By Antonio TAJANI
The political strength of our continent in the coming decades will depend to a large extent on the membership of the Western Balkan countries in the European Union. This is the most important geostrategic investment of our time, because security, competitiveness and enlargement are now inseparable. Without completing its reunification, the European Union will never reach the size necessary to compete successfully in today’s world.
The Western Balkans belong to the history, geography and political future of Europe. Italy has placed this Region at the center of its diplomatic action. As an Adriatic and Mediterranean country, we know well that the security of our seas is directly linked to the stability of the Region. For this reason, we strongly support the acceleration of the accession process of the Western Balkan countries to the European Union, with the aim of reuniting the European family and expanding the area of ​​peace, stability and opportunities.
Italy’s commitment is embodied in a broad diplomatic presence and a continuous political dialogue. Since 2022, over a hundred high-level visits, bilateral meetings and multilateral initiatives have taken place, which have accompanied the reform process in the candidate countries and have concretely supported their rapprochement with the European Union.
In this context, Italy is among the initiators of the Informal Group “Friends of the Western Balkans”, which brings together the most committed member states to keep the Western Balkans at the top of the European agenda. The meeting taking place today in Rome, with the participation of the Foreign Ministers of the Region, demonstrates Italy’s determination to give a new impetus to the European journey of the Western Balkans.
Membership requires profound reforms: strengthening the rule of law, increasing the efficiency of public administration, accelerating digitalization and improving the quality of institutions. Italy supports these efforts with concrete instruments. We are among the leading countries in the Twinning and TAIEX programs, which constitute fundamental pillars of the accession process, as they enable the transfer of knowledge, experience and institutional capacities from member states to candidate countries. In the Western Balkans, Italy ranks first among the member states in terms of the number of experts engaged in these programs. We believe that integration should bring concrete and tangible benefits to citizens and businesses even before formal membership, strengthening their trust in the European project.
Italy is already one of the Region’s main economic partners, with a trade exchange exceeding 10 billion euros and around 800 Italian companies active in the Western Balkans. These companies contribute to economic growth, the creation of qualified jobs, the modernization of the manufacturing sector and the acceleration of the green and digital transitions. Through development cooperation, Italy invests in strategic sectors such as health, infrastructure, energy and vocational education.
The issue of infrastructure connectivity is also of particular importance. The Western Balkans constitute a natural bridge between the Adriatic, the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Europe. For this reason, Italy supports the development of key infrastructure corridors, starting with Corridor VIII, which will connect the Adriatic Sea with the Black Sea, as well as the expansion of railway, port, energy and digital networks.
In the same perspective, Italy also supports the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) project, for which it collaborates closely with partners such as India and the Gulf countries. Thanks to its strategic geographical position, Italy could become the European entry point for these new trade corridors, while the Western Balkans could play the role of a natural bridge towards Central Europe and the Eurasian corridors.
The topic of connectivity is closely linked to Europe’s strategic autonomy, the security of supply chains and food security. For this reason, we have also invited the Deputy Director-General of the FAO, Maurizio Martina, to today’s meeting.
European integration, economic development and infrastructure connectivity require a stable security environment. In this regard, Italy has also taken on important responsibilities. Our country has led the NATO KFOR mission in Kosovo fourteen times, the EULEX Kosovo mission twice and the European EUFOR Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina three times, contributing with civilian and military instruments to Regional stability and the implementation of the Dayton Agreement.
The integration of the Western Balkans is a geopolitical choice for Europe. The full inclusion of the Region in the European Union means strengthening the Union’s southeastern flank, increasing its stability, and expanding Europe’s capacity to act as a global actor.
Italy will continue to work to ensure that the European path of the Western Balkans remains a credible and merit-based process, but at the same time becomes faster, more predictable and closer to citizens. For our continent, this is above all a matter of historical coherence and, at the same time, a strategic necessity.
(The author is Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy)