- Western Balkan and EU ministers met in Pržno as part of the Berlin Process, focusing on reforms, security and the gradual integration of the region into the Union’s single market
- Đurić said that Serbia needs more practical Europe, while Wadephul stated that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the EU and that the region must implement the necessary changes itself..
- Marta Kos said that Montenegro is in the final stage of the accession negotiations and announced additional ideas from the European Commission on gradual integration on 6 October.
The foreign ministers of the Western Balkan countries, representatives of the countries participating in the Berlin Process, the European Union and regional organizations met on 1 October in Pržno as part of Montenegro’s presidency of the Berlin Process.
The meeting was hosted by Ervin Ibrahimović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, while participants included European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul.
The meeting was held under the title "The Western Balkans in a Changing Europe", with discussions focusing on security, economic and social convergence, regional cooperation, the gradual integration into the European Union’s single market, as well as opportunities for future generations.
Particular attention was paid to European integration and the reforms that the countries of the region need to implement, as well as to the concrete benefits that regional and European integration can bring to citizens and businesses.
Đurić: We Need as Much Europe as Possible Immediately, in Practical Terms
Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić, said that Serbia needs as much Europe as possible in practical terms, rather than in an ideological or bureaucratic sense.
Following his participation in the meeting of foreign ministers held as part of the Berlin Process, Đurić was asked how Serbia currently views initiatives such as the one put forward by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who said that the European Commission would present additional ideas on 6 October on how gradual integration into the EU could be expanded. In response, he pointed to some of the concrete things Serbia needs.
"We need as much Europe as possible, immediately, but in a very practical sense, not in some ideological or bureaucratic sense. We need our people not to have to wait for hours at the border. We need our goods, given that Serbia accounts for 57 percent of the regional economy, not to wait at the borders. For example, we need not to have roaming charges in the countries of the region when it comes to telecommunications. And Serbia, of course, supports all of this," Đurić said.
Wadephul: The Future of the Western Balkans Is in the EU
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said at the meeting that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union.
Wadephul said that the Berlin Process is evidence of the direction in which the region wants to move, towards a future in which the countries of the Western Balkans can become members of the European Union.
"We have 26 events, including 12 ministerial conferences. This is most likely the largest Berlin Process in history. The Berlin Process is evidence of where we want to go, towards a future in which the countries of the Western Balkans can become members of the European Union," Wadephul said.
He assessed that, if there is the willingness and ability to meet the criteria for accession to the European Union, success can be achieved within the next few years.
"The Berlin Process acts as a catalyst on your path towards European integration. For the region to move closer to the European Union, it must itself initiate these changes and genuinely take responsibility for them, overcoming political and other obstacles," he added.
Speaking about Montenegro, Wadephul said that, two decades after gaining independence, it is "knocking on the door of the European Union," noting that this process is being heard both in Brussels and in European capitals.
He also recalled the EU-Western Balkans Summit held in Tivat in June, as well as German-French efforts aimed at creating new momentum in the enlargement process and the gradual, merit-based integration.
Ibrahimović: The Western Balkans also has its responsibilities; we must implement reforms
Montenegro’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović assessed that the European Union accession process must continue to be a transformative process that strengthens institutions, the rule of law and democracy, while also creating better opportunities, greater economic convergence and a safer environment.
"The Western Balkans also has its responsibilities. We must implement reforms," Ibrahimović said.
He noted that the meeting in Pržno is taking place at a time when the world is changing rapidly and that the continent is facing conventional military threats, as well as hybrid attacks, cyber threats, disinformation, foreign interference and growing pressure on critical infrastructure.
At the same time, he pointed out that Europe is undergoing a profound economic and technological transformation.
"I believe that the European perspective of the Western Balkans must not be viewed solely as an institutional process. At its core, it is a matter of security, prosperity and the future of our citizens," the minister said.
He stressed that institutions must be strengthened, political tensions reduced and outstanding issues resolved through dialogue.
"We must also demonstrate through our actions that European integration is not merely a strategic objective, but also a process of transformation that we are prepared to undertake ourselves. However, the European perspective is also a shared responsibility. The European Union has an important role to play in maintaining the credibility and momentum of the enlargement process, supporting reforms, and ensuring the ever-greater integration of the Western Balkans into the European economic, political and security space," he said.
Ibrahimović said that the region should not be viewed solely as a future enlargement of the European Union, noting that it is already part of Europe’s security environment.
"We are already contributing to European security by aligning with the EU’s foreign and security policy, participating in European and Euro-Atlantic structures, and working to strengthen resilience to threats that increasingly affect us all. This is precisely why the Berlin Process remains important," the minister said.
He stated that the Berlin Process is important precisely because it brings together the Western Balkans and EU member states around practical cooperation, connectivity, mobility, reconciliation and a common European future.
"Let us use this meeting to reaffirm a simple principle: a safer, more prosperous and more European Western Balkans means a stronger Europe as a whole. And Montenegro is ready to continue working with all of you to achieve this goal," Ibrahimović said.
Marta Kos: Montenegro is in the final stage of negotiations
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Montenegro is in the final stage of negotiations with the European Union and announced that several more negotiating chapters are expected to be closed at the next Intergovernmental Conference, scheduled for mid-October.
Kos congratulated Montenegro on its progress in implementing reforms and noted that 18 negotiating chapters have been closed so far.
"You have already closed 18 negotiating chapters, and we expect several more chapters to be closed at the next Intergovernmental Conference in mid-October. You are now firmly in the final stage, so continue to devote all your energy to successfully concluding the negotiations," Kos said.
She also assessed that 2026 is a record year for the EU’s enlargement policy and stressed that she views enlargement as a strategic, security and economic interest of Europe.
Speaking about the future of the enlargement process, Kos emphasized that geopolitical considerations and the merit-based principle are not mutually exclusive.
"Geopolitics determines why enlargement is important and how urgently we need to act. We remain committed to the merit-based principle, because merit determines the conditions, who is ready to join and when," the Commissioner for Enlargement said.
She also announced that on October 6, the European Commission will present additional ideas on how gradual integration into the EU could be expanded, emphasizing that this does not constitute an alternative to full membership.
(EUpravo zato.rs)