EU opens door for Balkan states, but hurdles remain

- most, Serbia’s dispute with Kosovo.

Serbia has refused to recognize its former breakaway province since it declared independence a decade ago.

‘Ball in our court’

was “discouraging” that the plan considered 2025 to be an “extremely ambitious” prospect.

Juncker has warned Serbia and - citement,” saying that 2025 “is an indicative date, an encouragement date so that the people concerned can consistently set out on their way.”

The deadline for the other Balkan nations is less clear.

Albania, a candidate since 2014, hopes to open talks with Brussels this year and is willing to speed up reforms to catch up with the others, according

“We want to make progress faster and, why not, join EU at the same time” as Serbia, Rama said.

But Albanian political analyst - ing the EU “is a national desire but it is not a lottery.”

“The ball is in our court,” Dervishi told AFP, referring to the pace of reform, particularly in the corruption, seen by the EU as a priority for Albania.

‘Locked in the waiting room’

2005, will have to resolve a festering 25-year row with Greece over its name.

- donia’s EU membership, argues its neighbor’s use of the name suggests Skopje has territorial claims to Greece’s historic northern region.

- will be settled before July.

praised the EU’s new plan, saying - donia is on the right track.”

He added it would provide motivation “to work and catch up already negotiate” with the EU.

- ister Nikola Dimitrov said earlier countries to keep moving in the right direction if they are “locked in the waiting room.”

In Bosnia, which applied for leader Bakir Izetbegovic said he with those currently ahead us on the path towards the EU.”

But the country will have to tackle ongoing tension with Bosnian Serbs, who regularly threatens secession.

Kosovo was the most disappointed with the EU’s strategy.

pointed out that rather than employing terms like “accession” and “candidate status” used for other countries, the document said Kosovo could “advance on its European path” once “circumstances allow.”

Five of the EU’s 28 member states still do not recognize Kosovo’s independence, and President Hashim Thaci has blamed them “for the lack of a unique stand for Kosovo” in the new plan.

“But Kosovo will not sink into despair,” Thaci said.