Speaking at a press conference after addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša said a breakthrough is possible in the enlargement process with Skopje and Tirana in October if the member states reach an agreement, MIA’s Brussels correspondent reports.

“In Europe there’s a dilemma whether the enlargement is of strategic importance or not,” said Janša.

He pointed out that according to him it is of strategic importance, especially because over the last fifteen years the European Union has not expanded, but shrunk actually.

In the meanwhile, Janša added, some other entities did expand their influence in the region.

“We, as the European Union, used too much energy to respond tactically to consequences created by others. I believe that the European Union is a wonderful idea, and we really want other countries to join the EU,” said Janša, whose country took over the EU’s rotating presidency on July 1.

According to Slovenia, the enlargement with the European Union should be a top priority.

“The European Union is making big steps forward once it’s focused on anything. If the enlargement for example becomes the sixth item on the agenda, we never get down to that item, if we move it up on the agenda, then we will be able to make concrete steps forward. Albania and North Macedonia can move forward by the next summit in October if we all concentrate on that. The Commission is here very helpful, but at the end of the day this is a political decision,” the Slovenian Prime Minister said.

Janša added that he doesn’t understand the reasoning in the debates which are against the enlargement, pointing out that a debate on the enlargement is needed. He voiced hope that such a debate will become one of the crucial issues in the Conference on the Future of Europe.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who also took part in the press conference, said she is deeply convinced that the Western Balkans belong to the European family, but for that there’s a lot of work to do in terms of reforms to really get ready to join the European Union.

“Our goal is to start the intergovernmental conferences with Albania and North Macedonia, those are very practical steps. As a Commission we have put forward an investment plan of EUR 9 billion for the Western Balkans, to support them in developing their Common Regional Market, which is also a preparation to be fit and ready for the EU Single Market,” von der Leyen said.