Starovic: Enlargement is a key test of the credibility of the EU’s strategic commitments

Serbian Minister for European Integration Nemanja Starovic said today in Budapest that the enlargement of the European Union represents a key test of the credibility of the Union’s strategic commitments, emphasizing that the Western Balkans region is already deeply integrated into the European economic area, but that political integration has not yet been completed.

At the 10th annual Balkan Forum in Budapest, Starovic participated in the panel “From Words to Deeds: Enlargement and the Western Balkans”, together with Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs Janos Boka, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Megi Fino, and Predrag Zenovic, chief negotiator of Montenegro with the European Union.

Starovic emphasized that the Western Balkans is geographically surrounded by EU member states and that the economies of the region are already strongly connected to the European market, the Ministry for European Integration of Serbia said in a statement.

He noted that in the case of Serbia, almost two-thirds of trade is conducted with the EU, which is also the largest investor in the Serbian economy.

The minister stressed that reforms in Serbia are real and continuous and that the EU accession process represents the main framework for internal changes in the country – from judicial reform and strengthening institutions to improving the business environment and aligning economic policies with European regulations and standards.

Speaking about concrete steps that could demonstrate stronger commitment to enlargement, Starovic mentioned the gradual integration of the region into the EU Single Market, as well as the initiative of the European Commission to begin negotiations on the “Roam Like at Home” initiative, that is, extending the EU roaming regime to the Western Balkans.

“For citizens of the region, this does not only mean lower communication costs, but also represents a strong symbol of real integration,” Starovic said.

He also pointed to the importance of the potential inclusion of the region in the Schengen Area, noting that today the Western Balkans, in a way, functions as an internal external border of the EU because it is geographically within the European space, but still separated by borders that slow down trade and the movement of people.

According to him, some member states, including Hungary, often emphasize that enlargement is not a burden but an opportunity for the European Union, because the Western Balkans represents growing markets, important transport and energy corridors, as well as significant human capital.

Starovic said that the Western Balkans belongs to the European Union – historically, economically, and politically.

“The question today is not whether enlargement will happen, but whether Europe will seize the strategic moment for it to happen sooner rather than later,” Minister Starovic concluded.