{
  "id": 16034665,
  "title": "EU accession: Merz pledges personal support to Western Balkan countries",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/eu-beitritt-merz-sagt-westbalkan-staaten-personliche-unterstutzung-zu",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-22T10:47:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/eu-beitritt-merz-sagt-westbalkan-staaten-persoenliche-unterstuetzung-zu/100264225.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed strong support for the rapid integration of West Balkan states into the European Union. At a summit meeting with leaders of six Balkan states in Montenegro, Merz stated that their accession to the EU is desired and that they can count on Germany's and his personal support. However, he also urged the countries to intensify their reforms, emphasizing that both the EU and the countries themselves must contribute to the process. The six countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia - have been waiting for EU membership for many years, with Montenegro being the closest to accession.",
  "summary": "The Western Balkan countries have been waiting to join the EU for many years. The Chancellor is travelling to Montenegro for the second time in a few months to support the process.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}