EU urges Western Balkan states to harmonise with common values

At the morning session of the ministerial meeting on May 11th, top diplomats of the bloc's member states met with their six counterparts from Western Balkan countries. Kosovo at this meeting was represented by incumbent Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diasporas Glauk Konjufca.

EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Kaya Kallas clarified at the end of the meeting that Brussels is willing to support the countries of the region in efforts to combat hybrid threats and dezinforms, as well as through greater use of the European Peace Instrument for strengthening partner defence capacities.

However, European ministers urged countries in the region to harmonise with common values.

The member states expressed the expectation that all countries will be on the European road and that they will be fully harmonised with common foreign and security policy, because in these geopolitical times in which we live, this is not just formal fulfillment of obligations, but in fact shows whether we look at the world in the same way”, Kallas said.

She noted that not all countries in the region are fully harmonised with the European Union's sanctions policy.

We know very well that all Western Balkan countries are different and have different views on specific issues, which is largely reflected in harmonisation with common foreign and security policy”, Kallas added.

The chief of European diplomacy stressed that the partnership takes place in both directions, so further reforms are expected from the countries of the region, respect for rule of law, as well as clear harmonisation with EU foreign policy.

Of the countries in the region, Serbia, which aspires to become part of the EU, despite Brussels' calls has refused to join the European bloc's sanctions on Russia because of the war in Ukraine. / REL