EU Countries Lack Ambition for New Members, Expert Says

As N1 Serbia, we bring you the sobering assessment from Dušan Reljić, an expert on European Union affairs, regarding the bloc's willingness to expand. Reljić's candid remarks to Serbian journalists in Brussels reveal a stark reality: the current member states of the EU simply do not possess the ambition to welcome new countries into their fold.

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EU member states lack the ambition to accept new members.

Reljić’s analysis delves into the economic implications of enlargement. He points out that while the accession of Ukraine would represent a substantial financial undertaking for the EU, the cost of integrating candidates from the Western Balkans would be remarkably low, ranging from mere cents to a few euros annually per country. This stark contrast highlights the political rather than economic barriers hindering the region's integration.

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Serbia is at the bottom of the list due to 'unilateralism that has been exposed', as well as violence.

Furthermore, Reljić directly addresses Serbia's stalled progress, attributing its low standing on the EU's enlargement agenda to 'unilateralism that has been exposed' and instances of violence. He also sheds light on the complex internal procedures within key member states like France and Germany, noting specific constitutional provisions and mechanisms that govern accession decisions. From our perspective in Serbia, this expert opinion underscores the need for both internal reforms and a clearer, more committed approach from the EU itself if the promise of membership is to be anything more than a distant aspiration.

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France and the Netherlands have a special mechanism for admitting new members, and Germany's constitution has a 'strange' provision that the Federal Government must make all decisions on enlargement in cooperation with the parliament.