EU Enlargement: Positions on Serbia and Kosovo

2023-05-23 08:12:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The EU will speed up the accession process for the six countries of the Western Balkans. But there are major obstacles: slow reforms, old enmities and a reluctant EU.

The EU Foreign Ministers at the meeting in Brussels also invited their six counterparts from the countries of the Western Balkans for an informal lunch. The topic is the same as always: How can the accession talks, which have been going on for years and in some countries even decades, be accelerated?

Monday's lunch (22.05) was also held under this motto and was important for a serious assessment of the situation, especially against the background of the EU summit with the candidate countries for membership and their neighbors, next week in Moldova. "Perhaps we should do this even more often", said EU Foreign Policy Commissioner Josep Borrell, but at the same time drawing attention especially to Serbia and Kosovo.

Pro-Russian stance precludes membership

Borrell emphasized to the Serbian Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic, that close relations with Russia are no longer compatible with EU membership. Russia, waging war against Ukraine, will face tougher sanctions from the EU, which will not be accepted by Serbia. "You damage your national interests, but the attitude is not compatible with the enlargement process," drew attention to Josep Borrell. "Close relations with Russia no longer work, and this does not only apply to Serbia."

The EU is holding membership talks with Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia. Bosnia-Herzegovina is a candidate for talks, but is still considered unstable. Kosovo has not yet been recognized by either Serbia or the five EU member states, so it is only a possible candidate for membership. For some of you there will be "strategic decisions" of the EU, Josep Borrell declared, but not for those who accept the Russian policy of aggression.

Finally becoming "friends and partners"

The conflict between Serbia and Kosovo has escalated repeatedly in recent months and, in Borrell's opinion, blocks any progress in membership talks. EU states do not want to accept states that are unable to resolve conflicts between them, EU diplomats in Brussels say.

Borrell said he told both sides that countries that have fought each other in the past can become friends and partners. It is about coexistence. Therefore, Prishtina and Belgrade must finally implement the agreement mediated by the EU.

Lesson from Ukraine?

Në samitin javën e ardhëshme do të jenë të përfaqësuar edhe kandidatët e rinj për anëtarësim Ukraina dhe Republika e Moldavisë, që për shkak të luftës sulmuese ruse vitin e kaluar e morën në kohë rekord statusin e preferuar të vendit kandidat. Qeveritë në Kiev dhe në Kishinau shpresojnë, që gjatë vitit do të mund të fillojnë edhe bisedimet zyrtare për anëtarësim. Nëse arrihet kjo, atëherë Ukraina dhe Moldavia brenda 20 muajsh do të realizojnë atë që vendet e Ballkanit nuk e kanë arritur në 20 vjet, thonë diplomatët e BE-së në Bruksel.

Kjo mund të krijonte një lloj zilie apo qendrim konkurrues tek vendet në procesin e antarësimit. Komisioni i BE-së në raportin e progresit vlerëson përparimet e jashtëzakonshme që kanë arritur Ukraina dhe Moldavia në luftën kundër korrupsionit dhe reformat e shtetit ligjor. Në Ballkan duket se të gjitha kanë zgjatur shumë më tepër. "Ukraina po avancon, të tjerët duhet të ndjekin këtë shteg dhe të shfrytëzojnë shansin", theksoi i ngarkuari i BE-së për Politikën e Jashtme.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg at the beginning of May called for the acceleration of the accession process. It cannot be accepted that such a process should last 20 years. This also has to do with the credibility of the EU's promises, according to him. The chancellor also emphasized that the EU itself must be reformed to be able to cope with the expansion./ DW