Vucic: EU Highest Officials Sincerely Committed to Progress in Western Balkans

Aleksandar Vucic (Photo: Presidency of Serbia / Dimitrije Goll)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on the evening of Feb. 16 in Brussels that during a meeting of the EU and six West Balkan leaders he saw that the Union’s highest officials are truly committed to the development of the entire region.  

After the meeting, Vucic told the press that the EU is open for new initiatives and ideas, adding that they will send teams to talk with the West Balkans leaders and prepare an investment package for the whole region.

“Regional cooperation will be encouraged; we believe that’s important to further our relations within the ‘Little Schengen.’ This would open a new perspective, we’d have more tangible results compared to what we’ve had till now, [and] that’s the most important outcome of tonight’s meeting,” said Vucic.

According to the president, the regional leaders saw “sincere commitment” of the EU and its officials, President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, “to the idea of having all the Balkan people experience the benefits of joining the EU.”

Vucic also mentioned that he briefly spoke with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, but of “nothing strategic or substantial.” He, however, did not have an opportunity to talk with Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zeljko Komisic about the latest tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the Constitutional Court’s recent ruling.

In addition to Michel, Von der Leyen, Vucic, Komisic and Djukanovic, the informal meeting was also attended by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borell, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, also as a representative of the EU’s chairing nation, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, and North Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov.