The EU summit for the Western Balkans towards failure?

The first draft of the so-called “Declaration of the Sofia Summit”, created by the 28 member states of the European Union and seen by Radio Free Europe, has been the topic of discussion for European ambassadors at the end of March.

Although there is very little political content in the 13 paragraphs so far, it is clear that expectations will not be great when European leaders meet with their counterparts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, at their meeting in the Bulgarian capital after spending more than 15 years from the last time such a summit has been held.

One of the main points is the presence of Kosovo at the table, which is the topic of discussing five EU states, such as Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain, which have not recognised Kosovo's independence.

The document refers to EU countries as states, while six others as the “partner of the Western Balkans”.

Given a diplomat familiar with the talks, but unable to speak, Spain has said that Spain, like Cyprus, Greece and Romania, does not want the document to be named as a declaration and would prefer to call the same “The outcomes of the Bulgarian presidency”, or only to be considered as a declaration signed by EU states.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has indicated that he can bypass the summit with all sides in order not to be part of the same table where Kosovo representatives will be.

Spain's harsh approach comes from a referendum in the Spanish region of Catalonia in October 2017, which Madrid has declared illegal.

Some of the non-recognitions are also dissatisfied with the EU's language of enlargement in this draft, in which it is allegedly “The EU confirms clear support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. The European road remains based on individual criteria and merits”, claiming the May summit will not be for EU enlargement.

Other states that are more prone to join the EU, such as Austria, Croatia and Italy, are pushing forward the ambitious language to preserve declarations of the Western Balkans summit held in Thessalonici in 2013, where it is said all states in the region will one day become EU members.

Other paragraphs of the draft include parts, so that the partners in the Western Balkans recognise the primary importance of democracy, rule of law and respect of human rights and those belonging to minorities. The effective implementation of these reforms is based on these” principles.

Citing several bilateral issues in the region, the document notes that all six states “are pledged to improve inter-state relations, regional stability and co-operation.

Despite that none of the state is mentioned in the text, there appears to be a reference to Russia and Turkey, saying that, “we have decided to fight together external attempts for dezinforms, through a strategic communication of cyber”.

An annex of the declaration is based on concrete proposal to boost ties between the Western Balkans and the EU.

Among the suggestions also include completing the regional electricity network throughout the Western Balkans, establishing railway strategy, launching a digital agenda for the Western Balkans that includes reducing the Romang spending and doubling the financing of the Erasmus+ programme for exchange of students.

Support for the project linking Croatia, Montenegro and Albania's coastal areas and the Peace Highway project linking Nis and Pristina has been cited in this draft.