
“Exactly 19 years ago, at the Thessaloniki Summit, the way was opened for the Western Balkans to join the European family. Unfortunately, since then, the progress that has been made, in practice, is minimal. And I fully understand why there is a relative distrust in the countries of the Western Balkans surrounding the intentions of the European Union, truly, to include the countries of the Western Balkans in the European family,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday upon his arrival at the EU-Western Balkans summit.
“It is an opportunity to restart this process with even greater intensity. A necessary condition for this to happen is for the dispute between Sofia and Skopje to be finally resolved, so that the negotiations between North Macedonia and Albania on their accession process can officially begin,” the prime minister added.
He also said that “Greece stands on the side of the Western Balkans, as the largest economy in the region, as a country that has reaped the benefits of joining the European family. It will support the Western Balkans in their quest to become members of the European Union. We know that for these countries, the process is difficult. There are specific conditions that must be met and this is something that the countries of the Western Balkans need to know. However, my view is that it is very important to give a specific milestone in order for this process to be completed.”
Concluding his statement, Mitsotakis underlined: “My proposal to the European Council is for this milestone to be in 2033, thirty years after the Thessaloniki Summit, so that the Western Balkans and their citizens know that in the end they can really look forward to becoming part of the European family through this long process. Greece will stand by these states, in this difficult endeavor, in this long journey they have already started.”


Latest News

Metropolitan Ioannis of Korce New Archbishop of Albania
Following the announcement of the election, church bells rang joyfully in Orthodox churches across Albania

Greece Faces Renewed Fears of Water Crisis Ahead of Summer 2025
Following a prolonged drought that began in 2024, fears of a water crisis highlight the urgent need for infrastructure improvements

Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and More Seek Collaboration with Greek Unis
Greece's former Minister of Education Kyriakos Pierrakakis announces an €82 million funding boost to support the partnerships

Greek Government Reshuffle Brings in More Young Technocrats
Greek PM Mitsotakis has brought in younger leaders and technocrats in a bid to accelerate the government's efforts at modernization and efficiency, according to New Democracy insiders

Greece’s New Government Members Sworn in at Presidential Mansion
Greece's new government members were sworn in on Saturday morning and head straight to work through the first meeting of the new cabinet.

Moody’s Upgrades Greece to Investment Grade, Ending Crisis Era
The rating agency raised Greece’s long-term credit rating to Baa3 from Ba1, with a stable outlook.

EFET on World Consumer Day: Humanity Faces New Challenges
This year’s message emphasizes the need for a transition to sustainable lifestyles while safeguarding consumers’ legally recognized rights. This means ensuring access to essential goods such as food and energy, as well as health and safety.

Athens Hotels Lead Europe in Value Growth for Third Year
Over the entire period from 2015 to 2024, the average annual increase in hotel value was 6.1%.

Unemployment Rate in Greece Down 8.9% in January: IOBE
The unemployment rate in Greece recorded a further decline in January 2025, reaching 8.9%, according to the latest Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE) report.

Demand for Short Term Rentals in Greece Surges Ahead of Easter
Among the most popular Easter destinations from Good Friday to Easter Monday are Corfu, Hydra, the Peloponnese, Ioannina, Patmos, Loutra Edipsou, Kavala, Thassos, and Pelion