Organised by ENoP members Kalevi Sorsa Foundation and Ajatuspaja Visio, the event took place in Helsinki, Finland on 24 January 2023. It presented the recent publication Has Covid-19 moved Western Balkan countries closer to or further from the EU, and a broader discussion of the implications the various crises faced by the Western Balkan countries pose to EU enlargement.

The event gathered Finnish and Western Balkans politicians and civil society members to discuss how the pandemic, War in Ukraine and the energy crisis have affected the Western Balkan countries and what kind of implications have they had on the EU-enlargement in the region.

Ledjon Shahini discussed the democratic developments during the pandemic, Brendan Humphreys the implications of the War in Ukraine in the Western Balkans, Irfan Cengic the green transition in the Western Balkans and Pekka Haavisto the EU’s role and Finland’s stances. The Finnish Ambassador to Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia Kimmo Lähdevirta joined the panel along with the other speakers.