CEP: EU-Western Balkans Summit an Opportunity to Show Solidarity

Croatia Zagreb (Photo: Pixabay.com)

The EU-Western Balkans summit, which is to be held on May 6 in Zagreb, will not only give the EU an opportunity to once again publicly show solidarity with the region in the time of COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrate its readiness to help eliminate the pandemic’s consequences, but also communicate its expectations of its Western Balkans partners when it comes to respecting EU values, European Policy Center (CEP) Chairman Srdjan Majstorovic said on May 4.

The meeting of EU and regional state and government heads will serve as an opportunity for the EU member states to reaffirm the region’s EU perspective and emphasize the necessity of joint action in times of crises, Majstorovic told BETA and Euractiv.

Recalling that the EU has so far provided a financial aid package worth EUR3.3 billion for the Western Balkans’ health systems and citizens, as well as for the mitigation of long-term structural consequences affecting the citizens and economy, Majstorovic added that it would be good to use the Zagreb summit to have the EU unequivocally support the development of an EU comprehensive economic and investment plan for the region’s recovery.

According to Majstorovic, the EU has also faced a new geopolitical reality during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which China plays a prominent role by expanding its soft power to the Western Balkans.

That is why, he believes, the approaching summit will give the EU a chance to emphasize the geographical closeness, cultural and historical ties, as well as common political, security and economic interests the EU member states share with the Western Balkan countries and thus send a clear message to all the governments trying to strengthen their own interests in the region.