EU leaders have met in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia for the first EU-Western Balkans summit in 15 years.
Assuring the states of the former Yugoslavia that a path to membership was still open, the EU leaders said the pro-Western alignment was a priority.
"I am convinced that the EU is the only partner that cares genuinely about the stability of the entire region and a prosperous future for its peoples,” said Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council.
The gathering came at a time when the bloc is deeply divided over its future, as the UK is poised to depart next year. On the agenda were trade, technology and security cooperation, but for many, the question mark over the EU’s future was impossible to avoid.
“The EU is determined to strengthen and intensify its engagement [with the Western Balkans],” said a communique issued after the summit.
In public some European leaders played down the chances of a quick accession for the six Balkan states not in the EU while others warned of the dangers of losing the region.
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France's Macron warns Europe against 'authoritarianism'
Germany, the rock that steadied Europe, is now frustrating its reformers
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French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “not in favour of moving toward enlargement before we have all the required certainties and before genuine reform has been made" even as he added that the Balkan states should be anchored in the bloc.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz warned other countries would fill the void if the EU held back. "If there is no European perspective in the Balkans, then the Turkish influence and other influence becomes stronger and stronger. We don't want that to happen."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also played down Balkan membership of the EU. “I do not think 2025 is a realistic date for the EU enlargement. More important is the progress that has been achieved by the candidates,” she told reporters.
The summit was also marred by long-standing frictions both within and between the Balkan states and the larger bloc.
A dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the Greek province of Macedonia -- whether the country’s name implies a claim to the Greek province -- has been enough to see Greece block Macedonia's membership of the EU in recent years. Officials from the two countries have been locked in talks over the issue.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told reporters that the differences had not been resolved. "I believe we have covered a major part of the distance, but there is still distance to cover," he said.
Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, was notably absent after he announced he wouldn’t share a table with Kosovan representatives. Madrid is one of the few countries that doesn’t recognise Kosovan independence from Serbia – declared in 2008, amid fears it could set a precedent regarding the Catalan region of Spain.
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
THREE
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
