Ader calls for speeding up Western Balkans EU integration

Ader noted that NATO’s Bucharest Nine group had met on Monday, with US President Joe Biden joining the talks. NATO needs to continue to focus on “challenges from the South” such as terrorism, migration and “a political vacuum in the Western Balkans resulting from the interruption of the European integration process,” Ader said.

Ader said that while “the EU’s enlargement policy has lost credibility”, the coronavirus crisis and economic difficulties could increase social tensions. “If we have ethnic tensions in addition, that could become a source of serious political tension and national security risks,” he said, adding he had therefore asked the new US administration to pay heightened attention to the Western Balkans and urged the EU to boost the integration process.

The EU has not concluded a single chapter in its accession talks with Montenegro since 2017, Ader said, adding that “you can’t call that progress”. Montenegro has proven its capabilities and commitment as a NATO member, and it could “probably do the same” in terms of its EU integration, he insisted.

Answering a question, Ader said he hoped that a recent proposal by Oliver Varhelyi, Hungary’s EU commissioner for enlargement, could give momentum to the Montenegro talks.

Dukanovic thanked Hungary for its support for endeavours in the Western Balkans to join the EU and NATO, adding that integration was in the interest of both the bloc and the region.

He noted that the EU’s enlargement policy had been “restrained” in recent years and “commitment to reforms has slackened in the region”. Exploiting the vacuum, other countries “have turned up and are trying to promote their own geo-political interests,” he said, adding that it was unreasonable of the EU “to allow those countries take the initiative”.

Dukanovic also thanked Hungary for supporting his country in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.