Blanar: Without Progress, EU Credibility in Balkans at Stake

Bratislava, 12 May (TASR) - The gradual integration process of the Western Balkan states into the European Union is vitally important, Foreign and European Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) stated at a joint press press conference with European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos on Tuesday, warning that the EU's credibility in the region would decline without tangible progress. Slovakia is hosting a ministerial meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans group at Bratislava Castle. "However, this integration process cannot replace the real integration process as such. A results-based process is the key foundation for all members of the European Union," Blanar underlined. He added that participants at the meeting agreed that double standards could not be applied in the integration process, including in relation to Ukraine. He stressed the need to find ways to support Western Balkan countries that were promised EU membership around 20 years ago. "This is truly a major challenge for all of us to do something for the integration process of these countries, because otherwise our credibility as the European Union in this region will significantly decline," Blanar said. In his view, countries such as Montenegro and Albania could serve as positive examples for the people of the Western Balkans that progress is achievable. Blanar also recalled that a so-called Growth Plan for the Western Balkans had been approved three years ago. "There are six billion euros available which they can use either in the form of grants or loans. There is room for them to use European funds already during the integration process in order to become more interconnected and better prepared for integration into the European Union," he said, adding that the level of fund absorption remained very low. Kos claimed that the start of the new decade, the year 2030, will be a crucial milestone for enlargement. "Several candidates have strong ambitions to conclude accession negotiations before then. At the beginning of the new decade in 2030, this will be the turning point for the European Union," she said, noting that Slovakia will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU at that time. "Enlargement is a merit-based process. Countries seeking accession need to deliver reforms, and this is important both for Slovakia and for the whole Commission. However, we know reforms take time, and in the current turbulent geopolitical environment we cannot afford to lose momentum," Kos said. She added that new integration models and faster support mechanisms before full membership are needed. "People in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia already benefit from cheaper payments, for example thanks to SEPA payments. We are also continuing work on extending roaming to the Western Balkans," she said. However, the EU is not a charitable organisation for candidate countries, Kos added. "When we grant them candidate status, there are obligations on both sides," she said. Participants at the meeting also adopted the so-called Bratislava Declaration on the integration of Western Balkan states into the EU. "The declaration states that after the launch of the integration process in Thessaloniki in 2003, we must continue and maintain a clear position on EU enlargement based on a results-based approach, while also using the instruments already available in the Western Balkan countries," Blanar said. The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of the Friends of the Western Balkans group, comprising Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia and Italy. Representatives of the Western Balkans attending the meeting came from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. mf