Analysts: Berlin Process Best Chance for Western Balkans to Join EU

Italy and the Balkans (Photo: PrintScreen YouTube)

The Berlin Process must continue because it is the best chance for regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, solving bilateral disputes and membership in the EU, Zoran Necev and Anamarija Velinovska from the Societas Civilis Institute for Democracy in Skopje said on March 8.

"The main reason to continue the Berlin Process is to finally return the Western Balkans to a predictable track to the EU by having a least four out of six countries" negotiating membership with the EU, their blog on the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group's webstite (BiEPAG) says.

Recalling that the Berlin Process was launched in 2014 when the process of European integration had reached a standstill, the authors say that the Process was created owing to the key political instinct of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and an understanding of the policy that goes with EU expansion. "We are entirely aware of Germany's responsibility for a peaceful, connected and democratic Balkans, the Berlin Process was launched to return the region to the road of EU accession," Necev and Velinovska said.

This meant, they added, strengthening regional cooperation, working on sustainable economic growth and solving bilateral issues. Where bilateral disputes are concerned, one of them was solved when Greece withdrew its veto on beginning negotiations with North Macedonia but another - the dialog between Belgrade and Pristina, came to a dead end.