EU leaders still eye Balkans for geography, minerals, and military reasons
Currently, four nations in the Balkan peninsula are in the European Union: Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Croatia (five if Romania is considered part of that peninsula).
But the EU wants the rest of the Balkan nations as well.
EU launches Call for private investment in the Western Balkans to drive economic growth and boost EU integration
10 April 2025
At the ADRIA Summit 2025 in Montenegro, the European Union announced a Call for Expressions of Interest to mobilise private investments in the Western Balkans aiming to support the region’s economic growth and integration into the EU Single Market. Businesses from the EU, EEA and the Western Balkans are invited to submit proposals for investment projects, with a deadline of 21 May 2025.
The European Commission will review proposals and aim to support the most suitable projects with its available policy, technical, or financial instruments. The objective is to boost private investment in infrastructure development, economic diversification, the green and digital twin transition, and EU value chain integration, with a view to creating jobs and bridging the economic convergence gap with the EU in line with the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. …
The priority areas of the Call – based on the strategic priorities of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and of the Western Balkans Investment Framework – are as follows:
Green Transition
Integration into the EU industrial supply chains/manufacturing
Critical Raw Materials https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/montenegro/eu-launches-call-private-investment-western-balkans-drive-economic-growth-and-boost-eu-integration_en
President Vučić gets strategic support from France for Serbia’s ‘European destiny’
10 April 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron met his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić in Paris on Wednesday for a discreet working lunch, …
“I first reiterated the importance that France attaches to the democratic and European destiny of Serbia,” Macron posted.
He expressed confidence in Serbia’s ability to “return to the path of dialogue,” and called on the future government to pursue “the expected reforms” and build on the country’s recent economic progress. …
Macron’s statement on social media also confirmed France’s participation in the 2027 Expo in Belgrade, a clear show of support for Vučić.
France is also involved in broader infrastructure and energy projects in Serbia. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/10/under-fire-at-home-serbian-president-vucic-gets-quiet-but-strategic-support-from-france
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, is visiting Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of her first trip to the Western Balkans. …
The Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željka Cvijanović, stated that the country’s EU path faces numerous obstacles.
She noted that problems can be resolved if there is mutual understanding, emphasizing that BiH could overcome these challenges “through reasonable conduct by the EU”. …
At the joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, the EU High Representative stated that Albania could potentially become a member of the EU by 2030. She described Albania as a truly strong partner of the EU and emphasized that the country is fully aligned with the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy. …
When asked whether 2030 is a realistic target for Albania to join the EU, Kallas responded affirmatively, stressing that it is achievable if all parties fulfill their obligations.
Prime Minister Rama stated that Albania is fully aligned with the European Union in all areas. …
Montenegro has made good progress on its EU path
Prime Minister Spajić affirmed Montenegro’s determination to maintain the current pace of reforms.
“Last year was the most successful yet in terms of Montenegro’s European integration and sets the stage for continued progress this year. Montenegro has no doubts—the European Union is our strategic path, and nothing can divert us from it. We are the only country in the United Nations to have voted in full alignment with EU decisions. We are grateful for the support you’ve provided in strengthening our defense, which enables us to participate in joint NATO and EU activities. This demonstrates our commitment to foreign policy, regardless of who serves as prime minister or who is in government,” Spajić emphasized. https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2025/04/09/kallas-visits-western-balkans-there-are-no-shortcuts-to-eu-membership/
Let me add that last Fall, the Chancellor of Germany stated, “The European Union is only complete with the Western Balkans as part of it.” Expansion of the European Union is the plan as confirmed by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (see EU meets with Balkan leaders on the hope of expansion at Berlin Process Summit 2024).
Most of the nations in the Western Balkan region have waited for a long time to be in the EU, and many expected that process would be completed–or at least much further along than it is by now.
Probably at least partially because of the delays to get into the EU, Serbia has made deals with Russia and the Russian-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) (e.g. Iran praises Eurasian Economic Union, Serbia enters its deal with the EAEU, and China’s connection: Is the time of the Gentiles approaching?) as well as China (see China’s President says relationship with Serbia is ‘Ironclad’).
The EU wants the Balkans, not only because they are part of Europe but because they do not want Serbia to remain an ally of Russia. The ethnic Serbs (which are also in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina), fought against the Axis powers (which included Germany, Bulgaria, and Italy) in WWII. The Germans would prefer to have some control over Serbia itself and do not want to fight the Serbs in the future. Serbia, itself, took another step towards the EU last year when it elected to purchase military planes from France instead of Russia (https://www.ft.com/content/fa26d185-6b54-481a-b5b8-1ff41a0ab724). The EU also wants rare earth and other minerals in the Western Balkans.
