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Opportunity Next Door: The Western Balkans and Europe’s Economic Future
Mon, March 23rd, 2026
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM (GMT+1)
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As the EU seeks to strengthen its economic resilience and competitiveness, the Western Balkans are increasingly viewed not only as candidates for membership but also as potentially major contributors to that project.
The region’s proximity to EU markets, expanding manufacturing base, and competence in emerging sectors create opportunities for deeper integration into European value chains. Despite this, the enlargement process appears stalled. What would it take for economic partnership between the EU and the Western Balkans to come good?
To unpack persistent obstacles in the region’s business environment, including regulatory uncertainty and governance challenges, Carnegie Europe invites you to a public event with Dimitar Bechev, senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, Elvin Guri, CEO of Invenio Partners, Ana Krstinovska, president of Estima, and Maurits-Jan Prinz, deputy head of unit, private sector engagement, at DG ENEST. The discussion will be moderated by Milan Nič, senior research fellow at the German Council for Foreign Relations (DGAP).
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
Event Speakers
Dimitar Bechev
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe
Bechev is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, where he focuses on EU enlargement, the Western Balkans, and Eastern Europe.
Elvin Guri
CEO, Invenio Partners
Elvin Guri is CEO of Invenio Partners, a private equity and growth equity fund focused on investments in southeast Europe.
Ana Krstinovska
President, Estima
Ana Krstinovska is the president of Estima, a foreign policy think tank based in North Macedonia.
Maurits-Jan Prinz
Deputy Head of Unit, Directorate-General for European Neighborhood and Enlargement, European Commission
Maurits-Jan Prinz is deputy head of unit for private sector engagement at the Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighborhood of the European Commission.
Milan Nič
Senior Research Fellow, DGAP
Milan Nič is a senior research fellow at DGAP, where he deals with European politics, Germany, East-Central Europe, and the Western Balkans.