07/02/2020 (Agence Europe) – The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, said on Thursday 6 February, that his personal goal is that at least one country should be ready to join the Union by the end of his mandate as Commissioner, i.e. in just under five years' time. At a press briefing with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade and the day after the presentation of the new methodology for the accession process (see EUROPE 12419/2), Mr Várhelyi promised that EU enlargement policy in the Western Balkans “is an increasingly important priority” for the new Commission. He recalled that this was intended to be geopolitical and that it begins “in (his) neighbourhood”. “I want to strengthen our influence, our links with the Balkan countries, especially with those already negotiating their accession”, the Commissioner added. (CG)