At the summit, which brought together the 27 Heads of State and Government of the EU and the six countries of the Western Balkans – Serbia🇧🇷 Albania🇧🇷 north macedonia🇧🇷 bosnia🇧🇷Herzegovina🇧🇷 Montenegro and kosovo – were invited and taking place for the first time in the Western Balkan region, security is also an issue alongside migration. It is also about preventing outside influence.
Von der Leyen called on Western Balkan countries to take a stand against authoritarian states such as Russia or China. “You have to decide which side you are on – the side of democracy, which is the European Union, your friend and partner. Or do you want to take a different path?”
In this context, Nehammer referred to the partnership between the Western Balkans and the EU and economic cooperation, for example in the field of energy supply. The summit is therefore important “to show that unity is an important agenda for the European Union. Austria is considered a bridge builder here.”
“I firmly believe that our children’s future will be more secure and prosperous when the Western Balkans join the EU and we are working hard to make progress,” said the President of the EU Council. Charles Michael🇧🇷 He also announced that a joint EU-Western Balkans declaration on roaming would be signed.
Balkan countries’ visa policy must be adapted to EU standards
From Austria’s point of view, granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina on the basis of a corresponding recommendation by the EU Commission is particularly important in the process of EU enlargement. Candidate status must be granted in December.
The EU summit is expected to commit to the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and the six Western Balkan countries in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The decision to open the joint procurement of gas, liquefied gas and hydrogen for the Western Balkans must be reaffirmed.
Cooperation in the areas of security and defense will be intensified. In order to speed up the accession process, the necessary reforms should be promoted, in particular as regards the fight against corruption and organized crime. In the area of ​​migration, the objective is to adapt the visa policy of the Western Balkan countries to EU standards and to intensify cooperation on returns.
More recently, Serbia lifted the visa waiver for travelers from Tunisia and Burundi, and something similar is planned for India. According to the EU Commission, other states are expected to follow. The number of asylum seekers in Austria from citizens of India and Tunisia has multiplied this year.