EU Highlights Strong Commitment to Uniting with Western Balkans

(MENAFN) European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, reiterated the European Union's unwavering commitment to expanding the bloc, underscoring that "Europe cannot be united without the Western Balkans." Her remarks came on Tuesday during the Western Balkans leaders' meeting in Skopje, where she emphasized the importance of the region in Europe's future
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"For the first time in the history of Europe, if we do it right in the enlargement process, we could unify our Europe, and Europe cannot be united without Western Balkans," Kos stated.

She also pointed out that the sentiment for further enlargement is widespread among EU capitals. "I hear the same sentiment echoed in EU capitals. I'm stressing this here because I want to be very clear, there is a clear consensus for further enlargement," she added.

Kos went on to highlight ongoing talks aimed at eliminating roaming charges for Western Balkans countries. If the necessary reforms and legislative changes are implemented, free roaming could be introduced as early as January 1, 2026.

When discussing North Macedonia's EU accession process, Kos reaffirmed the European Commission's commitment to opening negotiations "as soon as the country fulfills the agreed criteria," particularly focusing on constitutional amendments.

“If North Macedonia fulfills and changes the constitution — which is not easy, I am completely aware of this — then we should start immediately within an intergovernmental conference without any further political decisions and conditions,” she said.

In a separate development, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto met with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic on Monday in Budapest. Following their meeting, Szijjarto posted a statement on X, drawing a stark comparison between the Western Balkans and Ukraine: "They push Ukraine, we push the Western Balkans."

"Ukraine brings danger and the risk of drifting into war, while the Western Balkans bring security and new energy," he continued, adding, "no sane person believes Ukraine is in better shape than any of these countries."

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