Scholz calls for EU membership of the Western Balkan countries
Scholz sees “realistic prospects” for Serbia and Kosovo to join the EU
Olaf Scholz has called on Serbia and Kosovo to settle their differences in order to pave the way for EU accession. EU membership is “a realistic prospect” for Serbia and Kosovo, he said at a meeting with Kosovar Prime Minister Kurti in Berlin.
According to the wishes of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the countries of the Western Balkans are to be admitted to the EU. “The Western Balkans are part of Europe,” said the SPD politician after a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo. There should be visa facilitation for the small country.
Bundescancer Olaf Scholz advocates the admission of the western Balkan states to the EU: “The western Balkans belong to Europe. All of its countries must also belong to the European Union in the future,” said Scholz on Wednesday after a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti.
He is committed to ensuring that the countries “create this very soon,” said Scholz. He also announced a trip to the West Balkans in the second half of the year. He will also invite the six Western Balkan countries to a meeting as part of the “Berlin Process” to promote regional cooperation. In addition to Kosovo, the six countries also include Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Albania.
Both politicians demanded that the EU must grant visa liberalization to Kosovo. “I am committed to this with great emphasis,” emphasized the Chancellor, alluding to the resistance of some EU countries. Kurti pointed out that the EU Commission had already determined four years ago that Kosovo met all the requirements. He also demanded that the five EU states that, unlike Germany, have not yet recognized Kosovo’s independence, do so as quickly as possible.
Scholz praised the reform efforts in Kosovo, especially in the fight against corruption. Kurti referred to very high growth figures of more than ten percent. However, the World Bank had pointed out that growth in the Western Balkans would collapse significantly this year due to the effects of the Russian attack on Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions and price increases for energy, for example.
Serbia promises rapprochement with Kosovo
After Kurti, the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was also in the Chancellery for talks. He promised a rapprochement with Kosovo. After his meeting, Vucic assured Scholz that he would do anything to reach a compromise. In the evening, direct talks between Vucic and Kurti should take place in the federal capital
Scholz emphasized that progress on this issue is of “enormous importance” for the targeted EU membership of both countries. “All open questions must be clarified in this dialogue.” Kosovo, which is predominantly inhabited by Albanians, broke away from Serbia in 1999 and declared its independence in 2008. To date, Serbia has not recognized this and continues to lay claim to the territory of the state recognized by Germany and most other EU countries.
Scholz assured that Serbia’s accession process to the EU was being intensively supported by Germany. To do this, however, the country must consistently continue its reform path – above all in questions of the rule of law, freedom of the media and the fight against organized crime. Vucic would like to lead his country into the EU, with which accession negotiations have been going on since 2014.
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