“We are still disappointed, angry and a little bit frustrated, because we got a promise from the European Union that when we deliver, they would deliver — and they failed.”  (Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of North Macedonia). 

Prime Minister Zaev resigned shortly after making the above statement in response to the EU’s vote to deny the opportunity for accession talks to North Macedonia and Albania, despite previous commitment to begin the discussion once benchmark reforms were met. The October 2019 vote carried serious repercussions, including the Prime Minister’s resignation – he viewed the vote as a deterrent towards enacting his pro-European campaign promises – and the dissolution of the Macedonian parliament. 

The EU’s decision, led by France’s Emmanuel Macron and supported by his counterparts in the Netherlands and Denmark, is in line with the EU’s tendency to shift its gaze away from the south-eastern region of the continent and to focus on internal reform over the years. Macron’s vote sends a clear message: The Balkans are not a priority for the EU. 

However, if North Macedonian and Albanian citizens lose faith in the European dream due to Macron’s decision this will have significant ramifications. These may be disillusionment with the EU across South Eastern Europe, a potential decline in democratic reforms within Western Balkan states, and an invitation for authoritarian actors to spread their influence into the region. 

Macron’s decision has a dubious basis and perpetuates negative stereotypes about the Balkan region. He cites “a need for reform of the EU enlargement process” as the main motivation behind the no vote, along with concerns over the presence of return jihadists in the region – a statement that lacks evidence and seems to reflect French domestic politics rather than any problem endemic to the Balkan region. 

The vote cast does not concern immediate EU membership, but rather the continuation of dialogue over the necessary steps North Macedonia and Albania must pursue in order to continue on their path towards full member status. As several other Balkan states are hoping to continue down a similar path, the denial of accession talks comes as a blow to the entire Balkan region.

Many Balkan countries feel that their reform efforts are going unnoticed. North Macedonia underwent a name change to appease EU-member Greece as part of its extensive reforms. Other Western Balkan countries which lie on various points of the spectrum for EU accession, including Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo, have been undergoing reforms towards full EU member status over the past decade and have also expressed disappointment in the decision. The majority of citizens from these countries favour EU membership, but the EU’s rejection may discourage them from pursuing further democratic reforms. 

In addition to the immediate discouragement the No vote generates among Balkan citizens, it is also a poor geostrategic decision on the EU’s part as it leaves the space open for other authoritarian actors, including Russia, China, Turkey, and Gulf States to intrude. 

The presence of malign actors has intensified in recent years. Russia is growing its media presence in the region and is actively using disinformation tactics as a way to exaggerate existing societal cleavages in order to promote Kremlin-backed elites and foster an anti-NATO and anti-EU narrative. China and the Gulf States are investing heavily in the Balkans, particularly in technology and infrastructure, while eschewing transparency and accountability standards. And Turkey is using its expanding influence in the region to promote President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s increasingly authoritarian agenda. 

The EU must acknowledge the reality taking place along its borders and understand that its relationship with the Western Balkans is not unilateral – it too will benefit from an inclusive arrangement to keep authoritarian actors at bay.

In fact, Macron is facing international criticism for his decision from several EU officials, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Commission President Donald Tusk voicing their disapproval of the decision, with Tusk stating, “North Macedonia has already done its share.” 

As of February 5, the French president has revisited the issue and remarked that he is ready for accession talks to resume after outlining a number of reforms to the accession process. He stipulated that if an upcoming European Commission report on the two countries comes back positive in March then he will feel comfortable moving forward with the discussions. 

However, he has done little to address the sense of betrayal imparted on countries of the Western Balkans by his previous vote and has left no guarantee that he will not again invoke his veto power in the matter if the discussions do not suit his current agenda. 

The arbitrary delay of accession talks must not become the norm. European leaders should acknowledge the progress the region has worked diligently to achieve and work to uphold their commitments as long as Balkan states are upholding theirs. Potential candidate states should not be ignored or kept waiting while the EU’s accession policy is redrafted. Instead, they should be invited to engage in the process and reframe accession discussions to take place in a more comprehensive manner. 

As an inclusive institution that aims to promote the wellbeing of all European citizens, the European Union should recognize the importance of engaging with North Macedonia, Albania, and the remaining Western Balkan states before they become disenchanted with the European dream and offer their partnership to other actors with potentially ulterior interests. The EU has an opportunity to rewrite a narrative which has historically painted South Eastern European citizens as second-tier to those of Western Europe, and it must take the opportunity seriously.