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The security challenges gather the ministers of the EU and the Western Balkans in a meeting

2024-06-23 14:42:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The security challenges gather the ministers of the EU and the Western Balkans

Illustrative photo

The European Union is increasing cooperation with the countries of the Western Balkan region in the field of security, defense and foreign policy.

The EU considers this as a priority, since the challenges for the security of this region are similar to those that the EU also faces.

On this topic, the Foreign Ministers of the European Union and their counterparts from the countries of the Western Balkan region will discuss on June 24 in Luxembourg.

The EU prepared an orientation document for cooperation with the countries of the region in this field and it will be discussed at the joint ministerial meeting.

"Challenges related to foreign and security policy are increasingly complex in the current geostrategic circumstances and this puts the European and global order at risk," says the document seen by Radio Free Europe.

"The importance of unity, shared values ??and common purpose within the European family are paramount, especially with partners who aspire to join the EU. Staying together with the EU - which is also reflected through the adaptation of our partners to the common foreign and security policy - is a sign of strategic orientation, based on common values ??and principles, especially for respecting sovereignty of law and international law", it is also stated in this document. It mentions how the countries of the Western Balkans, in addition to the process of their integration into the EU, have also increased their participation in European processes, in the field of foreign and security policy.

This is said to have been done through regular EU-Western Balkan summits, the participation of the countries of the region in joint ministerial meetings, high-level EU events, cooperation in avoiding sanctions against third countries, cooperation in international organizations, such as the UN and OSCE, but also military cooperation and the development of law enforcement.

The European Union is said to be helping the countries of the region in mine clearance processes, in the fight against manipulation and misinformation coming from abroad, especially from Russia, as well as in the fight against organized crime groups.

For the EU, as stated in the document, cooperation in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and arms trafficking is also important. The EU's biggest commitment in the field of security and defense in the Western Balkans region is the Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which consists of about 1,600 troops, as well as the law and order mission in Kosovo, EULEX.

"Last year, the EULEX mission in Kosovo contributed not only to maintaining security in Kosovo, as the second responder, but also to improving the rule of law. The EU-facilitated dialogue [between Kosovo and Serbia] has served not only as a platform for advancing the normalization of relations, but also for the prevention of tensions and crisis management," the EU document says.

It also mentions the EU's ambition to further strengthen the commitment of the countries of the Western Balkans region in the field of foreign policy and security, even before these countries become formal members of the bloc.

"We must intensify political engagement at all levels, including through regular and coordinated visits," this document states.

The European Union sees the advancement of the reconciliation process between Kosovo and Serbia as a priority for engagement in the region, through the dialogue it facilitates. Priority is also the continuation of assistance for increasing defense capacities, as well as assistance for combating manipulation and disinformation.

As a special help, the plan for growth and reforms in the countries of the Western Balkans, which has already been approved by the EU, is mentioned, which aims to speed up their preparation to become members of the EU. The EU expects the countries of the Western Balkans region to continue to contribute to aid for Ukraine, which is fighting against the invasion by Russia.

Although the document does not mention the countries of the region separately, all of them - with the exception of Serbia - are fully aligned with the positions of the European Union in the field of foreign policy and security.

Serbia, meanwhile, has not supported the sanctions that the European Union has imposed against Russia and Belarus. The discussion on Monday at the meeting of ministers is considered as a contribution to the general efforts of the EU to achieve a greater convergence with the countries of region in all areas.

Of these, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have either already opened negotiations for EU membership, or are candidate countries. Kosovo has only applied for membership in this block in 2022./ Rel