The foreign ministers of the five EU member states call for an urgent debate on the Western Balkans, mention the liberalization of visas for Kosovo
The foreign ministers of the five EU member states call for an urgent debate on the Western Balkans, mention the liberalization of visas for Kosovo
The foreign ministers of Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic have asked EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to urgently put the Western Balkans on the agenda at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. calling the Balkans “a region of special importance”, reports Gazeta Express.
In their letter to Borrel, they said that given the war in Ukraine and the impact it could have on EU countries, the Foreign Affairs Council should discuss a strategy for the Western Balkans at their meeting in April. “Just a few weeks after our last discussion on the Western Balkans, the geopolitical situation has undergone a major change due to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine,” the ministers wrote. “In this context, the Western Balkans is of particular importance given its key strategic position as a region surrounded by EU member states. Ministers praised Borrell’s visit to Skopje, Tirana and Sarajevo in March, saying “the visit showed the European bloc’s strong commitment to the Western Balkans”. “The EU must do its best to prevent the harmful effects of the attack on Ukraine in the Western Balkans. It is even more urgent than ever to give an impetus to the integration process of the region in the EU”, the letter states. Specifically, the ministers requested the acceleration of the visa liberalization process for Kosovo, the start of membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, the granting of candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the acceleration of the negotiation process with Montenegro and Serbia. They also asked for increased practical cooperation with the Balkan countries, as well as help for these countries to cope with the economic consequences caused by Russian aggression, especially due to the increase in the prices of food and other products.