On October 6, 2025, the coastal city of Durres, Albania, became the epicenter of diplomatic activity as the presidents of the Western Balkan nations convened for the annual Brdo-Brijuni Process summit. The gathering, hosted by Albanian President Bajram Begaj and organized alongside Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar and Croatian President Zoran Milanović, aimed to accelerate the region’s integration with the European Union in the face of mounting geopolitical challenges and simmering regional tensions.
This year’s summit, held under the motto “Common interests, shared commitment to a common future: Together towards the EU,” brought together heads of state and top officials from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The Brdo-Brijuni Process, launched in 2013 by Slovenia and Croatia, was designed to foster dialogue and reconciliation in a region still bearing the scars of the 1990s wars, while providing a platform for the Western Balkans’ long and winding road toward EU membership.
As President Bajram Begaj opened the summit, he set the tone with a passionate declaration: “EU integration continues to enjoy enormous support in our society, as it reflects the values with which we identify: democracy and the rule of law. Albania has achieved tangible and measurable progress in a short time.” According to Vijesti, Begaj further emphasized that for Albania, joining the EU is “not just a political goal, but a national mission.”
Albania’s progress was highlighted as a beacon for the region. Begaj detailed that the country has already opened five out of six clusters in its negotiations with the EU, and is actively working on judicial reform, strengthening the rule of law, and combating organized crime. He set an ambitious timeline: “Our goal is to complete technical negotiations by the end of 2027 and become a full member of the EU in 2030.”
The summit’s agenda was broad but focused, with leaders examining how to implement the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans—a 6 billion euro package approved in 2023. The plan aims to spur economic growth, retain young talent by improving living and working conditions, and boost employment cooperation across the region. According to AP, all countries in the region have received the first tranche of funds, except for Kosovo and Bosnia. Kosovo’s delay stems from the lack of a new Assembly following the February 2025 elections, which has prevented the ratification of necessary agreements. Bosnia, on the other hand, has not yet submitted the required reform agenda to European authorities.
Despite these hurdles, the summit’s spirit was one of cautious optimism and shared purpose. The leaders in attendance—among them Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani, and Bosnia’s tripartite presidency members Željka Cvijanović, Denis Bećirović, and Željko Komšić—were welcomed as partners in a common project. The event was also marked by a symbolic group photo, which President Begaj shared on social media, writing, “Together at the Brdo Brijuni Process Summit, an important platform for regional cooperation to advance the European integration of the Western Balkans.”
Yet, the gathering was not without tension. The summit marked the first face-to-face meeting between Kosovo’s Vjosa Osmani and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić following a recent war of words over regional security. Over the weekend, Osmani accused Vučić of making “reckless calls” for war, describing them as “dangerous echoes of the darkest chapters of recent history.” This came after Vučić claimed on Friday that “everyone is preparing for war” and accused Kosovo of trying to sway European and NATO support in its favor. Osmani, for her part, had previously urged Europe to prevent what she called Serbia’s “aggressive and destabilizing tactics” towards its neighbors.
Such exchanges reflect the underlying fragility of the region, where the wounds of past conflicts remain close to the surface and where reconciliation is both a goal and a challenge. The Brdo-Brijuni Process, named after two sites in Slovenia and Croatia symbolic of diplomacy and reconciliation, was created precisely to address these issues by fostering dialogue and mutual understanding.
The urgency of EU integration has only grown since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. As AP notes, the European Union’s openness to new members has increased, spurred by concerns that Russia’s confrontation with the West could spill over into the Western Balkans—a region still haunted by its own history of conflict. The summit’s participants were keenly aware that the stability and prosperity of their countries are tied to the broader European project.
However, the path to EU membership is anything but straightforward. While Albania and Montenegro are considered front-runners, having made significant progress in negotiations, others like Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia, and especially Kosovo lag behind. Kosovo, notably, remains the only country in the region without official EU candidate status, a situation complicated by its ongoing political and institutional challenges.
Throughout the day, leaders discussed not only the technical aspects of accession—such as judicial reform, anti-corruption measures, and economic modernization—but also the need to provide hope and tangible opportunities for young people. Retaining the region’s youth, who often seek better prospects abroad, is seen as crucial for both economic growth and social stability.
At the end of the summit, the three hosts—Begaj, Pirc Musar, and Milanović—were scheduled to hold a joint news conference and adopt a statement reaffirming their commitment to EU integration, regional cooperation, and the vision of a peaceful, strong, stable, prosperous, and united Europe. The anticipated declaration would underscore the shared belief that the Western Balkans’ future lies within the European family, and that despite setbacks and differences, the journey toward Brussels continues.
As the sun set over the Adriatic, the leaders departed Durres with a renewed sense of purpose, aware that while the road ahead remains long and fraught with obstacles, the momentum for change—and for Europe—remains alive in the Western Balkans.
