‘Montenegro and Albania closest to EU membership, BiH is lagging behind’

Montenegro remains the most common candidate from the Western Balkan region, who in the mandate of the current European Commission can become a new member of the European Union, followed by Albania, while BiH is behind this path and is now the biggest obstacle of internal political conflicts, said Marta Kos Commissioner. Kos explained in an interview with Radio Slobodna Europe (RFE) that it would be a failure if no new new state would become a member of the Union in the European Commission’s mandate and is sure that it can be done.

« We could do it with Montenegro. All chapters are open, so we close them so we can finish the process at the end of 2026 from the technical point of view, » Kos said.

She predicted the completion of the negotiations with Albania for 2027, but pointed out that it is important for both countries that in addition to the completion of this technical part of the access process of teaching, reforms, as it will ultimately depend on whether a state can become a member of the EU.

She did not reject the possibility that Moldova and even Ukraine would become part of this process, so she thinks that by 2029, the EU could « have more than two new members ».

She had warning words for Serbia, saying that the authorities of these countries now have to prove that they are indeed a European path and confirmed that in Brussels with sympathy, they are looking at students who protest seeking reforms.

« What protesters require from the Serbian government is the same as the European Commission requires Serbia to fulfill in the process of negotiations. These are the rule of law, the fight against corruption, public procurement, media legislation, election legislation, » Kos said.

Compared to Kosovo, the European Commission is now expecting the establishment of a new government in the first place to know how to negotiate with and described the North Macedonia as a « sad story » given how much that state awaits the negotiating process.

Commenting on the situation in BiH, Kos said that in circumstances when politicians attack the constitutional order of that country, it can hardly be opened by the negotiations.

« Due to the internal political situation, I cannot even appoint the main negotiator. They are unable to put on paper a program of reforms that will allow them to get one billion euros from the EU growth plan, » Kos recalled that Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik could no longer be an interlocutor and see the light spot in the opposition from the Republika Srpska, which she could describe to them, to mean progress for the negotiation process with BiH.