European union
The future of the Western Balkans was in a strong and united European Union (EU), Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Chatzivasileiou said on the Greek island of Crete on May 6.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day summit of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), Chatzivasileiou said that EU enlargement, with special attention to the accession process of the Western Balkan countries, was one of the main focuses of the Greek one-year presidency over EUSAIR, which will conclude at the summit.
Jean-Pierre Halkin, an official at the EU Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, said that the EU had been facing numerous challenges, from geopolitical tensions, climate change, to demographic changes, adding that “these challenges are not restricted to the EU borders, and are also faced by the Western Balkan countries.” Therefore, he added, the Strategy should have a prominent role for to be able to help all the countries in the macroregion.
On June 1, North Macedonia will officially start its one-year presidency over the Strategy.
EUSAIR, launched in 2014, is one of four macroregional strategies of the EU, and the only European strategy where the EU countries (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Greece) are outnumbered by other member states – EU candidate countries and potential candidates - Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and the third countries such as San Marino.
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