INVITATION: Western Balkans in 2020: EU Enlargement in Turbulent Times

The Western Balkan region and the EU enlargement policy have seen both high and low points over the past year. The COVID-19 crisis showed the necessity for closer cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans, providing an opportunity for approximating the region to the EU. The European Council in March approved the opening of the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. However, the recent Bulgarian veto to the adoption of the negotiating framework for North Macedonia has halted the process in its infancy, for now, raising further questions in the precarious and fragile integration process.

How did each of the Western Balkan countries advance in their European paths? Will the parliamentary elections in Serbia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro influence their EU accession process? How can the opening of the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia be unblocked? And how to avoid repeated unjustified blocking of the negotiations later in the process?

Confirmed speakers:

• Simonida Kacarska, European Policy Institute - EPI, North Macedonia
• Gledis Gjipali, European Movement in Albania
• Marko Stojić, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy and Metropolitan University Praha

The debate will be moderated by Jana Juzová, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy.

You can follow the debate HERE.