Today, the Regional Cooperation Council is presenting the Balkan Barometer data for 2025, the 11th edition of its flagship annual survey covering the perceptions of citizens and businesses across the Western Balkans.
The 2025 edition brings new findings on public and business sentiment, shedding light on
developments in economic growth, digital transformation, mobility, the green transition and trust in institutions, the EUpravo Zato correspondent from Brussels reports.
According to the report, 64 per cent of Western Balkan citizens support EU membership, the
highest percentage since 2015 and an increase of 10 per cent compared to last year.
The Barometer shows that rising prices and inflation remain the main concern for 66 per cent of citizens, while 64 per cent believe that regional cooperation can improve the economic situation.
It is also stated that 68 per cent of young people are considering working or living abroad, while 71 per cent believe that EU membership would be good for their economy, representing the highest level of trust among young people in the past five years.
Businesses also reported tangible benefits from deeper regional integration, including reduced operating costs resulting from the roaming-free regime and expected gains from travelling within the region using only an identity card.
RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović said that support for EU integration is at a record high, while trust in regional cooperation remains consistently strong.
This places responsibility on decision-makers to preserve this momentum and translate it into concrete reforms and tangible benefits for everyone in the region.
"This is the 25th edition and, of course, we are pleased to share several very encouraging trends. First of all, trust in the European Union has returned to the regional level. Last year it was 54 per cent, now it is 64 per cent, which is actually the highest in the past ten years. This does not mean that pro-European sentiment has returned to every corner of the region. Of course, there are variations, but at the regional level the situation is such that trust in regional cooperation is also growing significantly. Above all, when we analyse the data more closely, we see trust in regional cooperation that can deliver concrete results, such as exchanges, movement with identity cards, and similar initiatives," he told EUpravo Zato.
He also noted that it is very encouraging that young people in particular, 77 per cent of them, are strongly pro-European, committed to cooperation and eager to see concrete benefits of regional cooperation.
"These are, I would say, three indicators that trust is returning," he added, while also warning that trust is a very fragile thing that must be carefully preserved.
The presentation brought together EU and Western Balkan policymakers, government officials, economists, civil society leaders, journalists and representatives of leading think tanks for a forward-looking dialogue on the region’s development.
By examining the latest findings of the Balkan Barometer, participants explored how reliable data and evidence-based analysis can inform smarter policy choices, shape reform priorities and strengthen regional cooperation.
Participants also discussed how public and business perceptions can help anticipate emerging challenges, measure progress and support more effective, people-centred decision-making across the Western Balkans.
(EUpravo zato)