News in English     | 27.09.2021. 12:31 |

Brkić: Western Balkans people unreservedly support European perspective

FENA Press release

SARAJEVO, September 27 (FENA) - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Josip Brkić is participating in the 17th Salzburg Europe Summit, which is being held from September 26 to 28 this year, organized by the Institute of European Regions.

Given the support of the Republic of Austria to the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries, the Summit is an opportunity to consider the possibilities of accelerating the EU accession process, and to present the progress made as well as further plans.

On the first day of the Summit, Brkić took part in a ministerial panel entitled “Western Balkans Enlargement: A Dead End or a Fast Track.” The keynote speaker was Karoline Edtstadler, Austrian Minister for EU and Constitution, and Brkić was joined by Minister Jadranka Joksimović for EU Integration of Serbia, Đorđe Radulović, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, Maggie Fino, Deputy Minister of European and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Zoran Popov, State Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Northern Macedonia and Tanja Miščević, Deputy Secretary General of the RCC.

Brkić stressed that any opportunity to reflect and discuss current and future EU trends and challenges is welcome, especially when it comes to the enlargement process. He stressed that this is a process of strategic importance for the Western Balkans region and its perspective of completing the European family. He pointed to the fact that more than twenty years of European integration have brought many positive changes to the region, but the overall results can be considered mixed. He assessed that during all these years the integration process has proved to be quite fragile, full of ingrained complexities, different interests, fragmented commitment to enlargement, and lately a convincing source of unpredictability, given Brexit and the revival of "enlargement versus deepening" debates.

Brkić said that the EU's credibility, its model of integration, as well as flexibility and adaptability to challenges and obstacles are at stake, and that this is an opportunity to emerge as a more united and stronger Union or as an entity that cannot successfully face and meet its internal challenges. He reminded of the historical idea behind the project of European integration "united in diversity", and that there is no room for fear in the full implementation of this motto when it comes to the prospects for integration of the Western Balkans. He reiterated that despite the slowdown in the enlargement process, the people of the Western Balkans continue to unreservedly support the region's European perspective.

He then said that undoubtedly their work and reforms must continue, but also that promises from both sides must be kept, in order for the European perspective to remain credible. He expressed the need to maintain the momentum of enlargement and the continued commitment to reforms regarding the credibility of enlargement policy, which is based on strict and fair conditions, regional cooperation and good neighborly relations and, most importantly, the principle of merit. He stressed that regardless of future events, the Western Balkans should become neither a limited liability periphery nor a simple recipient of aid, given enlargement, which would be constantly delayed. He concluded that the positive developments in the Western Balkans send a strong signal of the transformational power of the EU accession perspective and act as an incentive for the entire region to continue with reforms, thus stepping up preparations for EU membership.

The two-day 17th Salzburg Europa Summit, which brought together a number of European and regional officials, is an event to exchange views on current developments within the European Union, measures taken to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and economic recovery, the Ministry's Public Relations Office said. Foreign Affairs of BiH.

(FENA) L. N.

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