The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, whose country holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (FPEU) in the first half of 2022, said on Tuesday 25 January that the European perspective of the Western Balkans was not in doubt.
Before the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Minister explained that the forum on the Western Balkans, which the French Presidency wishes to organise in the spring, will have “the objective of preparing the summit, which will take place under the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU [in the second half of 2022, editor’s note], and showing that the European perspective is not in doubt for all these countries”.
The Minister highlighted three areas of concern on which he would like to make progress. Firstly, the accession of North Macedonia and Albania to the European Union. Both countries have stalled in their process due to a dispute between Skopje and Sofia.
“As far as I know, things are improving a little. There are declarations that are moving in the right direction”, said Le Drian, while the Macedonian and Bulgarian governments met the same day in Sofia. The French head of diplomacy had hoped that progress would be made and that this dialogue would lead to the first intergovernmental conferences of North Macedonia and Albania being held under the French or Czech Presidency.
The minister also highlighted the “more complicated” situation between Serbia and Kosovo (see other news), and hoped that EU mediation could lead to a comprehensive agreement.
Finally, Mr Le Drian promised that the FPEU would be very active regarding the Bosnian dossier, “in particular to ensure that electoral and constitutional reform can be achieved in time “. “This is essential and something we need to mobilise on”, he added, while also calling for dialogue and condemning the blockage of state institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)