The EU enlargement process has been turned upside down. It is now a force for maintaining the status quo. It is not a force for progress.

“Europe is under attack. The whole European security order is under attack. And when you’re under attack, you have to consolidate. In terms of the Western Balkans, which Ivan Krastev named “the soft underbelly of Europe”, it is wise to consolidate this region, where Russia is present. This is a region with pockets of uncertainty. We have the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have the problem with the status of Kosovo, the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Those grievances can be abused. The biggest tool here is obviously the enlargement policy, which is kaputt. Now that the geopolitical framework of our life on the continent is dangerous, we have to immediately reward progress and we have to name and shame when there is backsliding. This won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible.”

Jovana Trifunović in conversation with Nikola Dimitrov, Europe’s Futures Fellow and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia.

This text and video is published under the Creative Commons License: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. The name of the author/rights holder should be mentioned as followed. Author: Jovana Trifunović and Igor Bararon / tippingpoint.net. Cover picture: film still, illustration: Norma Nardi

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