Brussels' Long Monitoring Period for New Members Draws Balkan Criticism
The European Union's pre-enlargement package includes a safeguard clause that would keep new member states under monitoring for as long as 15 years after accession. Under this plan, Montenegro, if it joined in 2028, would remain on probation until 2043, with Albania, Moldova and Ukraine facing similar treatment. The measure reflects concerns about disruptive leaders in the style of Viktor Orban, but critics say it could also strengthen anti-EU nationalists in the Balkans.
The safeguard clause appears in the EU’s pre-enlargement package, presented by Marta Kos in Strasbourg on October 6. It sits in the section on protections for future accession treaties and would last as long as 15 years after a country joins. Montenegro, hoping to enter in 2028, would remain under monitoring until 2043. Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine are also seen as frontrunners and would face identical rules, though their entry is further off.
The plan reflects worries about leaders who could disrupt the EU from within, in the manner of Viktor Orban. Critics argue it might instead embolden nationalist movements in the Balkans that oppose EU membership.
Citizens in Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine may face a longer period of uncertainty even after joining, as the monitoring could shape how their governments are judged. Existing EU members might feel reassured, while EU-skeptic parties could use the arrangement to argue that new members are treated unequally. This may affect public trust, political debate, and support for integration in the Balkans and beyond.