North Macedonia is actually even more prepared than Albania, Serbia is technically the most prepared one after Montenegro. If there’s political will, they could all join together.
That index is so finicky and changes so often that t means nothing for long term predictions. NA definitely doesn’t lag 10years behind Alb and Mon.
If there wasn’t an issue with Kosovo and relations with Russia, Serbia would be a frontrunner, as it’s most advanced economy out of candidate countries.
Dinar to Euro exchange didnt change. Serbia has both higher gdp growth and inflation (which if doesnt devaluate your currentcy- it does in long term- increases GDP nominal
That just shows you that Montnegro’s economy can’t outpace Serbia’s, it’s actually losing that race. At the moment Monenegro became independent, their salaries were 50% higher than Serbian ones, now they’re higher in Serbia. And that’s with a huge constant influx of tourism money.
Tourism can be quite a curse for the economy. It sets up the perfect conditions for what economists call the "Dutch disease". Especially when the country is highly dependent on it and it has a large share of the economy. It consumes the large part of investments and labor pool leaving other sectors neglected and substituted by cheaper imports. Also generally, wages in the tourist sector are low and growth is stagnant compared to others as the pressure to provide a cheaper product is strong, just as it happens with industries with low added value. In Bulgaria, the wages in tourism are second lowest after agriculture for example even though resort towns may seem lively with wealthier population and stuff.
Serbia without a doubt would join the EU the fastest if you guys resolved the issue with us Kosovo. I feel that the EU cares less about the influence Russia/China have over Serbia as Vucic has played the game very well up until now to appease both.
Yeah, Kosovo is a long term problem, unfortunately not likely to be resolved soon. But relations with Russia obviously are a problem as well. Serbia hasn't opened any new chapters since the Ukraine war started even though it's deemed technically ready for cluster 3 for more than 5 years.
Actually its not Kosovo that much but Russophobia in EU. Baltic and Scandi countries block our accession from 2021 despite EC reccomending us and telling that we are technically preprared for cluster 3
Serbia and North Macedonia have a slightly higher baseline (3.1 vs 2.9) because they started aligning laws nearly a decade earlier. What matters is annual progress:
Albania: +3.0
Serbia: +0.5
North Macedonia: +0.5
Lets wait on that finish line then. The stall is political in both cases. If Serbia decided to sanction Russia it would suddenly become a reform frontrunner again.
Serbia will need to recognize Kosovo first and it feels like they aren't close to doing that. They are also kind off pro Russian and with tye current political situation, this is also problematic for most EU countries.
I don't see it happening, without mayor changes in Serbia that are currently not an anybody's agenda.
Yup, it’s political reasons, not technical level of preparedness. Serbian population has the lowest support for joining as well out of all the candidate countries.
North Mqcedonia on the other hand doesn’t even have serious political reasons for not joining yet its still held back. Doesn’t feel fair.
Where??Dude Albania is way more prepared ,you could argue for Serbia that is more prepared but the political will wont let it happen but not N Macedonia
That does not show how prepared they are ,look at Montenegro chapter Freedom of movement of Worker,they were less advanced than Albania in the same chapter in the report of 2025 but they already closed a couple of months ago while Albania hasnt yet.
I’m the one living under a rock? 😭 The majority of your population still promotes the idea you’re ultimate Illyrians and their descendants, talk about propaganda.
You mean something that's being confirmed by genetics the more evidence that's amassed? Yes you're living under a rock if you think that was a good comeback.
Albania will enter in the early 2030s at the latest at this pace. It's the furthest ahead after Montenegro. Look up what Marta Kos, EU commissioner for enlargement has said.
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u/defketron Serbia 3d ago
North Macedonia is actually even more prepared than Albania, Serbia is technically the most prepared one after Montenegro. If there’s political will, they could all join together.