German Minister: Kosovo is potential candidate for EU accession

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadefhul wants to boost the EU enlargement process with these countries.

He believes Croatia has a key role to play in this direction.

“Now we must give a new impetus to expansion for Ukraine, Moldova and the states of the Western Balkans”, CDU politician said during a meeting with counterpart Gordan Grlic Radman in the Croatian capital, Zagreb. “I hope Croatia plays an active and crucial role as a companion”, he added.

Waephul: EU membership always geopolitical issue

Among the Western Balkan countries, Montenegro is considered the most advanced in the EU accession process, but a date for its accession has not yet been set. The EU has been holding accession negotiations with Montenegro and Serbia since 2012 and 2014. Negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia began in 2022. Bosnia and Herzegovina has candidate status for accession, but has not yet begun negotiations. Kosovo is a potential candidate for accession.

EU membership is not just a technical process, but also a geopolitical issue, Wadeful said.

Our neighbours should not leave the authorities seeking to exercise their influence through dezination and corruption or put us on new dependence”, he warned, not to mention countries like Russia and China. In addition to the enlargement process, the EU must be reformed from within to be able to face geopolitical challenges as a capable and democratised Union.

Bridge for the Western Balkans

Croatia is necessary for the enlargement process, Wadephul said. You know the difficulties of the accession process from your experience. This makes you a bridge between the Western Balkans”.

Croatia has a <x0 quality role for Europe to continue to grow, not only in terms of membership, but also in force, cohesion and impact”. Croatia was the last country to join the European Union in mid-20 2013, and is also a member of NATO.

Croatian Foreign Minister Radman said his country was actively participating in the EU negotiations process with Western Balkan countries.

“We don't want to see the influence of third parties on these countries”, he stressed. The Western Balkans should not remain “in a geostrategic vacuum”. Radman added: “Western Balkans is part of Europe; they belong geopolitically and geosistically to the EU.”/DW/ Periscope.