BRUSSELS – For decades, joining the European Union was seen as the holy grail for the countries of the Western Balkans. But for most of them, that dream remains elusive, and they’re starting to look for alternatives.
The EU has taken notice. It’s holding a summit on Tuesday with the leaders of its 27 members in Albania’s capital, Tirana, to show it still believes the Balkan states will one day join the fold. Complaints about delayed integration haven’t only come from countries where hope of joining the EU remains strong. Even the European Parliament rebuked the bloc’s leaders for “not delivering on the EU’s long-standing promises”.
Take North Macedonia, which along with Albania started accession talks in July after waiting for 17 years to do so after a tumultuous process in which it even changed its name to qualify. “There are many countries that believe the process should be faster,” US Special envoy for the Balkans Gabriel Escobar said last week.
And his government changed laws in October so it could start exporting natural gas to its southern neighbour.
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