Germany and Austria in favor of accelerating Western Balkans’ EU membership

English

Gazeta Express

01/04/2022 10:35

Chancellors Olaf Scholz (Germany) and Karl Nehammer (Austria) met in Berlin: Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany and Austria want to advance the EU enlargement process with the countries of the Western Balkans.

“Any further delay makes the Western Balkans vulnerable and open to third-party influence,” said Scholz. Meanwhile, Nehammer said, “We do not only need speeches on possible European perspectives, but we must now make that happen. If no rapid progress is made this region could become an area of influence for Russia and China.”

In the Western Balkans, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia have the status of EU candidate countries, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo as “potential” candidates are still far from membership. Accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia should have started long ago, but they have failed due to resistance from various EU member states. Scholz demanded that talks with these two countries finally begin. “We in the EU must also move forward with institutional reforms in order to be able to enlarge the EU,” he said.

Nehammer referred to the “large areas of influence of the Russian Federation” in the Western Balkans. “Given the geostrategic interest, it is important and right that we really offer people a fruitful perspective,” he said, adding that he would work to persuade “skeptics” within the EU. “The clear assertion that the Western Balkans belong to Europe must now be implemented,” said Nehammer.