Brussels, 03/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, Commissioner Olli Rehn warned against any hesitation at the prospect of one day welcoming the Balkan States as members of the EU because, he said, this would threaten the stability in the region, without solving any of the Union's current problems. In a piece which appeared in Monday's Financial Times, Mr Rehn said that "this year would be the worst time" to show any reluctance towards enlargement. This message is sent out, first and foremost, to countries such as France, the Netherlands and any others which believe that the European prospect offered to the countries of the Western Balkans in 2003 should not necessarily and automatically lead to their accession. "How can we persuade the leaders of the region to have the courage to hand over Ratko Mladic, the former military leader of the Bosnian Serbs, and Radovan Karadzic, the former political head of the Bosnian Serbs, to the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague if we do not have the courage of our own convictions?", asked Mr Rehn. Referring to the constitutional crisis and the EU's problems of competitiveness, he also stated that "calling a halt to enlargement will not solve these problems”. He concluded: “Too often in the 90s, Brussels twiddled its thumbs while the Balkans burned. We must not risk this happening again". At a recent informal meeting in Salzburg, the foreign affairs ministers of the EU stated in a declaration that the accession of the countries of the Western Balkans was the "ultimate objective" (EUROPE 9150).
On Monday evening in Strasbourg, Mr Rehn was to hold an exchange of views (behind closed doors) with the members of the committee on foreign affairs of the European Parliament on the state of play with preparations for the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. The Commission's final monitoring report is expected for 16 May. On Monday, the German daily Die Welt wrote that the Commission's report would give the green light for the accession of both countries on 1 January 2007. The Commission has declined to comment on this.