There are divisions among the EU states about expansion and many other issues. Of course, division in Europe was prophesied as the following in the Book of Daniel shows:
41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)
However, Daniel also prophesied that the European Beast power will expand to the south and the east:
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. (Daniel 8:9-12).
And while the above had a past fulfillment, this prophecy seems to be dual (compare with Daniel 11:27-39). The European Union has mainly expanded south and east of the Benelux nations (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)–which is where it initially formed.
The Balkans are south and east of the Benelux nations.
Currently, approximately 450 million people are now under a new, single (though not completely united) government, called the European Union, headquartered in Brussels.
The European Union currently has 27 member states. If you were to add the six Western Balkan areas that want to be in, plus Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, that brings the total to 36. Plus there is Turkey, but that is another matter.
Now there are groups (such as PCG and LCG) that tend to insist that the final European Beast power will only have ten or eleven nations. They look to be wrong, and thus look to be caught off guard unexpectedly (cf. Luke 21:34) if the final Beast power has more (See also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).
In the old Radio Church of God, the late evangelist Dr. Hoeh taught that this little horn of Daniel 8 was the power that would become the final King of the North:
Turn in your Bible to verse 9: “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” …
The King of the North
The little horn in Daniel 8 is none other than the LAST KING of one of the four divisions of Alexander’s Empire. He is, in fact, the final “King of the North” described in Daniel 11. (Hoeh H. The 2300 Days. Plain Truth, August 1965)
The European Union has demonstrated a history and willingness to enlarge–and it is interested in the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia.
Items related to the ‘little horn’, Russia, the Balkan nations, the EU, and the Beast were discussed in the following sermon:
1:00:37The Bible tells of a time when the Anglo-American order will be temporarily replaced by a new world order that will be dominated by a European power called the Beast of the Sea. This will be primarily a Caucasian Gentile power, with support of some with Israelitish heritage. In this sermon, Dr. Thiel goes over nearly all the nations in Europe and ties them in with progenitors listed in the Bible.
Here is a link to the sermon: Gentile European Beast.
Of course even now, not all in the Balkans, Moldova, and Georgia want to be part of the European Union. Some prefer to be in Russia’s Eurasian Union (though this is likely diminishing because of Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Ukraine).
Regarding the Balkans, notice the following from our free online book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:
The Slavic Peoples …
The Slavic nations are in lands south and east of the Benelux nations—so consistent with Daniel 8:9, many in Slavic Europe will support the end time European power. …
Though Slavic, historically, Serbia has differed from most others in eastern Europe.
Unlike many eastern Europeans who supported Germany in WWI and WWII, the Serbs (which mainly live in Serbia, and Montenegro) were opposed and supported the Allied forces. The Serbs also worked with Russia in WWII against Hitler’s forces. Serbia is considered significantly stronger militarily than many countries with similar populations.[i]
The Bible tells of a son of Shem named Elam (Genesis 10:22). History shows that there were also numerous tribes of Elamites.[ii]
Yet researchers have concluded:
Any attempt to trace the Elamites ethnologically is beset with difficulties.[iii]
That being said, some Elamites are believed to have been the progenitors of the Serbs,[iv] but some part of the Medes (from Madai) may also have been involved.
According to Herodotus, there were numerous tribes of the Medes.[v] And originally, this was a reference to a geographic region, and not ethnicity[vi] which included areas that the Elamites were believed to have lived in.
Pliny the Younger in his work Plinii Caecilii Secundi Historia naturalis from the first century AD (69-75) mentioned people named Serboi, who lived near the Cimmerians, presumably on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
[In the 2nd century (around 175 AD), the Egyptian Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy mentioned in his Geography people named Serboi or Sirboi, who presumably lived behind the Caucasus, in the hinterland of the Caspian Sea.][vii]
It is likely that the Serbs were an Elamite and/or Median tribe. Croatians may have come from a different tribe. Some consider that the Serbs and Croatians had the same (or very similar ancestry) but became divided because of culture, geography, and religion: Croatians being more Roman Catholic and Serbs more Russian Orthodox.
Additionally, Croatia was part of the old ‘Holy Roman Empire,’ but Serbia was not.
Historically, the Croatians have been more supportive of Germany than Russia. It is likely that they will remain that way. Serbia has tended to back Russia more than Croatia.
