German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said today that the European Union (EU) must reopen a new strategy to bring the Western Balkan countries closer together, stating that he is increasingly feeling uneasy about how the EU is treating countries that have been promised membership.
"I don't want us to lose you. You are part of the European continent and therefore you are potentially part of the European Union, and I know there is a consensus on that," said Merz at the Munich Security Conference, responding to a question from Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović.
Milatović asked him what, in his opinion, is the basic scenario when it comes to the dynamics of EU accession and whether he believes that the enlargement of the Union is part of making Europe more competitive on the world stage.
"Definitely, the answer is yes, and (European Commission President) Ursula von der Leyen and I are in complete agreement on that. We promised accession, or membership in the European Union, to many countries, especially in your region, and we had a meeting in December with the Western Balkan countries and the European Council in Brussels, and frankly, I feel more and more uneasy about our approach to your countries," Merz said.
He warned that there is "an elephant in the room" and everyone here knows who is against it, but it must be overcome.
He recalled that until now, a unanimous decision was required in the European Council to open a (negotiation) chapter, "but that they must overcome that, no later than after the elections in April."
"I hope that we will be able to open the next chapters and bring you closer and closer to the European Union, ultimately as members," said Merc.
Parliamentary elections will be held in Hungary in April, and Brussels hopes that they will lead to the removal of current Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has used his veto power for years to block sanctions on Russia, hinder financial aid to Ukraine, and repeatedly stop urgent EU decisions.
Brussels-based Politico reported last month that the nationalist Hungarian prime minister faces the toughest challenge of his 15 years in power, as Peter Magyar - the conservative leader of the opposition Tisza party, which is leading in the polls with 12 percent - could overthrow what Orban himself describes as Hungary's "illiberal democracy."
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