TIRANA, May 8 – The European Union is trying to diplomatically save next week’s EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, as member states that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence point to possible boycott.
Four out of five EU member states that haven’t recognized one of the world’s newest countries – Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Cyprus – have reportedly argued that talks during the summit should not be interpreted as if Kosovo and its independence are uncontested.
Meanwhile, official Spain will not be attending the summit due to the same issue and it remains to be seen whether any of the other four will join Spain in its decision.
In this context, the EU is taking diplomatic measures to ensure the summit will take place as planned on May 17, in Bulgaria’s capital.
To begin with, the EU will place attention to the terminology used during the summit, as WB countries will not be referred to as states, but as WB partners, according to local media.
In addition, member state representatives and heads of states will be introduced through personal name tags, instead of though the countries they represent.
Summit organizers hope to avoid any mention of boycott through these adjustments, despite Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s absence from the summit, as announced by Brussel’s diplomats.
Spanish media lately reported that in the context of Catalonia’s separatist tendencies, Rajoy’s has said he doesn’t wish to be photographed with Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci.
Sofia’s Western Balkan Summit is expected to touch on the WB states’ European perspective, although the EU is not expected to provide an exact membership deadline.
Critics and EU state representatives argued against the EU Commission’s 2025 membership deadline even for Serbia and Montenegro, saying that WB countries have a long way to go to fulfill the EU membership criteria.
