Balkan Accession To EU Has Been Stalled Amid Ukraine's Granted Candidacy

In addition to Ukraine and Moldova seeking Candidacy into the EU, there were 6 additional countries seeking accession into the European Union.

• Albania
• Bosnia
• Kosovo
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• Serbia

At a summit called the Balkan-EU Summit, which was was scheduled between the EU and these countries to remove roadblocks that had stood between them to enter the union, have now stalled, and the Balkan countries are now left wondering, years after the EU promised them eventual admission.

"What has happened is a serious blow to the credibility of the European Union," - Dimitar Kovacevski, Prime Minister of North Macedonia

The EU did re-iterate it's promise which was made to these countries 20 years ago for their membership if certain reforms were made regarding their economy, judicial and political systems.

But a veto against their admission had been in place since 2020 and administered by Bulgaria with concerns over history and language between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Edi Rama, Albanian Prime Minister scolded the EU for failing to pressure neighboring Bulgaria into submission.

Source #1 Reuters

Source #2 Politico

Source #3 Balkan Insight