As geopolitical competition intensifies in the Western Balkans, liberal leaders from across Europe gathered in Podgorica, Montenegro last week to discuss EU enlargement and the region’s strategic importance.
With the return of power politics to Europe, EU enlargement has taken on new geopolitical importance. Liberals at the event agreed that the EU cannot afford to leave strategic gaps or ideological vacuums that external powers can exploit.
Western Balkans enlargement has been on the EU’s agenda for over two decades, but it regained urgency after the war in Ukraine. The group consensus was that if the EU does not enlarge its neighbourhood, someone else will fill the space.
This regional liberal conference called “Democracy Under Pressure: Disinformation, Authoritarianism and the Path to the EU,” focused on advancing the European path of Montenegro and the Western Balkans by safeguarding liberal democracy amid targeted disinformation campaigns.
The conference was hosted by ALDE Party and member organisations, including Montenegro’s Liberalna Partija Crne Gore and the UK’s Liberal Democrats, with the Liberal South East European Network (LIBSEEN).
Speakers highlighted growing concerns around espionage and disinformation campaigns targeting the region. Fake news campaigns are being launched in an attempt to undermine democratic progress in the region, with the Kremlin playing a role in these anti-democratic campaigns.
Relating to these themes, two panels were held on “Western Balkans - The Road to the EU” and “Democracy under Pressure”. Different perspectives explored the main obstacles slowing Western Balkan countries on their path to EU accession.
With Montenegro considered the frontrunner for EU membership in the Western Balkans, liberals agreed that absolute priority is building strong institutions there that guarantee the rule of law and ensure a brighter future for candidate countries.
In the context of growing authoritarianism and disinformation shaping public opinion, participants also discussed the political significance of liberal European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos’s visit.
Commissioner Kos reported on the key reforms needed to speed up the accession process:
“I spoke with Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatovic about the need for Montenegro to now prioritise the fundamentals - the essential chapters on democracy. Without them, no country can join the EU. Montenegro needs to unite its political forces, including civil society, to speed up reforms.”
Liberals at the conference reaffirmed their commitment to EU enlargement, democratic resilience and stronger cooperation across the Western Balkans, as the region’s European future becomes increasingly tied to the EU’s geopolitical strategy.