English
It is a true tragedy that the accession of Western Balkan countries to the European Union is taking so long, stated former Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister George Papandreou in an exclusive interview last night for Macedonian Radio Television MRT.
As one of the key architects of the Solun (Thessaloniki) Agenda from the 2003 summit—where the EU first pledged its commitment to the European future of all Western Balkan states—Papandreou commented on the Commission’s new enlargement document, asserting that member states must not be allowed to use their veto power against the European process itself. Consequently, Papandreou called on the EU to become directly involved in facilitating and assisting the resolution of both our dispute with Bulgaria and other existing bilateral issues in the Balkans.
The EU needs to be more involved and provide assistance. This applies not only to the issue between Bulgaria and Macedonia but also to other Western Balkan states that could join—some sooner than others—yet still face unresolved problems, such as Kosovo, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These are issues where the EU should play a role; if not resolved positively, they could become future problems within the EU itself. “So, I believe that we—that Europe—must not only maintain a positive outlook but also be more active and strive to resolve all these issues. And not merely from a legalistic standpoint; rather, it must truly engage directly and take into account the priorities and concerns of both the various member states and the candidate countries,” Papandreou said on MRT.