Flekenstein sees Western Balkans' EU membership as the only option

I see no other real alternative for the future than Western Balkan membership in the European Union”. So stated today in Tirana, the rapporteur for Albania at the European Parliament, the Euro-Deputet Knut Flickenstein, present at the Freedoming Forum, informs them of that.

The European Union's <x0) history began after World War II with six states, which found ways to develop their connections. Today there are six countries in the Western Balkans that are not yet members of the EU. The clearest path is to build the future together economically, politically and socially alike”, he said.

According to him, the real alternative for the future is Western Balkan membership in the EU.

I constantly remind my colleagues in Germany and the European Parliament that this is in our interest. But there are many that can be achieved before membership becomes a reality. If this region really thinks of itself, not as an archipelad of islands, but as a single body with inherent forces for interconnection, these potentials can develop”, Flickenstein said.

He encouraged Western Balkan countries to view this as a joint project for the region.

Underlining the importance of interconnection not only to the Western Balkan countries but also to the EU, Flickenstein provided an example of what happened in March of this year, when, according to him, <x0); one morning -- across Europe, citizens woke up seeing that their digital clock depends on and their daily life was 6 minutes after fact”

This issue was related to the Kosovo-Serbia energy dispute and had an effect on the energy grid across Europe, which affects electronic clocks related to this network. So we are connected to our daily routine with the Western Balkans”, he said.

Meanwhile, Western Balkan countries, according to him, must understand the economic potential that exists in this region, forming a more unified economic space”.