Even though Serbia looks to be a nation that will support Europe for a time, it appears likely that Serbia will be part of the force that will back Russia against end time Babylon, (Ezekiel 32:24-28; Jeremiah 51:11, 27-32). …
Italy and Greece are currently in the European Union and North Macedonia has applied to be.
All of them are expected to support the final Beast power. They will have the temporal financial benefits as well as the plagues (Revelation chapters 15 & 16) and destruction (e.g. Revelation chapter 18; Jeremiah 50:41-46) that will affect the coming European Beast superstate.
Albania and Kosovo
Albanians seem to have derived from Lud (Genesis 10:22) or Canaan (Genesis 10:6).
Albania has applied to be part of the European Union. Despite an Islamic population majority, Albania looks likely to support the coming European Beast superstate. Albania’s currency, called the Lek, is pegged at a fixed rate to the euro.
Though some Kosovars descended from Elam (Genesis 10:22) as many Serbs live there, Kosovo also has an Islamic population majority of people of Albanian heritage.
Before the formal introduction of the euro, which Kosovo now uses, many Kosovars used Germany’s Deutsche Mark as their currency.
Kosovo is recognized by the European Union as a potential candidate for accession and looks likely to support the coming European Beast superstate.
[i] 2022 Serbia Military Strength. GlobalFirePower.com, update of May 02, 2022
[ii] Basello G, et al., eds. The Elamite World. Taylor & Francis, 2018). The tribes of Elam were the Anzan, Uxii or Uxians, Armardians, Mardians, Khapirt, Aipir, Messadatae, Cissi, Cossaei or Coss, and Khuzi or Huzha tribe (White, Origin of Nations, p. 283
[iii] Hinz W. The Lost World of the Elamites. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1972, p. 21
[iv] White C. In Search of … The Origin of Nations, p. 287
[v] Herodotos I-3. Edited by A.H. Sayce. The Ancient Empires of the East. MacMillan & Co., 1883, p. 62
[vi] Ibid, p. 62
[vii] From Petrović AM. Arheografija naroda jugoistočne Evrope, Beograd, 2006, page 19., as Cited in Origin hypotheses of the Serbs. BibleWikipedia, accessed 4/08/22
So based on Daniel 8, Balkan interest in the EU and the EU interest in the Balkans, it is likely that the Western Balkans will, at least for a time, support the coming Beast power in Europe.
Notice also the following prophecy:
10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. (Revelation 17:10-11)
The EU looks to be the sixth king above.
Related to the European Union in prophecy, the Continuing Church of God put together this sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:
1:13:56
European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10
Could the European Union be involved in biblical prophecies? If so, which ones? What did the EU form from? Did the little horn of Benelux grow larger towards the south and east as Daniel prophesied? What about the seven kings of Revelation 17:10? Could they be connected to the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire’? What is the ‘Marian’ EU flag based upon? Might the seven kings be Justinian’s Imperial Restoration, Charlemagne’s Frankish Empire, the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ of Otto the Great, the Hohenstaufen Dynasty, the Habsburg Dynasty, the European Economic Community/European Union, and the Beast of the Sea of Revelation 13? What about Napoleon or Benito Mussolini/Adolf Hitler? Did Otto von Habsburg renounce his right to the title ‘Holy Roman Emperor’ in the same year that the European Economic Union (aka the Common Market) formed in 1958? Did the EEU last until the EU was formed in 1993? What about the beast that “was, and is not” and “now is’? What about the beast that “is also the eighth, and is of the seven”? What have Roman Catholic and Protestant scholars taught? What about Church of God groups and writers including Andrew Dugger and Herbert W. Armstrong? What are some of the religious connections between the Church of Rome and Europe? What about private prophecies related to the ‘Great Monarch’? Could those looking for the Great Monarch miss the Beast and Antichrist according to Roman Catholic writer Paul Thigpen? Could the final Antichrist be an antipope? Is the the Mediterranean Sea the sea that the Beast of Revelation 13 rises from? How does the EU resemble the ‘Holy Roman Empire’? Could the EU be the sixth king of Revelation 17:10? Might the United Nations be involved and support the rise of the seventh king? Is the EU setting the stage for the seventh king? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more.
Here is a link to the sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Yes, I expect that the EU will expand and have additional nations, such as those in the Balkans.
That being said, those that become disillusioned/disappointed by the EU may ultimately back out of it–and that may include Balkan countries like Serbia.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2035 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
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