The European Commission’s latest enlargement report on Tuesday praised Ukraine and Montenegro while criticizing both Serbia and Georgia.
The Brussels report is an annual scorecard for countries hoping to join the European Union.
Ten countries are currently aiming to join the group – a list that also includes Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Turkey.
“It is in our best interests to enlarge the union,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels.
“Joining the EU is a fair, difficult and merit-based process. But now, having new countries join the EU by 2030 is a realistic goal,” he said.
Ukraine’s ambitious roadmap is possible, but changes are needed
Despite the challenges faced by Russia’s continued aggression and Hungary’s blocking of formal progress in Ukraine’s membership negotiations, the Commission praised Kyiv’s commitment to access.
While offering support for Ukraine’s ambitious timetable to join the EU by the end of 2028, having only applied for EU membership in 2022, the report calls for the need to accelerate reforms and crack down on corruption.
Taking into account “recent negative trends, including pressure on specialized anti-corruption agencies and civil society”, the report said those actions should be reversed.
Kiev was quick to step back after protests against a crackdown on anti-corruption units earlier this year, but the incident attracted the attention of Ukraine’s European allies.
“Continued progress is needed in strengthening the independence, integrity, professionalism and efficiency of the judiciary, prosecution and law enforcement sectors, as well as in the fight against organized crime,” the report said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday reiterated his call on Hungarian leader Viktor Orban to stop vetoing the Ukrainian EU bid.
“We are in a war for our survival, and we would really like the Hungarian prime minister to support us, at least not stop us,” Zelensky said at an event organized by broadcaster Euronews in Brussels.
Georgia is ‘retreating’ from democracy
Meanwhile, Georgia was declared an accession country “in name only”, as serious concerns were raised about the legitimacy of democracy in the country.
Although there is widespread support within the country for joining the EU, the current government has grown closer to Moscow and cracked down on its opponents.
“In Georgia, the situation has deteriorated significantly, with serious democratic deterioration,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has halted EU accession talks, saying Brussels is plotting a revolution in Georgia – a claim the EU strongly denies.
Additionally, last week the Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament, a senior member of the ruling party, said the country’s three largest opposition parties would be banned for posing a threat to the “constitutional order.”
“The report’s findings are unfortunately devastating for Georgia’s European aspirations,” EU Ambassador to Georgia Pavel Herzinsky told reporters in Tbilisi.
“Georgia is not on track to become an EU member state, neither in 2030 nor beyond.”
Montenegro wins title of most advanced EU candidacy
Of all those seeking membership in the bloc, Montenegro, a Balkan country with a population of about 600,000, is the most advanced, according to Kos.
Montenegro wants to begin discussions in 2012 and complete negotiations by the end of 2026.
“We are looking forward to becoming the first next member of the European Union,” Filipp Ivanovich, deputy prime minister of Montenegro, told a Euronews conference.
Also speaking about Albania’s intentions, which aims to conclude discussions by the end of 2027, Kos said of both countries: “They made the most progress on reforms in the last year.”
“Based on the current pace and quality of reforms, we may be able to complete merger talks in the coming years,” he said.
However, actual access still requires approval and ratification by all EU member states.
Koss concluded, “The Commission will insist on the highest quality reforms, particularly on the rule of law, democratic institutions and fundamental freedoms. There will be no shortcuts.”
Edited by: Zack Crellin