€700 million — roughly the value of 10 new Swedish Gripen fighter jets — is a lot of money. That’s the amount the EU spent from 2014 to 2020 on reforms in the Western Balkans, with little to show for it. With a new proposal now under consideration by the European Parliament — for even more funding — we simply can’t afford a repeat. EU taxpayers deserve better. That’s why I have insisted on strong guarantees for new Western Balkans funding, including the ability to stop or even recoup payments if agreed conditions aren’t being met. EU enlargement is in principle good for Europe and vital to the…