EU Not Preparing Sanctions, Not Commenting On U.S. Decisions On Western Balkans

Brussels

The European Union does not deem it necessary to comment on the latest decisions of the U.S. government about the Western Balkans and the Union members are not considering sanctions towards the partners in that region, the spokesman of the European Commission, Peter Stano, stated in Brussels on June 9.

He stressed that it was not up to the EU to comment on the moves of the American administration. "The EU has its own policy towards the Western Balkans, which is shown by the fact that one of the key subjects on the agenda of the recent session of the Union's foreign ministers was engagement and cooperation with partners in the Western Balkans."

Stano, who is the spokesman of EU High Representative Josep Borrell, stated this while replying to a reporter's question about the EU's views of the U.S. government's decision to punish those who undermine stability in the Western Balkans, and whether the Union intended to take similar steps to influence the improvement of circumstances in the region.

The EC's official underscored that the Union's individual policy towards the region was shown by the fact that "EU High Representative Josep Borrell has restored the tradition of meeting unofficially with the Western Balkan leaders and discussing the events there and, therefore, our engagement in that area is very strong."