Von der Leyen Comes to Skopje From 30 September — Serbia and Bosnia Left Out Over Elections
Four stops on the Balkan tour: Tirana, Pristina, Podgorica, Skopje. Vučić says Brussels found an "elegant excuse."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit four Western Balkan countries — Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia — from 30 September to 2 October, the Commission confirmed. Skopje is one of four stops on her regional tour.
Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are not part of the tour. Commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta attributed the omission solely to upcoming elections in both countries, announcing von der Leyen would visit them at a later date.
Talks with regional leaders will focus on the EU path, gradual integration and implementation of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. The president will meet heads of state and government in each of the four countries and visit EU-funded projects.
Serbia's exclusion comes at a sensitive moment — following the state-honours funeral in Belgrade of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić, over which von der Leyen previously said she was "shocked by the images." President Aleksandar Vučić, commenting on the exclusion, said Brussels had found an "elegant excuse" — a claim the Commission officially attributes solely to the elections.
MKNews Hub · World · September 19, 2026
