The European Union needs new options for the Western Balkans

There is no other way to say it: relations between the European Union and the six countries of the Western Balkans have become deeply unfair. The EU is primarily to blame for the schism.

It is true that it has been clear to everyone involved for many years that there will be no enlargement of the EU to the Balkans, but the EU member states and the European Commission continue to stick to the empty rhetoric about the "European perspective" and "common values" without any hesitation. As the last Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, during a short visit to the candidate countries, repeated all these empty phrases that make the citizens of the region sick. Those platitudes, in the meantime, flow from the lips of EU politicians just as easily as once the oaths of adherence to Marxism-Leninism by the officials of the deceased Eastern bloc. He lies out of habit.

Everything points to the fact that the 3rd EU-Western Balkans summit, which is being organized by Slovenia's chairmanship in Tito's former summer residence, will take place in the spirit of the slogan "continue as before": the EU has announced that it wants to make the region's economy more sustainable and digital - investment-friendly 9 billion plan and that he wants to improve traffic connections and thus initiate direct private investments.

With which, here and there, something may succeed: but this method does not make a turn in the trend. Just like the strategy of Brussels and Berlin for creating growth through regional economic cooperation and thus solving the bilateral problems of the Yugoslav states.

Of course, it makes sense for neighboring countries to quickly and efficiently break down any barriers that hinder the common market. But that does not make six poor countries a prosperous region. The gross national product of these 6 countries with a total of 17 million inhabitants is the same as that of the 5,5 million Slovaks. And the product per capita fluctuates between 20% and 40% of the amount achieved in Germany, depending on the country. The recovery process hasn't even started.

And all this has been known for a long time. And for almost as long, economists have been recommending - as a solution - the connection of the regional economy with the European Union and access to the EU budget. The last time was the other day, in an extensive study by the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies and the Bertelsmann Foundation.

But in order for this step to be possible, the fiction of full membership in the EU must first be abandoned. And it seems that many are afraid of that moment of truth (which everyone already knows). Perhaps because Brussels and the EU member states believe that after that they will no longer have any influence on the region. But that influence is weak to none anyway, as shown by the recent dispute on the Serbian-Kosovo border. Two weeks ago, a dispute over license plates on cars led to the marching of Kosovo special police on one side of the border and Serbian army units on the other.

The European Union can only be a power factor if it makes a credible and attractive offer to the region. Only then will they have incentive instruments and sanctions options in their hands with which they can influence the behavior of partner countries in the Balkans. This also makes sense because Serbia, the most important country in the region, is meanwhile openly offering itself to China. Belgrade benefits from Chinese support, and in return plays the role of Beijing's outpost on the border with the EU.

With the EEA, i.e. with access to the European Economic Area, the EU already has a model that it could offer to these Balkan states. Accession is subject to conditions that require far-reaching reforms from all 6 countries. But these conditions can be met - unlike those related to EU membership.

Only then could the story of the "European perspective" regain true content.

(Neue Zürcher Zeitung / NZZ)

Translation: Mirko Vuletić