It is time for a strategic step by the EU towards the Western Balkans. After the long European integration that resembles a marathon run, the common geography, history and culture should be rounded off by opening the doors for membership to the Balkan countries, President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova said at the Balkan Integration Forum 2025, in Montenegro.
She pointed out that accession must be a credible process based solely on the Copenhagen criteria, and the Union must defend its principles and values. Double standards complicate the process and must not be respected.
According to her, EU membership is the best way for the region to resist third centers of power.
Siljanovska-Davkova emphasized that within the regional framework, we exceed the average of compliance with the European legislation in all six clusters, we are one hundred percent compliant with the EU’s common foreign and security policy and we deserve to be encouraged and given a chance to start negotiations.
The discussion “Presidents on EU Integration – Do We Have a Plan?”, moderated by the President of the European Movement in Montenegro, Momcilo Radulovic, was also attended by the Montenegrin President, Jakov Milatovic.
The participants pledged that the countries of the Western Balkans must take a strategic and coordinated approach to dealing with the phenomenon of “brain drain”.
