
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has said that Montenegro remains the most likely candidate from the Western Balkans to join the European Union during the current European Commission's mandate. Albania is followed, while BiH continues to fall behind, largely due to internal political strife.
In an interview with Radio Free Europe (RFE), Kos said it would be a failure if no new country were to join the EU during the current Commission’s term, but she is confident that enlargement can move forward.
We could achieve this with Montenegro. All chapters are open, so we are now in the phase of closing them, aiming to complete the process by the end of 2026 from a technical standpoint, Kos said.
She forecasted that negotiations with Albania could be concluded in 2027 but stressed that both countries must continue implementing reforms beyond the technical phase, as the final decision on membership will depend on those efforts.
Kos did not rule out the possibility of Moldova, and even Ukraine, becoming part of the enlargement process, suggesting the EU could have "more than two new members" by 2029.
She issued a warning to Serbia, stating that the government must now prove it is truly committed to the European path. She also confirmed that Brussels views the protesting students who are demanding reforms with sympathy.
"What the protesters are asking from the Serbian government is exactly what the European Commission is asking of Serbia in the negotiations process: rule of law, anti-corruption measures, public procurement, media legislation, and electoral law" Kos explained.
Regarding Kosovo, the Commission’s priority is the formation of a new government so that talks can resume with a clear counterpart. North Macedonia, she said, remains "a sad story" due to the long delay in the start of negotiations.
Commenting on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kos said that with politicians attacking the country’s constitutional order in the current climate, it is difficult to envisage opening negotiations.
"Due to the domestic political situation, they can't even appoint a chief negotiator. They’re unable to produce a reform programme that would enable them to access one billion euros from the EU Growth Plan," Kos noted.
She confirmed that Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik is no longer seen as a viable interlocutor, but pointed to the opposition in Republika Srpska as a bright spot, describing them as constructive and expressing hope that their potential rise to power could bring progress in Bosnia’s EU accession process.
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