Growing Russian, Chinese and Turkish investments in the region are being used as a tool to put pressure on the EU
Two years ago France and the Netherlands temporarily stalled accession for all of the so-called Western Balkan Six: Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia. Now Bulgaria is blocking talks for North Macedonia and Albania. It demands Macedonian concessions on interpretations of history and language that have nothing to do with the‘s requirements. Albania is collateral damage because its negotiations are paired with its neighbour’s.
“We have perfected patience,” says Nikola Dimitrov, deputy prime minister of North Macedonia. For 27 years his country was dogged by a row with Greece, which objected to its former name of Macedonia. Mr Dimitrov helped negotiate a deal to change the name to North Macedonia. Now, by failing to stand up to Bulgaria,made a number of demands in exchange for allowing its citizens visa-free travel.
Outside powers are encroaching on the region. On July 10th Serbia’s free-trade agreement with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union came into force. That is incompatible withmembership. In the meantime plans abound for what the Six should do next. Last year they agreed to form a common regional market. On July 29th Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania signed an agreement to implement some of its provisions, but Kosovo, Bosnia and Montenegro will not sign that deal.
Mr Rama chides his colleagues to stop using growing Russian, Chinese and Turkish investments in the region as a tool to put pressure on the’s paralysis slow the six down, they should get on with their own regional integration. But Kristof Bender of the European Stability Initiative, a think-tank in Berlin, is sceptical: “You want to be in a common market with larger, richer economies, not a few neighbours who are as poor and underdeveloped as you are.
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