Future of the Western Balkans in the EU: Rapprochement Despite Tensions

PeopleDiplomats ♦ Published: October 10, 2023; 15:03 ♦ (Vindobona)

In recent years, the Western Balkans have increasingly become the focus of EU accession talks. The Berlin Process, a 2014 initiative of the German government, created a format that promotes regional cooperation in the Western Balkans and supports the countries' rapprochement with the EU.

Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg participated in the meeting of foreign ministers in the framework of the "Berlin Process" in Tirana. / Picture: © BMEIA Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres / Gruber / Flickr Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

The annual meeting of foreign ministers within the framework of the Berlin Process took place this year in Tirana, the capital of Albania. Here, both Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stressed that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the EU. Schallenberg pointed out that it was necessary to accelerate the integration…