EU relations with Western Balkans countries

Emmanuel Macron

Inserted 2 years ago

“That region is going through new tensions today. History is coming back. Sometimes tragedy is coming back. Today we have a special responsibility towards the Western Balkans. EU should pursue a policy of re-engagement, but also investment in order to favor the economic integration of the region; develop human exchange, raise the issue of minorities present in the region, but also fight against influence and manipulation who want to destabilise Europe through the Balkans. I believe that this political and economic work towards the Western Balkans is a real sovereignty agenda for our Europe because we cannot build a peaceful Europe in the next 50 years if we leave the Western Balkans in the current situation. That means clarifying its European perspective, reinvesting to the region and its unity and to have a common ambition for the decades to come.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

President of France

09 Dec 2021 7 3

Arturs Krisjanis Karins

Inserted 2 years ago

“Either Europe extends the hand and pulls these [Western Balkan] countries toward us, or someone else will extend a hand and pull these countries in a different direction.”

Aljazeera

Prime Minister of Latvia

06 Oct 2021 (approx) 3 6

Ursula von der Leyen

Inserted 2 years ago

“We want them [six Western Balkans states] in the European Union, we are one European family. We share the same history, we share the same values, and I'm deeply convinced we share the same destiny too. I know that still work has to be done, for example, on the rule of law, on the judiciary, on the freedom of the media, to name some. But I think we should also acknowledge the effort that has been done in the past and the progress that has been done.”

Rferl

President of the European Commission

06 Oct 2021 5 6

Charles Michel

Inserted 2 years ago

“The focus will be on intensifying our engagement to foster the region's socio-economic recovery and sustainable development, and building back better after the pandemic on the basis of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. The President of the European Parliament will also participate in this session. This would also be an important occasion to discuss how to ensure the stability of the region, strengthen regional cooperation and resolve regional conflicts.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

President of the European Council

04 Oct 2021 5 4

Ursula von der Leyen

Inserted 2 years ago

“Building bridges between people, countries, and cultures, that is so crucial for our common future. Because Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all the Western Balkans, belong in the European Union. It is in our common interest, but I also believe, it is our destiny.”

Rferl

President of the European Commission

30 Sep 2021 2 4

Ylva Johansson

Inserted 2 years ago

“Visa-free travel between the EU and the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries is a significant achievement. While restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on mobility, visa-free countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership must continue and step up their efforts in managing migration and asylum and in fighting corruption and organised crime.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs

04 Aug 2021 4 2

Miroslav Lajčák

Inserted 2 years ago

“The idea of redrawing borders is not new. It has been here for many years but it was brought to the forefront now. I deeply disagree with these ideas. I consider them extremely dangerous and a war-provoking idea. Unfortunately, the vision of EU membership for the Western Balkans has become more blurred more distant and therefore also less motivated. When we created a void in the region, others are coming with other ideas. If we are not serious with Plan A [EU membership for Balkan states], people would come with a Plan B and this is exactly what this first paper is about.”

Balkaninsight

European Union's special envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks

04 May 2021 4 6

Olivér Várhelyi

Inserted 2 years ago

“We care about Montenegro, we care about the Western Balkans and we care about our friends, the people of Montenegro. Together with COVAX we are delivering almost a million doses to the Western Balkans, and this is the beginning. We do hope that as more vaccines come into Europe we would be able to convince more and more Member States to share their available dosses with the Western Balkans.”

Rferl

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

04 May 2021 5 3

Viola von Cramon-Taubadel

Inserted 3 years ago

“The delay with North Macedonia is rather frustrating, and that is understandable. We have seen that Kosovo and Albania are the highest supporters of the integration process, even after we disappointed them so many times. If you have a country that is committed, the EU should do the same. People in Kosovo are still waiting for visa liberalisation. The EU is not delivering.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Member of European Parliament and shadow rapporteur for Serbia

11 Dec 2020 4 3

Josep Borrell

Inserted 3 years ago

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the European Union has supported the Western Balkans as its closest partner. Now we are also focusing on recovery, committing to long-term and sustainable support to the region through the European Union Economic and Investment Plan recently approved by the European Commission.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

11 Nov 2020 (approx) 4 2

Boyko Borisov

Inserted 3 years ago

“There is a lot of symbolism in the fact that Bulgaria and North Macedonia co-hosted the Summit. This was the first time that an EU member country and a Western Balkans country were hosts together, and this is a proof of our dedication to the development of the region.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Prime Minister of Bulgaria

10 Nov 2020 5 3

Majlinda Bregu

Inserted 3 years ago

“The European Union has done a lot to mitigate the consequences in our region, the Economic and Investment Plan of the EU envisages nine billion euros in grants. Together with the already announced 3.3 billion euros to fight the pandemic, this is an incentive to make faster progress when it comes to economic development.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council

