The European Union (EU) will meet this Wednesday at a summit with the Western Balkans, in Brussels, to strengthen cooperation with these countries and continue “preparing the ground” for accession to the community bloc, with the aim of future “integration gradual”. .
At a time of geopolitical tensions due to the almost two years of war in Ukraine and the two months of intense conflicts in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, European officials affirmed that this EU-Western Balkans summit will be “a” one of the most important events of the entire year in the field of Foreign Affairs, Security and Defense” between both blocks, with the aim of strengthening alliances in these areas.
A draft of the final declaration of this EU-Western Balkans summit, to which the Lusa agency had access, indicates that the meeting (with the leaders of the 27 Member States of the Union and also of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro , North Macedonia and Serbia) aims to “reunite” the two blocs, “prepare the ground for accession and provide concrete benefits to their citizens during the enlargement process.”
“To this end, the EU intends to explore additional measures aimed at advancing the gradual integration (…) of the region already during the enlargement process itself, in a reversible and merit-based manner,” the document states.
With the EU being the region’s closest partner, the main investor and trading partner and the main donor, the “political commitment” to support the region in the face of the impacts of the war in Ukraine is also mentioned, according to the draft of the statement.
The EU-Western Balkans summit takes place one day before the start of a decisive European Council, in which the possible opening of formal negotiations with Ukraine on future enlargement will be discussed.
As for the Western Balkans, criticism is currently emerging in the community bloc about the “double standard” in relation to the EU enlargement process, since, despite the Union having developed a policy of supporting progressive integration , these countries have been waiting for several years to enter .
In 2013, Croatia became the first Western Balkan country to join the EU, while Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia officially have candidate country status.
Meanwhile, negotiations have started and accession chapters have been opened with Montenegro and Serbia, negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia have started in July 2022 and Kosovo has submitted its application for membership in December 2022.
This is the third EU-Balkans summit, after the one held in Slovenia in 2021 and another in Albania in 2022.
Portugal will be represented at this high-level meeting by the Prime Minister, António Costa, who was in the Western Balkans a few days ago to reaffirm Portugal’s commitment to EU enlargement to the region.
Source: TSF
