Bilčík: EU should be Balkans' goal, not political playground

NEWS 23.11.202017:40
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The European Union needs progress in this decade, and at least one country from the Western Balkans should be ready to join the European Union by 2024, Vladimír Bilčík, The European Parliament (EP) rapporteur for Serbia, has said on Monday.

„My first message is that the fact that Serbia has a new government and parliament is good news. These will be key institutions that will determine Serbia’s progress towards the EU, and it is good that Prime Minister Brnabic has said Europe and reforms will remain the country’s priority. 

He added that „the EU must not be a part of the political game in the Balkans, but its goal.“

„The commitment, accompanied by concrete moves, should reflect on progress in accession negotiations and the opening of new chapters, which I very clearly call for in my report, „Bilčík told Deutsche Welle, DW, in an interview.

However, he cautioned about the political situation in Serbia should improve.

„We have the recommendations of the OSCE Election Observation Mission and open issues from the first part of the Inter-Party Dialogue. We are ready to engage with the country’s Parliament, and the EP is ready to continue mediation to improve conditions for the political competition ahead of the upcoming elections in 2022,“ Bilčík added.

He said he paid special attention to the reconciliation and resolving the historical heritage, in his draft Report on Serbia,as well as to the results of the EU-mediated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, together with progress in the rule of law reforms, adding all that would determine Serbia’s progress in accession negotiations.

„If there is no tangible progress, it’s hard to talk about opening new chapters,“ he said.

EU also needs to show goodwill to continue this process, Bilčík suggests, adding both the bloc and the region have high expectations after the adoption of strategic enlargement decision.

He said the EU should „end this year with positive messages about the enlargement, the Western Balkans and Serbia.