Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and former Slovenian President Borut Pahor highlighted today, at the opening of the two-day Friends of the Western Balkans conference in Ljubljana, the importance of the enlargement of the European Union (EU) to include the Western Balkan countries.
Fajon described EU enlargement as a geopolitical necessity, while Pahor warned that the situation in the region is deteriorating, STA reports.
"If we want to accelerate the enlargement process, we must act boldly," Fajon said at the opening of the Second International Conference of the Friends of the Western Balkans entitled "New Global Geopolitics and the Western Balkans".
Fajon is convinced that the EU, instead of the current "all or nothing" approach, must invest significantly more in the concept of gradual inclusion of potential new members. As she explained, candidate countries should participate in key EU policies even before full membership.
She also advocated for strengthening cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans, recalling the initiative of Slovenia and Germany to accelerate the enlargement process by introducing qualified majority voting in decision-making on certain technical intermediate steps.
She described EU enlargement as a geopolitical opportunity and necessity, emphasizing that Slovenia has always been and will remain a vocal advocate of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans.
"But to be clear - issues of the rule of law, judicial independence, corruption and media freedom must be addressed. Conflicts and political divisions continue to hinder progress," she warned.
Former Slovenian President Borut Pahor assessed that progress in EU enlargement in recent years has been modest.
"The Western Balkans are not known for stability. (…) It may seem that the Western Balkans remain peaceful and safe, but in my opinion the situation is getting worse," he said.
He believes that the EU has two options.
"Either the EU will go the way of a United States of Europe, or a gradual disintegration. There is not much room for compromise between those two options," he said. He is also convinced that the only real way of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans is one that would enable the simultaneous accession of all six countries in the region to the Union.
Pahor also warned that global circumstances are worsening.
"We are witnessing the return of power politics and spheres of influence. International institutions, which since the founding of the UN have worked to preserve peace, security and prosperity, are dramatically losing their importance and influence. Protectionism is returning. The number of armed conflicts is increasing," he added.
Susan Elliott, Executive Director and President of the US National Committee on Foreign Affairs, also advocated for a strong EU in her opening speech and supported the Union's expansion to the Western Balkans.
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