Geopolitics has changed in recent years not only because of Ukraine but also because of the US. Today we need to act faster, to break the mindset and speed up the enlargement process.

This is what European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who is visiting Bulgaria, said.

In her words, for the first time in the history of enlargement, the European Union is confronted with external forces that want its failure.

Enlargement is a priority and it is paramount, Kos added and drew attention to the countries of the Western Balkans region.

The Western Balkans are in a different situation from Ukraine. So far we have two favoured countries - Montenegro and Albania, the enlargement commissioner told BNT and continued:

We are about to open a new chapter with Albania these days. If we continue in this way, we could conclude negotiations with Montenegro in 2026 and with Albania in 2027.

We would like to open negotiations with RS Macedonia as soon as possible. We know that Bulgaria and North Macedonia will reach an agreement on the protection of the Bulgarian minority, Marta Kos said.

There is a political crisis in Bosnia and we hope to start negotiations there this year as well.

The picture is complicated. The countries of the Western Balkans have their specificities.

Bulgaria knows the area and it is good to support their integration process, the enlargement commissioner said.

I strongly believe that we can learn good lessons from the past, Kos concluded. | BGNES