Merz: EU Partly Responsible For Its Slow Enlargement Itself
1- 5.06.2026, 22:38
The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany announced his intention to integrate the Western Balkan countries into the EU.
The European Union bears part of the responsibility for the fact that the Western Balkan states have not yet joined it, said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
"If we have not accepted new members for 13 years, it shows that there have been failings on the part of the European Union as well. And today we want to overcome them," Merz said Friday, June 5, before the start of the EU-Western Balkans summit in the Montenegrin city of Tivat, DW reports.
The summit brings together the heads of state and government of all 27 EU states, the heads of key EU institutions and the leaders of six Western Balkan countries. They are discussing prospects for EU membership not only for Montenegro, the summit host, but also for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia, which already have candidate status, and Kosovo, which has applied for EU membership in December 2022.
Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron presented at the summit their new proposals on how the Western Balkan states could be integrated into the European Union even before their full accession. In particular, to grant them observer status in EU institutions and privileged access to the single internal market, as well as to involve them more actively in EU decision-making processes. It is important to show these states that in the long term they are part of the European project and belong to the EU, the Chancellor emphasized.
It is also proposed to hold joint meetings of the EU institutions and representatives of the Western Balkan states on topics of regional importance, and to open all negotiation clusters for these countries to join the EU.
Montenegro is currently considered the most promising candidate for EU membership, which has already closed 18 out of 33 negotiation clusters. It is expected that it will be able to join the EU by 2030.
Emmanuel Macron, in turn, noted that the Western Balkan states are of great geopolitical importance, as this region can ensure Europe's independence in energy and security issues, as well as control over migration routes. European Council President António Costa also agreed with his opinion, saying that EU enlargement, especially in the direction of the Western Balkans, is "the most important geopolitical investment that the European Union is currently making." However, to achieve this goal, the EU must "work harder and faster," Costa urged.
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