Chief diplomats of seven European Union countries have sent a letter to the EU regarding the European perspective of the Western Balkans.
The letter is signed by Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, Czech Republic’s Jan Lipavský, Austria’s Alexander Schallenberg, Croatia’s Gordan Grlić-Radman, Slovakia’s Juraj Blanar, Slovenia’s Tanja Fajon, as well as Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis.
The chief diplomats of these seven states emphasize that it is time for decisive progress in the EU enlargement process towards the Western Balkans. They stress that the accession of Western Balkan countries to the EU is more urgent than ever.
“In its conclusions of December 14-15, 2023, the European Council reaffirmed its full and clear commitment to the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans and called for the acceleration of their accession process, including advancing gradual integration between the European Union and the region.
More than two decades have passed since the Council adopted the Thessaloniki Declaration. It is time for decisive progress in the EU enlargement process towards the Western Balkans. A clear and reasonable time for their acceptance is more urgent than ever.
In this context, we welcome and support the European Commission’s new Enlargement Plan for the Western Balkans. This plan offers a concrete opportunity to bring the region closer to the EU single market, to deepen regional economic integration, and to accelerate fundamental reforms. If successfully implemented, it will contribute to promoting socio-economic convergence, addressing brain drain from the region, bringing tangible benefits to its citizens, and supporting the Western Balkans’ path towards EU membership.
Western Balkan leaders, as emphasized in their joint statement of January 22, 2024, have expressed their full support for the objectives of the Growth Plan and their readiness to implement it. We must seize this opportunity. This was also the common conclusion of the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the ‘Friends of the Western Balkans’ with Western Balkan partners in Rome on February 5, 2024.
Therefore, we call for your personal commitment to prioritize finalizing interinstitutional negotiations for the ‘Growth and Reform Facilitation for the Western Balkans’ before the European Parliament elections.
Time is of the essence. Any delay will undermine the EU’s credibility and will have a negative impact on the region’s European integration process,” the letter states.
