The opening of EU accession talks marks an important milestone for Bosnia, where ethnic tensions run high. But progress on the EU track is no remedy for the chronic crisis besetting the country’s politics.

The new government’s pledge to align with EU standards makes Montenegro the likely next addition to the bloc. But fractious domestic politics could yet derail the country’s European ambitions.

The EU cannot afford to keep Ukraine and the Western Balkans in the waiting room. A revamped enlargement strategy and internal reforms will have to go hand in hand.

Dimitar Bechev and Oana Popescu-Zamfir discuss the social and political dynamics in the Western Balkans, why EU enlargement to the region has stalled, and how remaining obstacles can be overcome.

The conduct of Serbia’s latest elections points to the country’s democratic decline. The EU cannot stay neutral in the face of President Vucic’s provocations and authoritarian tendencies.

Enlargement remains the most powerful foreign policy tool at the EU’s disposal. But it is likely to remain dysfunctional irrespective of what European leaders decide next week.