Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis urges EU accession for Western Balkans by 2027

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said the European integration of the Western Balkans is a strategic investment in peace, security and stability. He affirmed Greece’s leading role in supporting the region’s EU‑membership path and announced that Greece will work to make the accession of one or more Western Balkan states possible during its EU Council presidency in the second half of 2027.

Gerapetritis stressed that Greece will not compromise on rule‑of‑law and international‑law standards. He highlighted the importance of energy security, citing Greece’s role as a southern energy gateway, the gas storage facility in Alexandroupoli, the LNG terminal at Revythousa, and the development of the Vertical Gas Corridor linking Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić called the Balkans’ EU entry a geopolitical necessity. The two ministers also referenced a 2025 memorandum of understanding providing Greek technical assistance to Serbia’s EU accession process.