Russian minister has message for Balkans

Russia sees no problems in the Balkan countries' goals of being part of the European Union.

But Russian diplomacy head Sergey Lavrov says these countries, without outside pressure, should assess whether the Union's preconditions respond to their national interests.

“We don't see any problems in what Balkan states want to become EU members.

However, they must themselves, without external pressure, assess how much of the preconditions proposed for EU membership respond to their national interests.
However, the aspirations of the Balkan states for Eurointegration should not pose an obstacle to their co-operation with our country. If there is a wish, mutually acceptable form of co-operation” can always be found, Lavrov said in an interview for the Bulgarian magazine “International Relations”