EU expert in Ditmir Bushati's podcast: Integration is not in your hand! The war in Ukraine opened opportunities for the Western Balkans

The former Foreign Minister, Ditmir Bushati, yesterday invited Gerald Knaus, head of the European Initiative for Stability, to his podcast that focused on the integration process of the Western Balkan countries and the impact of the war in Ukraine. Gerald Knaus says that the war sends a message to EU leaders that they should think about a new enlargement, as the advantages are greater, and a stronger Europe. After this war comes a new opportunity and frankly, I think that if there was not a war in Ukraine by Russia now, I don't believe that the European Union would be enlarged again, because with 27 members, many of these countries are happy with existing condition. But, with the war against Ukraine and the awareness that Europe is not complete and with the war and the destruction of the continent, the wave of refugees, the disasters, let's put everything behind us. I hope that this will be an opportunity for the Western Balkans as well. And this is the reason, this is the moment for the leaders of the Western Balkans to really push the European capitals with great conviction and concentration to change the existing procedure that does not lead to EU accession, which is a necessity", he declared. Furthermore, the head of the European Initiative for Stability dwells on the statements of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron about the EU enlargement process. "I am surprised that many people do not listen to exactly what Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron and others are saying. Why can't they give a date for EU membership? Olaf Scholz says that we want to speed up the enlargement process, but he also says that, to make this possible, The European Union must change. He wants to reform the EU, which we know is not going to happen. Let's put it bluntly, take the Baltic states, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, or even some of the old member states, they will not give up their veto on many issues. They don't want to give up and they are saying that they won't. So if Olaf Scholz says to speed up the enlargement process, but first the EU has to change, where all member states agree to no longer have a veto for example on foreign policy, and then a number of EU member states say that we will not give up the veto, then what Olaf Scholz is saying is that this does not depend on the Balkans, it does not depend on you. You can make all the reforms, but if we don't agree between us,