Foreign ministers of Member States have reiterated the EU’s commitment to the Western Balkans region on Monday 14 November, less than a month before the EU-Western Balkans summit to be held on 6 December in Tirana.
“We are stepping up our commitment. The Western Balkans remain our priority. It is the closest to our geostrategic partners. The future of the Western Balkans lies in the EU. This is our message ahead of the upcoming EU-Western Balkans summit on 6 December”, summarised the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
He also highlighted the concerns that ministers had about tensions in the region: there are renewed tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, there is still no government in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro finds itself in a constitutional impasse.
The High Representative of the Union specifically highlighted the “unnecessary and counterproductive tensions between Serbia and Kosovo”. “This is reaching a very dangerous level”, he said, calling it the “most serious and most dangerous crisis since 2013”. As a result of measures by Kosovo regarding licence plates, Kosovo Serbs have left Kosovo’s institutions.
“Both sides must urgently demonstrate that they are ready to find a solution that will ease tensions. It is not acceptable for them to violate or ignore their obligations”, warned Mr Borrell, who met the leaders of both countries – separately – in Paris on 11 November.
“Both parties need to be flexible. The message from the EU Council is clear: progress must be made”, he added, saying that when it came to “ partners who aspire to a European future”, he expected “European behaviour and a willingness to find a solution”. “They now find themselves at a crossroads. They have to decide which direction they want to take. Towards the EU or towards the past”, Borrell stressed.
He said that while the two countries had not accepted the proposal made by the EU, with the support of France and Germany, they had not refused it either. “This is a big thing” said Borrell.
Furthermore, upon his arrival at the EU Council, Croatian Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman said that the countries of this region should promote regional security and stability as well as good neighbourly relations and cooperation among themselves and with the Member States.
In a thinly veiled criticism of Belgrade, he called on all Western Balkan countries to align their foreign policy with that of the Europeans, and to implement sanctions against Russia.
French Minister Laurence Boone, who visited the region on Monday evening, emphasised that it was “very important to defend the Rule of law reforms in the region”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)