BRUSSELS, March 7 /ATA/ – “I have said it many times, and will repeat again: the EU is not complete without the Western Balkans,” said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission.
Speaking about his most recent visit to the Western Balkans, the EU’s foreign policy chief Borrell said he had “the opportunity to meet exceptional and impressive people from all walks of life. Focus usually lies on my meetings with political leaders. But now I want to highlight the exchanges I had with the people of the region: young activists who want cleaner air and a greener region; women with the drive to achieve our joint European future and who fight for a bigger role in resolving conflicts. I hope all these people with great ideas, expertise, talent and determination will play a significant role in advancing the EU accession process of the region.”
“Our policies often sound complicated, but in essence they are not. Joining the EU means ‘building the EU at home’: in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia. The success of our Western Balkan partners in ‘building the EU at home’ does not only depend on the performance of governments and EU institutions. While this is essential, the real success depends on the engagement of the people in these societies, on the actions of citizens, shaping the society in which they and their children can prosper,” Vice President of the European Commission said.
In this context – he went on saying – I am very proud of our recent campaign dedicated to the people of the Western Balkans, called “Europeans making a difference.”
“I have said it many times, and will repeat again: the EU is not complete without the Western Balkans. To complete the EU, make it stronger and more prosperous, we need people like our campaign protagonists Selma Prodanović from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nataša Kovačević from Serbia, Tamara Todevska from North Macedonia, Detina and Argita Zalli from Albania, Mrika Nikçi from Kosovo, Maja Raičević from Montenegro,” Borrell stated.
He said that “their stories remind me of why the EU accession path of the Western Balkans is so important for all of us in Europe. The process is about and for the people.”
“And, this process needs to succeed – in the best interest of all people in Europe,” Borrell concluded his message.
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