The European Commission believes that it is realistic for Serbia and Montenegro to become full members of the European Union (EU) by the year of 2025, and the remaining four regional countries would be deeply in the accession process at that time.
This was stated in the strategy that was prepared for the countries of the region, which is being prepared by the European Commission under the title “A Credible European Perspective for the Western Balkans”.
According to the announcement, the European Commission will most likely present this document on February 6, in Strasbourg.
In the draft of the document, the European Commission presented the most optimistic scenario for each country in the region.
According to the indicative time frame of the European Commission, the year of 2019 will be crucial for the Western Balkan.
This document stated that Kosovo and Serbia should realize “comprehensive normalization of their relations” during that year, which would “open the way of further progress of Kosovo on its path towards the EU integrations”.
Moreover, that year will be important for Albania and Macedonia as well, which should open the accession negotiations with Brussels, and BiH should get the candidate status then.
The opening of possible negotiations with Sarajevo is predicted for 2023. That year, according to the EC, will be marked with the completion of the accession negotiations with Montenegro and Serbia, and signing of an accession agreement is planned in 2024, and it would come into force one year later or at the end of 2025, when these two countries should become new members of the EU.
(Source: fokus.ba)