Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic met with Mr. Alexis Tsipras on the sidelines of the meeting of the Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the Western Balkans in Belgrade.
The meeting highlighted the importance of Greek-Serbian relations and the messages of the Western Balkans Commission in favor of the European path of the countries in the region, the peaceful resolution of disputes and economic cooperation.
Alexis Tsipras: Three-point framework for the European perspective of the Western Balkans
Earlier, at the closing of the Western Balkans Commission meeting in Belgrade, Alexis Tsipras defined a three-point strategic framework for the region’s European perspective.
Firstly, promote a coherent European strategy for enlargement in the Western Balkans, with the aim of the first country joining in 2030. This is the only way the EU can have any credibility as an international and regional power.
He also highlighted that there should be an interconnected but separate strategy with a different timetable for partners such as Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. “The Western Balkan perspective cannot be tied to the much bigger and heavier measures that the EU must take to include Ukraine within its fold,” he said.
Secondly, the enlargement methodology based on a phased approach must be reviewed. On this basis, these countries must initially be integrated into the common European market, before their accession.
Thirdly, the EU must act much more actively in the peaceful resolution of disputes in the Western Balkans, with an emphasis on Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. This requires political will from all parties, but also a framework of dialogue, respect and contacts to which the Commission for the Western Balkans can contribute.