George Papandreou urges EU intervention in Balkan disputes

Former Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister George Papandreou has called for the European Union to take a more active role in resolving bilateral disputes within the Western Balkans. Speaking to MRT, Papandreou expressed that the prolonged timeline for Western Balkan countries to join the EU is a “real tragedy.”

As a key author of the 2003 Thessaloniki Agenda, Papandreou argued that EU member states should not be allowed to use their veto power to obstruct the broader European integration process. He specifically urged the EU to intervene directly to facilitate a resolution to the dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria.

Papandreou noted that the EU's involvement should extend beyond legalistic frameworks to address other regional tensions involving Kosovo, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, warning that if these issues are not resolved positively, they could become internal problems for the EU in the future.