The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini in an interview to the European Western Balkans Portal spoke about the topics such as “Berlin Process,” new phase in a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Bosnia and Hercegovina application for the EU membership and important reforms in the Western Balkans.
Mogherini went on saying the aim of the “Berlin Process” is to bring the Western Balkans into the European Union. It has the aim identical as the one the EU is striving for through diplomacy, investments, co-operation on all matters starting from security to migration. Trieste Summit is a part of a wider engagement in the region. This engagement also brought to the new phase in a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, important reforms in the Western Balkans and application of Bosnia and Hercegovina for the EU membership.
She refuted claims that the “Berlin Process” is a replacement for the EU enlargement, saying that the process in fact should ease the joint work, while the EU would never be complete without the Western Balkans.
Speaking about dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Mogherini said she is an optimist, adding that a good dose of optimism and commitment could contribute to the dialogue. She also spoke about the last week’s meeting between presidents Vucic and Thaci, while all agreed to start a new phase in a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina toward the full normalization of relations and on the importance of the implementation of agreements reached so far.
Commenting on Serbia’s accession to the EU, Mogherini stated that the membership would come with reforms and normalization of relations with Kosovo. She assessed the Serbian leadership as ambitious, so the same goes for the EU.
At the end, Mogherini concluded that the region has achieved a progress that was difficult to imagine a few years ago. However, the job is not completely done, and it has to be continued and she will always commend any step in such direction, to make political leadership more accountable, to fight against corruption, to make the judiciary more efficient and transparent. Those who should feel real changes are citizens, in particular young ones.
