Skopje – ESI discusses the Western Balkans

21 February 2026
Gerald on the Panel in Skopje. Photo: Paneuropean Union of Macedonia
Gerald on the Panel in Skopje. Photo: Paneuropean Union of Macedonia

ESI’s Gerald Knaus travelled to Skopje, Northern Macedonia, to speak on a panel discussing the European future of the Western Balkans. The panel was held as part of the event “European future of the Western Balkans,” organized by the Paneuropean Union of Macedonia. The panel was titled “Securing the European Future of the Western Balkans: Leadership, Political Commitment, Integration and Regional Cooperation in Times of Global Challenges”. Joining Gerald on the panel was President of the International Paneuropean Union Pavo Barisic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Sarajevo Amer Kapetanovic, and Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Skopje Daniel Braun. The panel was chaired by Andrej Lepavcov, the President of the Paneuropean Union of Macedonia and former Macedonian Ambassador to the EU.

Recounting his own years spent living in the region, Gerald noted the importance of integrating the Balkans further into Europe. He noted that after decades of war and conflict, the Balkans is increasingly again a region of hope, with growing economies and increased stability. Such hope could be made permanent through successfully integrating the Balkans further into Europe and the trans-Atlantic security architecture. Gerald noted that once within the EU, war becomes unthinkable; once inside NATO, attacks become unthinkable; and when fully inside Europe, borders become invisible.

Thus, EU countries must give the Balkans a realistic offer rewarding reform with tangible benefits. Gerald outlined ESI’s proposal under which any candidate country that fulfils EU accession criteria would automatically gain access to the European Single Market and the EU’s four fundamental freedoms, including freedom of movement. Such an approach, Gerald suggested, would create strong incentives for reforms in candidate countries while allowing progress toward integration even as political debates about full EU membership continue.