Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša on Tuesday presented the priorities of his country’s EU presidency, which include the Western Balkans and the European Commission President said she hopes that EU will approve the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania in the coming six months, MIA’s Brussels correspondent reports.
Addressing the European Parliament, as it is customary as a new member state takes over the EU rotating presidency for six months, Janša stressed that the Western Balkans is a very important region for the EU and as a result, Ljubljana will organize a summit of leaders from the EU countries and the Western Balkans in October.
Slovenia considers enlargement as logical response to geostrategic challenges the EU is facing and the perspective toward the Western Balkans, as well as the Eastern Partnership countries such as Ukraine, should be revived.
According to the Slovenian PM, the perspective should be viable in order today’s generation to be able to believe it will come true during its lifetime, otherwise it cannot serve as a motivation. It is, he said, the best way to win public support and encourage reforms.
Speaking at the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Slovenia’s pledge to bring back the Western Balkans on the agenda, including the organization of the October summit.
“I am sure that the European Union summit with the Western Balkans in October will send an important signal to the countries concerned: that they are key strategic partners for the European Union. I hope that together with the Slovenian Presidency, we can vitalise the accession process of Albania and North Macedonia. This is in our own interest. And it is a question of credibility. Because for Europe a promise made must be a promise kept. Slovenia knows how important this is,” von der Leyen said.
On his part, PM Janša in his speech insisted on the importance of the region as a key part of EU’s policy to curb “illegal migration” through the so called Balkan migration route.
