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11 September, 2025
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  • OP/ED

    The world goes on as usual – unpredictably

    Palestine is decisive for peace in Middle East!

    Azerbaijan dismisses claims of involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

    Elite Purges: Internal Conflict or External Design?

    Trump’s Threat of U.S. Intervention in Iran Exposes Roots of Critics’ Fears

    Crisis-Born, Purpose-Seeking: Can the EPC Define Europe’s Strategic Future?

    Serbia’s Request to the ICJ Turned Resolution 1244 into a Closed Chapter and Kosovo’s Independence into an Internationally Recognized Reality

    Unpredictable world

    Promoting Arab Culture and Language in the Framework of Cultural Diversity and Dialogue.

  • Interview

    “Diplomacy, Not War”: Palestinian Ambassador to Albania Calls for Justice, Peace, and Global Action for Gaza

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    The Conclusion of the Diplomatic Mission / Ambassador Dancho Markovski: Strengthening Albania-North Macedonia Relations for a Shared European Future

    A Century of Diplomatic Relations Between Albania and Russia: Exclusive Interview with the Russian Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Alexey Zaytsev

    Exclusive/ The chairman of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta: “The will of the citizens will triumph in Albania, as it did in North Macedonia”

    Exclusive/ The Russian Ambassador to Albania Mr. Mikhail Afanasiev: Russia only aims to end that war started by the West in Ukraine

    Exclusive/ Skopje’s top diplomat to Tirana, Dancho Markovski: OSCE Chairmanship a Project of National Importance for North Macedonia

    Exclusive interview of Croatian Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric: ‘There is progress in Croatian-Albanian relations, but it is still not enough’  

    The first anniversary of the appointment as Archbishop at the head of the Catholic Church/ Mons. Arjan Dodaj: Only God can be the author of our walk!

  • Realpolitik

    The Troika that  defies the West!

    Alaska, a bell toll for Europe! No trade partners but adversaries! Palestina and the two states solution! When Pristina drowns in a spoonful of water!

    Geopolitical equation with several unknowns!

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    Chancellor Merz passed “the exam”! Political stupidity! 5 per cent or study Russian! The Firing East!      

    A top phone call as disappointment! Exit from Brexit! Germany at the helm! End this political shame up!

    That’s it! The quartet of hope! Shame on Kosovo! The Summit of a Community without Identity!

    Only praises and prolises for Meloni! Facts versus untruths! Immediate ceasefire and genuine peace, no deal for new occupation! Back after 60 years !

    US nuclear tariff bomb!! Europa fires back! NATO ok, but with or without Article 5? Kallas urges reforms!

  • Current Events

    Building a Digital Future: President Tokayev’s Roadmap for Kazakhstan

    Ambassador of Egypt Recognizes CAA’s Constructive Role in Middle East Affairs

    “Council of Albanian Ambassadors condemns Gaza operation, calls for two-state solution”

    Alaska, a bell toll for Europe! No trade partners but adversaries! Palestina and the two states solution! When Pristina drowns in a spoonful of water!

    The Americans In, the Russians Down, and the Iranians Out: The Regional Impact of the Armenia- Azerbaijan Peace Agreement

    How Belgrade Keeps the Serb Community in Kosovo Under Political Control

    President Aliyev gives an interview to Azerbaijani media: US-Azerbaijan open new chapter of strategic partnership 

    International recognition of Palestine: Political marketing or genuine change?

    Visit to the Council of American Ambassadors Headquarters.

  • Top News

    Ambassador of Egypt Recognizes CAA’s Constructive Role in Middle East Affairs

    “Council of Albanian Ambassadors condemns Gaza operation, calls for two-state solution”

    Zelensky in Brussels: A ceasefire and clear security guarantees are needed for Ukraine

    Visit to the Council of American Ambassadors Headquarters.

    China looks forward to Europe viewing bilateral ties in a comprehensive, dialectical, and developing manner: Chinese FM spokesperson

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    NATO allies agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035

    Reza Pahlavi: “This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment” — Exiled Prince Calls for Global Support as Iran Nears Regime Collapse

    Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

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  • Home
  • OP/ED

    The world goes on as usual – unpredictably

    Palestine is decisive for peace in Middle East!

