Szijjarto: Western Balkans EU integration could ‘boost’ Europe’s security

Speaking during bilateral talks with his Montenegrin and North Macedonian colleagues held on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Szijjarto said the stability of their region had a big impact on security in Europe.

“It is obvious that with unrest there’s a lack of stability in the Western Balkans, with conflicts affecting everyday life… Having lived in the shadow of war for the past two and a half years, we don’t need another security-type conflict or instability,” the foreign ministry quoted Szijjarto as saying.

He noted that recent reports from Kosovo or Bosnia and Herzegovina did not “point to stability or calm, balanced, and peaceful development”.

Slamming the current status of EU’s enlargement policy, Szijjarto said it was “losing credibility whenever a western European or Baltic country hindered the accession of the Western Balkans”.

The Hungarian EU presidency will make a focused effort to start accession talks with North Macedonia and “open at least one chapter” in the negotiations, Szijjarto said.

As for Montenegro, Szijjarto said the presidency would want to facilitate closing “at least seven, but optimally nine or ten chapters” before the end of the year. “We think Montenegro has completed the required steps,” he added.

Szijjarto called Serbia a cornerstone of stability and development in the Western Balkans, and the Hungarian presidency would want to open at least one chapter in Serbia’s accession process.

“Even though EU enlargement in the Western Balkans is not supported by a majority in the European Union … we’ll be bent on making great progress in their integration in the next six months,” the minister said.

After talks with the Serbian foreign minister, Szijjarto said “Belgrade has a distinctly pro-peace position in international political debates, for which they are on the receiving end of many attacks from Europe.” “They’re using all means available to slow down Serbia’s accession; that is contrary to our national interests, so in the near future we’ll concentrate on helping our Serbian friends with their integration process as much as possible,” Szijjarto said.