Austria Supports Swift European Union Accession for the Western Balkans

Austria's Minister of European Affairs and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg are actively working to further the integration of Western Balkan nations into the European Union.

Recently, they submitted concrete proposals in a letter and a document referred to as a "non-paper" to European Union External Relations Chief Josep Borell and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi.

The primary objective of these suggestions is to expedite the enlargement process and provide clarity regarding the agenda for 2024 and beyond.

There has been growing concern since Ukraine achieved EU candidate status that the Western Balkan nations could potentially be marginalized within the EU's expansion strategy. The Balkan countries, including Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, have been awaiting EU accession for an extended period.

One of the key components of these proposals is an action plan outlining the gradual integration of the Western Balkan nations by 2024, according to the ORF report.

Furthermore, an enhanced incentive system is proposed to establish additional financial support. Additionally, it is suggested to extend invitations to the Western Balkan countries for participation in informal Council meetings. Ongoing accession negotiations are in progress with Western Balkan countries, including Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, and Northern Macedonia, while Bosnia-Herzegovina has attained only candidate status.

Kosovo, according to the report, has made the least advancement in terms of EU integration, having officially applied for EU membership on December 14 of the preceding year.

Moreover, Foreign Minister Schallenberg has announced the creation of a core group within the EU, composed of Austria, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, as reported by DiePresse. This group, known as the "Friends of the Western Balkans," aims to bolster ties between Western Balkan nations and the EU even before their formal inclusion in the bloc.

Earlier this year, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, reiterated calls for the EU to expedite the integration process of Western Balkan countries.

The Minister views further EU enlargement as a positive step that would enhance the bloc's strength and aid EU member states in managing pressing issues, particularly migration, which remains a prominent topic of discussion.

During the EU-Western Balkans Summit held in Tirana in December of the previous year, EU leaders reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the EU membership prospects of Western Balkan nations.

At the summit, these leaders urged for the acceleration of the accession process for Western Balkan states and emphasized the importance of rational reforms and fair conditionality, among other priorities.

 

Source: schengenvisainfo.com