    Azerbaijan dismisses claims of involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

    Elite Purges: Internal Conflict or External Design?

    Trump’s Threat of U.S. Intervention in Iran Exposes Roots of Critics’ Fears

    Crisis-Born, Purpose-Seeking: Can the EPC Define Europe’s Strategic Future?

    Serbia’s Request to the ICJ Turned Resolution 1244 into a Closed Chapter and Kosovo’s Independence into an Internationally Recognized Reality

    Unpredictable world

    Promoting Arab Culture and Language in the Framework of Cultural Diversity and Dialogue.

  • Interview

    “Diplomacy, Not War”: Palestinian Ambassador to Albania Calls for Justice, Peace, and Global Action for Gaza

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    The Conclusion of the Diplomatic Mission / Ambassador Dancho Markovski: Strengthening Albania-North Macedonia Relations for a Shared European Future

    A Century of Diplomatic Relations Between Albania and Russia: Exclusive Interview with the Russian Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Alexey Zaytsev

    Exclusive/ The chairman of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta: “The will of the citizens will triumph in Albania, as it did in North Macedonia”

    Exclusive/ The Russian Ambassador to Albania Mr. Mikhail Afanasiev: Russia only aims to end that war started by the West in Ukraine

    Exclusive/ Skopje’s top diplomat to Tirana, Dancho Markovski: OSCE Chairmanship a Project of National Importance for North Macedonia

    Exclusive interview of Croatian Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric: ‘There is progress in Croatian-Albanian relations, but it is still not enough’  

    The first anniversary of the appointment as Archbishop at the head of the Catholic Church/ Mons. Arjan Dodaj: Only God can be the author of our walk!

  • Realpolitik

    The Troika that  defies the West!

    Alaska, a bell toll for Europe! No trade partners but adversaries! Palestina and the two states solution! When Pristina drowns in a spoonful of water!

    Geopolitical equation with several unknowns!

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    Chancellor Merz passed “the exam”! Political stupidity! 5 per cent or study Russian! The Firing East!      

    A top phone call as disappointment! Exit from Brexit! Germany at the helm! End this political shame up!

    That’s it! The quartet of hope! Shame on Kosovo! The Summit of a Community without Identity!

    Only praises and prolises for Meloni! Facts versus untruths! Immediate ceasefire and genuine peace, no deal for new occupation! Back after 60 years !

    US nuclear tariff bomb!! Europa fires back! NATO ok, but with or without Article 5? Kallas urges reforms!

  • Current Events

    Building a Digital Future: President Tokayev’s Roadmap for Kazakhstan

    Ambassador of Egypt Recognizes CAA’s Constructive Role in Middle East Affairs

    “Council of Albanian Ambassadors condemns Gaza operation, calls for two-state solution”

    Alaska, a bell toll for Europe! No trade partners but adversaries! Palestina and the two states solution! When Pristina drowns in a spoonful of water!

    The Americans In, the Russians Down, and the Iranians Out: The Regional Impact of the Armenia- Azerbaijan Peace Agreement

    How Belgrade Keeps the Serb Community in Kosovo Under Political Control

    President Aliyev gives an interview to Azerbaijani media: US-Azerbaijan open new chapter of strategic partnership 

    International recognition of Palestine: Political marketing or genuine change?

    Visit to the Council of American Ambassadors Headquarters.

  • Top News

    Ambassador of Egypt Recognizes CAA’s Constructive Role in Middle East Affairs

    “Council of Albanian Ambassadors condemns Gaza operation, calls for two-state solution”

    Zelensky in Brussels: A ceasefire and clear security guarantees are needed for Ukraine

    Visit to the Council of American Ambassadors Headquarters.

    China looks forward to Europe viewing bilateral ties in a comprehensive, dialectical, and developing manner: Chinese FM spokesperson

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    NATO allies agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035

    Reza Pahlavi: “This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment” — Exiled Prince Calls for Global Support as Iran Nears Regime Collapse

    Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

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Home ENGLISH

How Enlargement Is Running Out of Steam

16 October, 2020
in ENGLISH, English OP/ED
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By Florian Bieber*
The release of the EU enlargement reports last week has moved from being a top event for the countries to a non-event, but spread out in thousands of pages.
Not only the declining interest in enlargement is too blame, but also the reporting itself.
For years, the annual report on what used to be called “progress” towards EU membership were much anticipated documents, mulled over by the media, trumpeted by governments to celebrate their success or used by the opposition to criticise governments for their shortcomings.
Not anymore.
EU integration is low on the agenda in most countries of the region. With the exception of North Macedonia and Montenegro, the reports received lukewarm attention.
The reports published last Tuesday (6 October) should have mattered.
They are not only the first round of reports of the new commission, under the watch of the Hungarian commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, whose close ties to the Orbán government has raised more than a few eyebrows.
Furthermore, the reports were initially due in May, but were postponed in the last minute.
The reports are of biblical proportion. Each country is discussed in greater detail than ever, at around 100 pages, thus journalists and observers had to go through more than 600 pages in total on the state of enlargement in the Western Balkans.
This is a lot of trees, but does it make a forest?
The new reports appear to address some of the earlier criticism – that they lack detail and miss out on important developments, especially weaknesses and shortcomings.
The sheer volume of the reports now makes them more comprehensive and most important developments in what has been a turbulent year were caught.
Yet, this does not add up to a clear picture of how the commission sees the region. The details drown out the big picture.
New methodology, little difference
The new methodology – launched to great fanfare in February 2020 to appease French concerns about enlargement – is not very visible in the new report.
According to the new methodology, progress would be linked to concrete benefits, and lack of progress or backsliding would have consequences.
The reports instead muddle along, and interpreting the overall picture is left to the commissioner. This is an opportunity missed to reframe the report with greater clarity, rather than just more comprehensiveness. The frustration of the commission with governments in the region, however, is clearer than it has been before.
For example, for Serbia, it notes that “The Serbian government continued to declare European integration as its strategic goal,” showing clearly that this is largely a declaration, rather than a reality.
Yet, here as well the reports and the summery is vague. It lists the degree of progress in some key fields, but their choice is arbitrary (why only freedom of expression, not civil liberties?) and even their assessment is not used consistently throughout, making comparison difficult.
The overall direction of the reports in regard to rule of law and democracy, vagaries and inconsistencies not withstanding, is clear: Bosnia has made the least progress in the eyes of the commission, followed by Serbia. Montenegro and Kosovo are nearly tied in a small degree of progress.
Finally, Albania and North Macedonia have become the front runners in terms of the overall progress.
Yet, the reports do not capture the backsliding that has occurred in several countries, including in Serbia and Albania during the pandemic and before.
Backsliding or regression still do not seem to be part of the commission’s vocabulary, so the report for Albania notes that there is “no progress” in regard to freedom of expression, when there have been arrests and sentencing of journalists and civil society activities over the demolition of the national theatre during the height of the pandemic.
Even where the reports capture the problem, the remedies are vague and bland.
The commission’s annual reports should be adjusted to the crux of the new methodology that was intended to render the process more political.
This means outlining priorities, highlighting causes for the deficiencies and problems and making concrete proposals for the next steps in the accession process.
It is a pity how the single most comprehensive instrument of EU political assessment of candidate members remains so underexploited.
While the reports have moved closer to capturing the problems of the region than earlier reports, they are still lagging behind in capturing the decline of democracy and rule of law in most of the region and offer too little analysis to show a path forward.
In the end the reports are a PR disaster for the EU in the Western Balkans.
They are obscuring the picture by offering too much detail and too little clarity. With reports like these, one can expect many thousands of pages of virtual paper to be filled for many years to come on enlargement in the Western Balkans. /EUobserver, October 16, 2020

*Florian Bieber is the coordinator of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) and Jean Monnet Chair in the Europeanisation of Southeastern Europe at the University of Graz. He is the author of the recently-published The Rise of Authoritarianism in the Western Balkans (Palgrave 2020). BiEPAG’s experts have contributed to this analysis.

Tags: EUflorian bieber

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