Think Europe took part in the EPAS Together event in Portorož, engaging a large and diverse group of high school students from across the EU — including Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, and Italy — in a wide-ranging discussion on Europe’s future.
Representing Think Europe, Sabina Lange and Zoran Nechev fielded questions that ranged far beyond the basics, covering Chinese investment in the Western Balkans, Russian influence in the region, internal EU reform, foreign policy, agriculture, Hungary’s elections, and broader questions of identity and European democracy.
Lange framed EU membership as fundamentally a choice about belonging and security, comparing the decision to join the Union to choosing between going out with friends or staying in — with real consequences either way. She noted that interest in the EU isn’t limited to the Western Balkans, pointing out that countries like Norway are also reassessing their relationship with the bloc.
The discussion also touched on the pace of enlargement, with participants noting that the EU tends to move carefully (sometimes slowly) precisely to avoid costly mistakes.
Nechev brought the conversation back to a concrete call to action: participation. He stressed the need for more young people to vote, get involved, and take ownership of Europe’s direction, describing European unification as an unfinished project that this generation will help shape.
