Thaci in Paris seeks EU support for Western Balkans' integration

Before diplomats, state representatives, civil society representatives and public life in France, Thaci has talked about the importance of integration into the European Union and the resolution of bilateral disputes between states in the Western Balkans.

The Council for General Affairs of the European Union has just published conclusions for the Western Balkans. I've always called and welcomed the EU's increased attention for expansion with the states of the Western Balkans. Despite the many challenges the EU is facing, I commend EU member states for reaching their positive conclusions for giving their orange signal to open negotiations with two other countries in the Western Balkans: Albania and Macedonia in June of next year. The more the region progresses towards the EU, the better it is for all of us, because this simply means more stability, more lasting peace, inter-partisan co-operation, more foreign investment and greater prosperity”, Thaci said.

He said the desire to join the European Union is still great in our region and has called on the EU to benefit from this moment, to bring the region closer than it has done so far.

Thaci has also talked about the context in which our region is working towards EU integration.

“We cannot pretend like the economic crisis, migration crisis and Brex referendum have not occurred. It would also be naive to think that those events have not affected and do not continue to affect our European perspective. The reluctance of EU member states to open negotiations immediately with Albania and Macedonia, despite the European Commission's recommendation, has more to do with their domestic political issues than with those two states and their respective merits. It is quite easy to focus on the negatives at such times. But it is even more important to admit that at the same time, there are frequent opposite trends that are quite obvious. Many were the ones who predicted a domino effect on Brex right after the referendum, but what we have seen since then is that the 27 EU states have stood firm as EU member”, said President Thaci.

It is the responsibility of member states not to undergo these threats and to ensure that positive developments, such as EU enlargement, can still occur. So my main message is this: whatever the problems are, they should not be used as an excuse for member states not to support the prospect of Western Balkan states for EU membership or miss the current moment for enlargement”, he said.

Thaci has said Eurospectism and enlargement fatigue should not be used by politicians in our region as an excuse not to reform, develop and improve citizens' lives.

For Kosovo it is the last time its citizens are released from the current state of isolation. Kosovo is the only state in the region where its citizens are deprived of moving visa-free to the Schengen zone. We have met each of the 95 criteria set by the European Commission. We have set all necessary institutional measures to prevent any migration influence, and our citizens now look to Europe to keep its word as well. Justifications that it is not the right time because of different events or feelings within the EU, now not only are they difficult to understand for anyone, but they are also unacceptable”, he has said among other things.