to make. Patience and optimism is necessary, French Ambassador Christian Thimonier […]
French President Emmanuel Macron says the European Union shouldn’t accept any new member countries until the 28-nation bloc is more deeply integrated and has undergone thorough reform. Macron has told EU lawmakers that he wants to anchor countries of the Western Balkans to the European project, but that now isn’t the time to allow any […]
The European Union needs to open up to accepting new members from the Western Balkans to avoid the risk of a new war in the region, the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker told the European Parliament on Tuesday, Reuters reports. “If we do not open up to countries in that highly complicated an […]
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on April 13, Tanjug reported on Friday. The agency said that the second meeting between the two in the past month and a half would come at Merkel’s initiative. It will take place amid tensions around Kosovo and Metohija and Vucic’s announced “ten-day diplomatic […]
