Five years ago, the EU commission branded the Western Balkans in an elaborate video campaign as “So similar, so different, so European”. The contradiction was clear in the slogan as the EU showed sights of the Western Balkans suggesting that they could be from any EU member. Including the Western Balkans needs not a trick to pretend the region is just like the EU, but rather a self-confident affirmation of the region’s contributions to the continent. After years of the Western Balkans sneaking closer towards the EU without a sincere commitment on either side, 2017 has offered a new opportunity to change the dynamics of enlargement. Enlargement will not happen with half-hearted committed to the enlargement in the region and the EU. The transformative moment in Macedonia highlights that support for democracy and EU membership, citizens engagement are possible and continue to be a potent engine for change.
