Brussels, 23/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - Greece is concerned that the promise of “a distant and uncertain accession” to the European Union is insufficient to persuade the countries of the western Balkans to continue their considerable economic and structural reforms. Reform efforts in Albania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Fyrom) and Montenegro have already tailed off in 2007 and these countries are running the risk of losing even more of their hopes of a European future, unless the EU rapidly takes “brave and ambitious measures”, as Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Dora Bakoyannis put it in a note presented to her colleagues of the Union at the General Affairs/External Relations Council of 19 November. “Our objective must be to provide the citizens and governments (of the Balkans) with new enthusiasm, new motivation (…). We must urgently take political measures to send out a clear and unambiguous message to all of the countries in question: the European prospects of the region are definitive (…). The time has come for courageous decisions on the western Balkans”, the note stipulated.
Greece has proposed the following measures: - the EU must “immediately” sign the SAA with Serbia and “as soon as possible” with Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is worth noting that the agreement with Serbia has been initialled but, in accordance with the current position of the EU, will not be signed before Belgrade has fully cooperated with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. The SAA with Bosnia-Herzegovina is technically ready, but has neither been initialled nor signed, because the EU is first of all waiting for the country to complete its police reform; - Serbia must be “urged” to apply for the status of candidate country to the EU. Once this application has been made, the European Commission would have to present its “opinion” on Serbian candidacy “by autumn 2008”. The European Council of December 2008 would then formally grant the status of candidate country to Serbia; - a date for the opening of accession negotiations with Serbia would have to be determined “later on”, depending on progress made by Belgrade; - in the meantime, the EU must take other measures in favour of Serbia and the other countries, so as to transform their European prospects into “practical and tangible” benefits for the citizens of these countries. Amongst other things, Greece is proposing that after the conclusion of the readmission and visa facilitation agreements later this year, the EU should now be starting to define a roadmap and an indicative calendar for the removal of visas for all citizens of the Balkans; - the EU should also provide more financial resources to support the European integration of the region. In the short term, by making use of the “principle of flexibility” provided for in the budget; in the longer term, by providing more resources as part of the forthcoming financial perspectives. (H.B.)