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LUXEMBOURG/SARAJEVO, April 17 (FENA) – The European Union (EU) recognizes positive change in the Western Balkans countries, it has strengthened its engagement with the region from its side and is working towards an opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application to join the EU, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and the Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said today after the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package.
As they said at today’s press conference in Strasbourg, Albania and Macedonia have made progress and therefore the Commission recommends that the Council decides to open accession negotiations with these two countries.
The EU officials’ report also states that they are working with Kosovo’s authorities on further progress on the basis of the Stabilization and Association Agreement.
As far as Serbia and Kosovo are concerned, Mr. Hahn and Ms. Mogherini said the EU continued to facilitate the dialogue on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.
Ms. Mogherini reiterated that the Western Balkans are Europe and will be part of the EU’s future.
“It is a matter of shared interest and this is the right moment to make true progress, with compromise, of course,” she added.
She concluded that countries had to ensure that the reforms are properly implemented and that they demonstrate a track record of concrete results, not because Brussels asks, but because this is what the citizens are expecting from their institutions and their leaderships.
In this context, she said they expected strong political leadership and that the EU would continue to provide support in this respect.
The previous enlargement package was adopted in December 2016. The Enlargement Package covers seven countries – BiH, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and Turkey.
(FENA)
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