Week in Review: The End of an Era?

Laid to Rest?

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrive for a family photo following an EU-Western Balkans leaders' meeting in Brussels, Belgium, 23 June 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/STEPHANIE LECOCQ

The EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans has been on 'life support' for the best part of a decade. Has the spectacular failure of the recent Western Balkans Summit, held on June 23 on the side-lines of the bigger European Council meeting, finally laid it to rest?

In his opinion piece for Balkan Insight, our senior editor Srecko Latal makes precisely this argument. He takes a look at how EU enlargement in the Western Balkans got to this sorry point and what its demise could mean for the region.

Read more: EU Has Finally Buried Balkan Dreams of Membership (June 27, 2022)

Time Wasted

Former Montenegro's Minister for European Integrations Godrana Djurovic at the press conference. Photo: PR Centar

If there is one country in the Western Balkans still hoping to sneak into the EU, below the radar, then this is Montenegro. Given its small size and lack of bilateral problems, many supporters of enlargement believe that Montenegro, just about, has a realistic chance of doing so.

In our interview this week, we talk to Gordana Djurovic, a university professor and former minister in charge of EU integration, about Montenegro's long road to accession. Djurovic offers a realistic assessment of where Montenegro must do better if it is to have any chance of achieving its EU dream.

Read more: 'Montenegro has Wasted a Decade Delaying EU Reforms' (June 29, 2022)

Testing Times

Bulgarian Prime...