EU gives timelines only to Serbia, Montenegro

Serbia and Montenegro are the only Western Balkan countries to receive clear calendar deadlines for possible EU accession in 2025, while the European integration dates of other countries in the region will not be mentioned.

So says the final version of the Strategy for Faithful Perspective of the Western Balkans, whose text was approved Monday at the European Commission's cabinet chiefs' meeting.

In the document that has provided Radio Free Europe, Montenegro and Serbia are again identified as leaders in the region and their EU accession is envisioned for seven years.

The accession negotiations are under way with Montenegro and Serbia. With strong political will, with real and sustained reforms, as well as final resolutions of disputes with neighbours, these two countries will potentially be ready for membership in 2025”, the European Commission Strategy for Strategy, which will be published Tuesday in Strasbourg, says.

Other Western Balkan countries from this document will provide only the prospect of European integration, without calendar deadlines for their possible accession.

The “Commission is ready to prepare recommendations for opening membership negotiations with Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, on meeting terms. With continued effort and commitment, Bosnia and Herzegovina could become membership candidate. Kosovo is able to make steady progress with the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and advance on its European path when the objective circumstances --” allow, says the Strategy.

In this document, the European Union has hardened its language in the chapter on rule of law. It clearly warns that countries of the region will become EU members, “but not in the situation where they are today”.

“Today, countries show clear elements of captured states, including links to organised crime and corruption at all levels of government and administration, as well as strong mix of public and private interests”, says the Strategy.

The strategy also notes that in the Western Balkan region, there are <x0-> broad political interventions in the media and control over them”.

“The powerful and independent judiciary, as well as governments and responsible administrations, are necessary to make sustainable social changes, which are necessary”, the document says.

The strategy for the Western Balkans highlights two important issues affecting the entire region and that must be resolved before any country in the region joins the EU: dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and bilateral disputes.

There can be no permanent stability in the region without effective and inclusive normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, through dialogue that helps the EU. A comprehensive and legally binding agreement on normalisation of relations is urgent and decisive so that Kosovo and Serbia can progress on the European path”, says the Strategy text, which envisions such an agreement being reached by the end of 2019.

About open bilateral issues among the countries of the region, the Strategy says that prior to their EU accession, they must find and reduce <x0-> final and mandatory” solutions.

The European Union can't and won't present bilateral disputes”, says the Strategic Text.

When it comes to unresolved border problems between these countries, the European Commission requires that the “parties submit to final arbitration”, such as the International Court of Justice.

The arbitration decisions will then have to accept and respect both sides before they enter the EU.

The European Commission also has concrete remarks in the chapter on the economy, where political interference is also said to be.

“Critical share of the economy in the region is uncompetitive, with many unnecessary political interference and undeveloped private sector”, the strategy text said.