The European Commission’s Strategy for “A credible enlargement perspective for an enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans” was adopted today in Strasburg. According to the strategy document, which online media have widely reported about, Kosovo “has an opportunity for sustainable progress through implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and to advance on its European path once objective circumstances allow.”
The document points out that “There needs to be a comprehensive, legally-binding normalisation agreement between Serbia and Kosovo so that they can advance on their respective European paths.”
It also adds that the process of transitional justice is “incomplete”: The outstanding sensitive issues such as the handling of war crimes cases, including through full cooperation with the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, the fate of missing persons, refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as the identification and removal of remaining landmines in the region must be urgently addressed.
According to an EU press release, The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker stated: ”Investing in the stability and prosperity of the Western Balkans means investing in the security and future of our Union. Although there will be no further enlargements under this mandate, today the European Commission is charting the European path ahead for the Western Balkans. With strong political will, real and sustained reforms, and definitive solutions to disputes with neighbours, the Western Balkans can move forward on their respective European paths. Whether this is achieved will depend on their objective merits. The European Commission will be rigorous but it will also be fair. I will travel to each of the countries of the Western Balkans at the end of this month with a clear message: keep reforming and we will keep supporting your European future.”
High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini commented: “The Western Balkans are part of Europe: we share the same history, the same geography, the same cultural heritage and the same opportunities and challenges today and in the future. We have a common interest in working more and more closely together to guarantee to our people economic and social development, and security. This strategy shows the path that we have ahead of us: for all our six partners to overcome once and for all the past, for all of us together to make the process of the Western Balkans towards the European Union irreversible and keep reuniting the Continent. This Strategy gives all of us a shared, clear, unequivocal, credible and concrete perspective for each and every one of our six partners’ EU integration. The next months will be not only intense but also crucial to make sure that this historic and unique opportunity is seized.”
Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn stressed: “Today we confirm that the door of our Union is open for the Western Balkans which is already an enclave surrounded by the EU, and that our offer is sincere. With the new approach, underpinned by concrete measures, we are strengthening the enlargement process which requires credible efforts and reforms in return in particular to strengthen the rule of law. We have to work for the benefit of the citizens.”
Read EU Press Release here: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-561_en.htm
The strategy documents are available here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/eu-western-balkans-strategy-credible-enlargement-perspective_en
