Czech EU Presidency Envisages Advancing Integration of Western Balkans

European Union (Shutterstock)

Jakub Kulhanek, until recently the Czech foreign minister, said on Dec. 19 that the agenda for the Czech presidency over the European Union, which the cabinet of Prime Minister Petr Fiala took over from the previous government, continued to feature an EU-Western Balkan summit as an event of prime importance and an attempt for Serbia to get a date for joining the EU.

"One of the culminations of the presidency in the second half of next year could be a summit of European leaders and Western Balkan countries. Blocking the European aspirations of Western Balkan states is particularly short-sighted at a time when we are all saying at the same time in Europe that we cannot afford the luxury of a geopolitical vacuum in Europe, a black hole in the Balkans, that could later be filled by other actors," Kulhanek told the Czech CTK wire service in an interview.

Kulhanek also endorsed France holding inter-governmental conferences in the first part of the year, when it will chair the EU, as they would help to unblock accession talks, especially with North Macedonia and Albania.

"A further goal, though ambitious, would be to announce a date for admission of let's say Serbia into the Union," the former Czech minister said, praising the new government for appointing an EU affairs minister ahead of the Czech presidency, as the role had previously been at the state secretary level.