On 3 December, our Research Fellows from the Western Balkans team participated in the annual Western Balkans Summit in Sofia.
In the first panel entitled “The EU Enlargement process of the Western Balkans and the way forward”, Mr. Ferenc Németh highlighted that EU enlargement has become more complicated after the war in Ukraine. Although enlargement is back on the agenda, the EU must invest more political capital to the region so it could incentivize the process.
The second panel under the title “Towards improved connectivity of the Western Balkans” touched upon energy security. Ms. Cintia Viola stressed that energy cooperation has never been more important for the countries of the region. “Development of the energy sector in the Western Balkans can be profitable for the whole continent too”, explained our Research fellow.
In third panel entitled “Security, Migration and Foreign Interference in the Western Balkans”, Ms. Julianna Ármás elaborated on the negative consequences of having a geopolitical vacuum in the region. Taking about external powers, Ms. Ármás raised awareness of China’s growing influence in the Western Balkans.
The Western Balkans Summit was organized by New Direction, in cooperation with the Warsaw Institute and the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Photos by: New Direction