Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama proposed a phased approach to European Union membership that would temporarily waive some rights of full membership, including veto powers, in a joint opinion article published in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
In the article, the two leaders called for what they described as a “realistic path” to EU membership for Western Balkan countries, arguing that gradual integration could revive the bloc’s stalled enlargement process and improve regional stability.
Under the proposal, candidate countries such as Serbia and Albania would progressively integrate into the EU’s internal market and the Schengen Area before becoming full members.
However, during this intermediate phase they would not hold positions such as EU commissioners, seats in the European Parliament or the right to veto EU decisions — privileges reserved for full member states.
“In our part of Europe, the Western Balkans – a region geographically surrounded by the EU and historically linked to Europe’s destiny – the prospect of membership remains the strongest driver for reform, investment and reconciliation,” Vučić and Rama wrote.
They added that deeper economic integration of Western Balkan countries could strengthen the EU’s economic and political position without placing additional pressure on its decision-making system.
The EU accession process for Serbia and several other Western Balkan countries has stalled for years, with Brussels citing limited progress in areas including rule of law, anti-corruption measures, media freedom and judicial reforms.
Serbia applied for EU membership in 2009 but negotiations have slowed amid concerns over democratic standards and Belgrade’s foreign policy alignment, including its stance toward Russia.
Albania has said it aims to complete accession negotiations within the next few years and become a full EU member by 2030.
Separately, Rama said Kosovo remained a key source of tension in relations with Serbia, describing it as a “nightmare” for Vučić in an interview with Turkish outlet Turkey Today, according to regional media reports.
“President Vučić is someone with significant knowledge and intuition, but he has his nightmare. That is Kosovo,” Rama said. “When that nightmare takes over his emotions, he sometimes says things that frankly do not make sense.”
Rama was responding to Vučić’s claims that Albania, Croatia and Kosovo had formed a military alliance aimed at threatening Serbia, allegations the Albanian leader dismissed as unfounded.
Rama also rejected Vučić’s earlier assertions that Turkey harbours neo-Ottoman ambitions in the Balkans, saying Ankara had invested more in Serbia than in Albania and Kosovo combined.
Despite the disagreements, Rama said Vučić remained “a leader with whom dialogue and cooperation on shared goals is possible,” while reiterating Tirana’s firm support for Kosovo’s independence.
“Kosovo is independent. It is a republic. That process is irreversible,” Rama said. “If Kosovo is under threat, Albania is also under threat.”