About: Montenegro
Putin and the EU: he – snake, we – frog
Putin’s blunder in Ukraine was that he compressed steps that normally take one full year into a mere 24 hours, and it is not clear what prompted him to behave in such an unusual manner, writes Evgenii Dainov.
Why is recent Serbia-Kosovo agreement no good news for Western Balkans?
The Serbian leadership signed an agreement in Washington in order to advance the achievement of the so-called “Serbian world", and that risks opening the Pandora's box in the whole region of the Western Balkans, writes Filip Milacic.
EU’s Balkan enlargement policy must now be guided by geopolitics
While the EU has played for time, delaying the EU enlargement process largely because of its own problems, the geopolitical context has changed, writes Vladimir Krulj.
China in the Balkans: Motivations behind growing influence
Beijing’s influence in the Balkans continues to grow, but we should not compare it with Russia. Chinese influence differs in both motives and tools used for its spreading, writes Matej Šimalčík.
Progress for Western Balkan nations – a step forward for federalised Europe
Though the EU has lately been busy dealing with issues such as Brexit and the migration crisis, it has found time to talk of the integration of the Western Balkans. A steady integration of the region is good news indeed as this could lead to a federalised Europe and a complete Union, writes Bernard Kouchner.
EU expansion receives an unlikely boost
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has a strong motivation for giving a boost to the largely stalled EU enlargement process, writes Sir Michael Leigh.
Reversing negative trends in the EU’s neighbourhood policy
With the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit this Friday (24 November) and the Bulgarian Presidency in January 2018, the EU is at a juncture where it can reverse a very negative trend and breathe new life in its neighbourhood policy, Harry Nedelcu writes.
EU enlargement: Tear down mental walls in the Balkans
Last week the European Commission dealt another blow to the Western Balkans by promising an accession strategy for Montenegro and Serbia while neglecting the other four Balkan countries, Hashim Thaçi, the president of Kosovo, writes in an exclusive op-ed for EURACTIV.
EU enlargement: A six percent target for the Western Balkans
If the Western Balkans are to overcome almost three decades of economic stagnation and crisis, they will need to double their annual growth rates. This will need a fundamental rethink of the EU’s enlargement policy, argue Tobias Flessenkemper and Dušan Reljić.
Beyond the Article 5 backlash: What really happened with Trump and NATO
Seemingly, 25 May was the ‘Day the Music Died’ at NATO. Few have missed the turmoil around US President Donald Trump’s Brussels visit. But the real story has flown under the radar, reveals Anna Wieslander.
Albania: How not to lose an election? Refuse to take part…
All eyes are on elections in Britain, France and soon Germany but quite the most bizarre election seen in Europe since the end of communism is due to take ten days after the British poll next month, writes Denis MacShane.
Kosovo needs a new beginning
In Kosovo, far too much time has been spent on issues like border demarcation. Delivering peace instead of war is one thing but that is not enough when young people want a good education and their parents want jobs, warns Kosovar politician Kadri Veseli.
Forget Russia, new menace in Western Balkans is Trump-style populist politics
A new menace is stalking the Western Balkans: the region's political leaders themselves. Many are now retreating from serious engagement with Europe in order to play internal political games, writes Denis MacShane.
Brussels’ Balkan approach: Little carrot, broken stick
Once staunchly pro-EU, Kosovars are losing patience with Brussels, which they accuse of prioritising Serbian accession over their own sovereignty, warns the mayor of Kosovo’s capital, Shpend Ahmeti.
The approach the EU should take to the Western Balkans
The European Union’s approach to the Western Balkans is much the same as its approach to North Africa and the Middle East: prioritising stability. As a result, the Union risks aligning itself with increasingly illiberal and authoritarian regimes and mistaking their power for stability, argues Arlind Puka.
Enhanced cooperation needed between Visegrad Group & Western Balkans
The refugee crisis and the fight against terrorism have made the EU and Western Balkans realise first-hand how interdependent we have become. Now is the time for enhanced engagement with the Western Balkans write Ditmir Bushati and Lubomír Zaorálek.
When NATO stalls, Putin pounces
Failure to enlarge harms NATO and emboldens President Putin, argue Dr Liam Fox and Sally A. Painter.
Investment in Montenegro: A poisoned chalice?
If Montenegro is to continue along the path to EU accession, more reform effort is needed from its government, writes Andrey Petrushinin.
Does the EU want to bring Russia and Turkey into the Western Balkans?
As there are no signs that the EU economy will revitalize soon and lift with it the Western Balkans, the region is looking for new business partners, writes Dušan Relji?.
The Western Balkans are becoming Russia’s new playground
After Angela Merkel delivered a trenchant foreign policy speech in Sydney on 17 November, the German chancellor took part in a follow-up discussion. Her comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin were not only highly critical of his actions over recent months. Merkel also said she was not convinced that he would stop at Ukraine, writes Judy Dempsey.