EU disagrees on how to deal with the Western Balkans

At the EU-Western Balkans Summit on Wednesday in Slovenia, the proponents of the prospect of EU accession for the Western Balkans urgently warned of the dangers of delaying tactics.

Proponents emphasize European values ​​

«If we as the European Union do not offer serious prospects for this region, then we must be aware that other superpowers such as China, Russia or also the Turkey play an increasingly important role there, “said the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday at an EU-Western Balkans summit in Slovenia.

Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins also warned if the EU the Western Balkans who does not reach out and pull in their direction, someone else will do so. One must consider that freedom, democracy and the rule of law are not the guiding values ​​for government action everywhere in the world .

Both are clearly against the course of countries like France, which currently see the EU not in a position to accept new members. French President Emmanuel Macron enforced a new restriction. The declaration emphasizes that the integration of new members into the EU requires further development of the Union itself. With the addition, the government in Paris wants to keep open the possibility of blocking the admission of new members if the EU should prove incapable of reform in the coming years from the French point of view.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also campaigned for a clear commitment to the integration of the region into the European Union. « We are a European family . We share the same history, we share the same values ​​- and I am deeply convinced that we also share the same fate, ”she said on the sidelines of the talks with the heads of state and government of Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina , Montenegro and the Kosovo . Admission of the countries to the EU is good for the Western Balkans, but also good for the EU. “We want the Western Balkans in the European Union” , she said.

30 billion euros in EU funds for the Western Balkans

The six Balkan states have been working more or less intensively towards joining the EU for around 20 years. Mainly because of their location in the middle of the EU, they are considered strategically relevant.

Persistent deficits in areas such as the rule of law, freedom of the media and the fight against organized crime have recently made it easy for enlargement skeptics to postpone progress in the admission process.

Von der Leyen called on the Western Balkan states to hold on to their reform efforts. «Stay on course now, don’t give up, carry on. The goal is in front of the eyes, ”she said. Enormous efforts have already been made, but work still needs to be done in areas such as the rule of law and freedom of the media.

At the meeting of European heads of state and government with the leaders of the Balkans In addition to the prospect of EU accession, further financial aid was on the agenda: In order to support the countries in their reform efforts, according to the summit declaration that has been prepared, they are to receive a Economic and investment plan around 1.1 billion Euro received from EU funds. The Commission wants to propose a new package of 600 million euros for this, says the text. In total, around 30 billion euros are to be mobilized for the region over the next seven years – including through new guarantees.

There is still no concrete time perspective

In the Balkan countries, enthusiasm was still limited – especially since the EU continues to deny it a concrete time perspective for accession. «Of course I am critical. It could have been better, ”said Kosovar Prime Minister Albi Kurti. But he still has hope. “Internal consolidation of the EU and external enlargement are not mutually exclusive, on the contrary,” he said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel only wanted to join after the end of the summit at a press conference on the talks in Slovenia. Germany is clearly on the agenda the side of the countries that are in favor of a credible accession perspective.

It is particularly annoying that the start of EU accession talks with North Macedonia has been blocked by Bulgaria for domestic political reasons for around a year – even though a clear EU decision was actually made in March 2020 for the start of negotiations. The blockade also affects Albania, with which talks are to be started with North Macedonia at the same time.

On the sidelines of the summit, Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron conferred with Bulgarian President Rumen Radew and the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, on the conflict. According to information from EU circles, however, no solution was found. (yam / sda / dpa)

You might also be interested in: