Germany and Austria want the Balkans in the EU, presidents demand greater attention on Kosovo, Albania ...

The presidents of two neighbouring countries during a joint meeting called for EU countries to pay more attention to the Western Balkans.

“The EU would do well to offer the hand specifically to the six countries”, said Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the first meeting with Austrian head of state Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna. The situation of the successor countries of the former Yugoslavia continues to be difficult, Steinmeier said.

He has recently been made clear that “stability in the Western Balkans is guaranteed if Europaine” is maintained. Austria's President Van der Bellen also spoke of more “the EU's” on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo.

Ethnic conflicts prevail in the region. In addition, Russia tries to expand its influence? The Balkans. The EU has conditioned possible membership of the six countries on a process of several stages.

During his first visit to Vienna, whose government attends a course against immigrants, Steinmeier also criticised simplified formulas and national-level solutions to the refugee problem.

Austria discusses closing borders.

“Who bypasss Europe in the currently necessary solution, acts with light? If changes are required on the Mediterranean route currently used by refugees, the issue of concrete management remains always. In Austria, Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) supports the requirement for closing the Mediterranean route. It is obvious that refugees coming to the Mediterranean we must give them reason to stay in their homeland”, Steinmeier said, calling for comprehensive solutions.

Van der Bellen said in the context of speculation about a possible closure of the N border crossing? Brenero between Austria? And Italy, so it doesn't go too far. The recent measures of Vienna's government in this direction are “the measures of theoretical preparation for an extreme case, which in fact is not yet concrete”.

Steinmeier's programme also featured a meeting with Austria's Chancellor Christian Kern (SPÖ), as well as a conversation with intellectuals, including Austrian writer Robert Menas and philosopher Konrad Paul Liessmann. /Dw