• Friday, 22 November 2024

Slovenia brings forward proposal to speed up enlargement with Western Balkans

Slovenia brings forward proposal to speed up enlargement with Western Balkans
Luxembourg, 20 June 2022 (MIA) – The Slovenian government is submitting a proposal to speed up the EU enlargement process with the Western Balkans in the context of the candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova, MIA’s Brussels correspondent reports. Slovenia’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tanja Fajon, confirmed this on Monday morning. She said Slovenia supports the candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova, noting that the Western Balkans must not be forgotten in the process, in order for the EU enlargement policy to remain credible. The document submitted by Ljubljana to the other 26 member states calls for start of negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, visa liberalization for Kosovo and candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fajon warned that the enlargement process has been called into question, adding that she supports all efforts for North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Several EU foreign ministers, including Austria, Germany and several Eastern European countries, are expected to give support for North Macedonia and Albania on Monday. As regards Bosnia and Herzegovina’s candidate status, the situation is more delicate. Last week, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi said Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to move forward on all 14 key priorities to progress on EU accession path. Kosovo remains unrecognized by five EU members, which makes visa liberalization negotiations more difficult. Kosovo is the only country in the region whose citizens still need a visa to travel to EU and Schengen countries.