The Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Union, Johannes Hahn, said that the perspective of European integration for the countries of the Western Balkans is the only guarantee for the development of this region, reports REL.
Hahn said that everything possible must be done to overcome the vacuum, which has been created after the decision of the European Council to postpone the date of the start of membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania.
The biggest motivation of these countries is the possibility of EU membership, Hahn said.
"The Western Balkans is not a periphery of Europe, but part of Europe. We cannot have a situation where the entire population is left behind. We would be in a vacuum and that could create a security risk," Hahn said, speaking before the Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament.
He emphasized that the European perspective will also have a direct impact on the dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
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"From the Serbian point of view, the idea of an agreement between the two countries would only make sense if there was the prospect of accession to the EU," Hahn said.
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This was his last address as Commissioner responsible for Enlargement.
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Hahn will also be a commissioner in the new composition of the European Commission - which is expected to start work next month - but will deal with budget issues.
In October, the European Council did not agree on starting membership negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. The biggest objections have come from France, which has asked these two countries to continue the reforms, but has also emphasized the need to reform the EU itself.