06 Nov 2020 4 3

Reinhard Priebe

Inserted 3 years ago

“I am optimist by nature, I think it is possible [Western Balkans countries to access EU] and let me also underline, I do not see any EU strategy, or even a strategy of individual member states, to make the accession so difficult they can never be achieved. That would be nonsense and it is totally contrary to all declarations which have been made in the past. Even now enlargement Commissioner was at the Belgrade Security Forum and said again that there is only one place for these countries, which is in the European Union. It will be hard to meet the conditions, especially rule of law and also some economic conditions, but I definitely do not see that this is impossible. Giving timeframes is always difficult, but I think it is possible, and then again do not forget that two countries of former Yugoslavia, Slovenia and Croatia, have already joined. What is also of course important is that on the side of the countries, to make this happen within reasonable time you need to have enormous political determination, this must be number one political priority and endorsed by a broad majority of the population. Where on the contrary you have mixed messages, you have reflections on plan B or plan C, making compliments to China or Russia forgetting about all the funding the country got from the EU, then with these kind of mixed messages things will not become impossible, but much more difficult. And of course, no country is forced into the EU against its will.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

Member of the Brussels advisory board of Transparency International

06 Nov 2020 9 3

European Union

Inserted 3 years ago

“Full cooperation with these institutions is essential as an important demonstration of Kosovo’s commitment to the rule of law, which in turn is a core element for Kosovo’s progress on its European path and for EU’s engagement with the Western Balkans as a whole.”

Apnews

EU statement

05 Nov 2020 4 4

Stevo Pendarovski

Inserted 3 years ago

“European Union solidarity, which has been questioned many times in the past, has now proven to anybody that it is real, that it exist and that it is really delivering.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

President of the Republic of North Macedonia

09 Oct 2020 2 3

Olivér Várhelyi

Inserted 3 years ago

“Because of the consequences of the pandemic, it is important that we work together to recover our economies and accelerate the region’s economies. That is why we are presenting a plan with over 9 billion euros in grants and 20 billion euros in guarantees. The total amount represents one third of the total GDP of the Western Balkan countries. Certain accounts show that this injection could be expected to increase regional GDP by 3.6 percent, and there are those who say that growth will be higher. We see the potential in regional cooperation and the plan is therefore regional – in the design, participation and benefits.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

09 Oct 2020 4 2

Ursula von der Leyen

Inserted 3 years ago

“Trust is the foundation of a strong partnership, and Europe will always be ready to build strong partnerships with our closest neighbours. This starts with the Western Balkans. The decision six months ago to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia was truly historical. Indeed, the future of the whole region is in the European Union. We share the same history, we share the same destiny. We will soon present the Economic Recovery Package for the region, focusing on the number of investment initiatives and we will be there for the Eastern Partnership countries and our Southern Neighbours as well.”

Europeanwesternbalkans

President of the European Commission

16 Sep 2020 5 2

Olivér Várhelyi

Inserted 3 years ago

“I look forward to discussions with member states and holding as soon as possible the first Intergovernmental Conference with the two countries. Their future is clear in the European Union, and I am confident that they will continue to implement reforms on their path to the EU, as they have done so far.”

Tiranatimes

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

08 Jul 2020 3 8

Andrej Plenković

Inserted 3 years ago

“These countries are in a way surrounded by the European Union. If we look at geography, there is nowhere else that they can go.”

Politico

Croatian Prime Minister

06 May 2020 0 3

Miroslav Lajčák

Inserted 4 years ago

“This is a message Lajcak is bringing to the EU member states' capitals: 'If we demand from our partners to fulfill their obligations, we must also fulfill our obligations'. The European Commission stated very clearly that Kosovo has fulfilled all the criteria. The question is not 'if' but 'when' will visa liberalization happen. So, it will come; I have no doubts.”

Rferl

European Union's special envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks

17 Apr 2020 0 4

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“Either Europe extends the hand and pulls these [Western Balkan] countries toward us, or someone else will extend a hand and pull these countries in a different direction.”

“Building bridges between people, countries, and cultures, that is so crucial for our common future. Because Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all the Western Balkans, belong in the European Union. It is in our common interest, but I also believe, it is our destiny.”

“There is a lot of symbolism in the fact that Bulgaria and North Macedonia co-hosted the Summit. This was the first time that an EU member country and a Western Balkans country were hosts together, and this is a proof of our dedication to the development of the region.”

“Full cooperation with these institutions is essential as an important demonstration of Kosovo’s commitment to the rule of law, which in turn is a core element for Kosovo’s progress on its European path and for EU’s engagement with the Western Balkans as a whole.”

“European Union solidarity, which has been questioned many times in the past, has now proven to anybody that it is real, that it exist and that it is really delivering.”

“These countries are in a way surrounded by the European Union. If we look at geography, there is nowhere else that they can go.”

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