[mantas]

10 million? Ex-warsaw pact sans Russia is closer to 100 million depending on definition. This notion that West doesn't care about us is exactly why Eastern European Union is not laughable. It's pretty hard stick with „allies“ that you know will backstab you at first opportunity. Well, already backstabbed with Nordstream I/II. Energy „liberalisation“ with fancy pricing scheme is a good one too. But at least here West stabbed themselves as well.

Life improvements is not thanks to EU. It was already improving fast before EU membership. It's just returning to normal state before soviet era. Moldova have other issues (Padniestre/Transnistria). Albania was much worse in pre-1990 too, so naturally it will take longer to catch up.

A I'd even say that EU membership slowed it down. We're curbed by same regulations that is forcing West industry to Asia. Local businesses are acquired by West companies before they develop R&D to compete with West. And we can't safeguard our markets to give breathing space to local companies. On top of that, a lot of EU money were pocketed.

After membership fees, money syphoned away by corrupt politicians, EU money flowing back to West because we can't guard local companies etc, I don't think EU is beneficial to East. IMO we'd be better off had whole ex-Warsaw-pact stayed away from EU for couple decades. NATO is damn nice though.