North Macedonia has been blocked on its accession path for more than a decade. It is no outlier. All Western Balkan states are stuck. Their accession process resembles a bus without wheels, with North Macedonia discussing conditions for moving up a row of seats inside a vehicle going nowhere. It is time for the EU to enhance the process by offering all European democracies membership in the European Single Market as a credible interim goal.

The Council of Europe has to protect itself from the subversive influence of member states who openly disrespect the most fundamental principles of the Council of Europe, invade a fellow member state, committing massive war-crimes, while suppressing the human rights of its own citizens. The decision to expulse Russia, for which ESI has intensively advocated for, was the only viable option, setting the basis for a strengthened Council of Europe to emerge in the future.

The EU should offer membership in the Single Market, including the four freedoms, as a credible and reachable interim goal to Ukraine, Moldova, and any of the six Western Balkan nations interested in it.

Europe has not yet understood that Ukrainian refugees are part of Putin's plan of attack. What an answer to the millions of refugees could look like.

Kosovo’s application to become a member of Europe’s oldest Human Rights organisation is a moment of truth for many European countries which have long claimed to support Kosovo’s European aspirations. 

Azerbaijan’s “Caviar Diplomacy” of systematic bribing to downplay Azerbaijan’s human rights record has led to investigations and convictions in several EU member states. So far, however, the main culprit has escaped unscathed. It is time that the Committee of Ministers investigate Azerbaijan’s role in the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the Council of Europe.

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