Ljubljana – ESI discussing EU accession process

Ljubljana’s Congress Square, with the university building on the right and Ljubljana’s medieval castle on the hill in the background. Photo: Kristof Bender/ESI

On 1 and 2 April 2025 Kristof Bender attend a closed-door workshop on North Macedonia’s EU accession prospects. The event was conducted under Chatham House rules.

Kristof also met officials at the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign affairs, discussing challenges in the Western Balkans as well as ESI’s proposal for the EU to offer accession countries Single Market membership as an attractive interim goal.

• ESI proposal: “End the turtle race How the EU can address the crisis of the accession process”
• ESI proposal: “Offer the four freedoms to the Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova For a merit-based EU accession process with a credible goal”
• ESI proposal: “Preventing violence – transform Kosovo dialogue”
• ESI report: “Scoreboard - The true state of accession - What the Commission assessments reveal”