German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Photo: Thomas Koehler / bundesfinanzministerium.de
On Monday in Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will meet with the leaders of the six Western Balkan countries at a summit dedicated to further deepening their cooperation with the European Union. The event is part of the Berlin Process, launched in 2014 to promote regional integration and gradual rapprochement between Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia and the EU, dpa reports.
The summit will also be attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, representatives of nine EU member states, including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Germany, as well as international organisations.
The main topics of the meeting will be the signing of an action plan to create a common regional market and a new mobility agreement that will open access to higher education for residents of these countries.
Among the six participants in the process, only Kosovo does not yet have the official status of an EU candidate. Nevertheless, the Berlin Process remains an important tool for advancing the region’s path to European integration.
This meeting takes place against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions related to the war in Ukraine. The EU leaders emphasise the strategic importance of strengthening ties with the Western Balkans, as new challenges to Europe’s security and stability make this partnership even more relevant.
Since Croatia’s accession in 2013, the EU has not expanded, but today, in light of current events, the issue of Western Balkan integration is gaining new importance for the future of European unity and stability.
