Discussions on the consequences of the war in Ukraine, EU expansion, security and the fight against illegal migration are on the agenda of the Western Balkan summit.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) described the EU Commission’s action plan for the Balkan route on Tuesday as the “first important step”. Upon his arrival at the EU Western Balkans Summit in the Albanian capital of Tirana, Nehammer stressed that Austria was not only concerned about the Western Balkan route, but also the migration route via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to Austria. He reiterated his no to expanding Schengen to include Bulgaria and Romania.
There are still more demands from the Austrian side in terms of migration. Nehammer called asylum procedures at the EU’s external border or a “reject directive” rather than individual assessments. “We still have a lot of things to talk about.”
Schengen enlargement, “a security issue”
When asked about Schengen, Nehammer made it clear: “Currently there is no approval for an expansion to include Bulgaria and Romania.” It needs more time. “We have too many numbers. We have 75,000 unregistered migrants,” explained the chancellor. This is a security issue. Romanian President Klaus Johannis, for his part, has stated that he wishes to continue talks with Austria. “We will discuss and negotiate until the last moment,” he was quoted as saying by Romanian media. EU interior ministers are due to decide on extending Schengen on Thursday.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen showed understanding for Austria’s concerns about migration. “Austria needs solidarity and support, which is why we are working on this with our Austrian friends,” said von der Leyen. Austria is “extremely hit” by the influx of migrants and “if we look at illegal migration, we see that it has tripled compared to last year”.
At the summit, to which 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 – and which is being held for the first time in Western Balkans region, security is also an issue in addition to migration. It is also about preventing outside influence.
Von der Leyen calls for demarcation between Russia and China
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 EU Council President Charles Michel. He also announced that a joint EU-Western Balkans declaration on roaming would be signed.
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.
Serbia restricted visa freedom
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.
The EU Commission presented the action plan for the Balkan route on Monday. The plan includes 20 measures. The EU Commission wants to support the Western Balkan countries with asylum and registration procedures and with “ensuring adequate reception conditions”. She announced a repatriation program for next year. Frontex, the EU’s border protection authority, should help strengthen the protection of the EU’s external borders. A task force of the EU law enforcement authority, Europol, will also be deployed to fight human smugglers.
According to Frontex, the Western Balkan route is currently the most active migration route in Europe. 128,438 people entered the country in the first ten months of 2022, a 168% increase over the same period last year.
(APA)