“`html
Brussels – The international and European affairs ministers of Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Slovakia, and Slovenia, as a part of the Associates of the Western Balkans group, despatched a joint letter to the top of European diplomacy Kaia Kallas and the Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, stating that it’s time for decisive progress in integrating the Western Balkans into the EU and presenting concrete steps to assist the area on its path to the EU.
Within the letter to Kallas and Kos, the Associates of the Western Balkans state that “with Russia’s aggressive conflict in opposition to Ukraine and different safety challenges for our continent, the enlargement coverage, one of many EU’s handiest geopolitical instruments, has gained a brand new and highly effective impetus.” Because the ministers level out, on this sense, the Western Balkans will likely be a geostrategic litmus check for the European Union. – Solely by integrating this area into our EU household can we guarantee stability and prosperity for our continent, the letter states.
It expresses full assist for the choice of the President of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, to entrust Commissioner Kos to advance the enlargement course of “within the subsequent essential years, constructing on the renewed momentum” and to work on gradual integration.
– We are going to proceed to assist an much more dynamic, credible, and environment friendly enlargement course of. The time has come for decisive progress, and we’ll proceed to help the area in reaching the important steps on the trail to EU accession, the letter states.
The ministers name for the institution of a transparent agenda and timeframe for the complete implementation of the Development Plan and the development of gradual integration into the only market, in addition to into different EU insurance policies, when all needed situations are fulfilled. The Associates of the Western Balkans consider that this could present a tangible perspective for EU membership and produce extra seen outcomes for the residents of the Western Balkans, particularly the youth, in addition to contribute to strengthening their assist for the EU.
To attain these targets, they encourage companions from the Western Balkans to speed up the required reforms, have interaction in regional cooperation, promote good neighborly relations by way of reconciliation and backbone of open points, and implement a joint regional market that may be a “springboard to the only market.” (December 16)
“`
