EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos regards a new wave of enlargement by 2030 as “realistic” with Ukraine, Moldova, Albania and Montenegro leading the way. But she warns that progress hinges on merit and commitment by the EU candidate countries to deliver on required reforms.
The EU’s enlargement chief has issued a stark warning that the bloc’s credibility and security are at stake as foreign powers seek to disrupt the process of new members joining.
Protests have erupted across the Balkans, fueled by deadly disasters linked to corruption. From Serbia to North Macedonia, young people are taking to the streets, demanding accountability in a region where aspirations to join the European Union clash with entrenched graft.
Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s growing power on the world stage, progress in expanding the European Union to include new member states has been slow.
Georgia’s government recently decided to suspend EU accession negotiations until 2028. As protests against the decision raged in Georgia, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s openness to the country’s potential membership.