The EU-Western Balkans summit will take place in the Albanian capital Tirana on Tuesday. The meeting will be held for the first time in the Western Balkans. This is a “strong signal of rapprochement”, said Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP), who will represent Austria at the summit, beforehand. The main themes are joint management of the consequences of the war in Ukraine, the EU enlargement process, strengthening security and the fight against illegal migration.
From Austria’s point of view, the granting of candidate country status to Bosnia and Herzegovina on the basis of a corresponding recommendation by the EU Commission is particularly important in the EU’s enlargement process. The award of the status is expected in December. The West Balkan countries are of great importance for the security of the EU – especially in the fight against illegal migration, organized crime and people smuggling, the Federal Chancellery said.
The Serbian president initially threatened a boycott
In addition to the 27 EU member states, the six Western Balkan partner countries Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo have been invited to the summit. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic initially threatened to boycott the summit over disagreements with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Vucic later confirmed his participation.
Open gas, LPG and hydrogen to the Western Balkans
A commitment can be expected from the conference on the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and the six Western Balkan countries against the background of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The decision to open joint procurement of gas, liquefied gas and hydrogen to the Western Balkans needs to be reconfirmed. Security and defense cooperation must be intensified. In order to speed up the accession process, the necessary reforms should be promoted, in particular in the fight against corruption and organized crime. In the area of migration, the aim is to align the Western Balkan countries’ visa policies with EU standards and to step up cooperation on returns.
Serbia had recently lifted the visa waiver for travelers from Tunisia and Burundi, and something similar is planned for India. According to the EU Commission, other states should follow suit. The European Commission presented an action plan for the Balkan route on Monday. According to the EU border control agency Frontex, the Western Balkan route is currently the most active migratory route. In the first ten months of 2022, 128,438 people entered the country, an increase of 168 percent from the same period last year.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
