The EU is headed for strategic disaster in the Balkans
France blocking the start of EU accession negotiations for North Macedonia will have serious consequences for Brussels' Balkans policy.
This was stated by the EU Special Representative for the former Yugoslavia Carl Bildt, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Last week, France blocked the start of EU accession negotiations for North Macedonia, contrary to the recommendation of the European Commission and the will of other member states. Such a decision could undermine the EU’s long-standing strategic approach to the Balkans,” Bildt said in an interview with the Washington Post.
He recalled that at the Thessaloniki summit in 2003, European leaders officially committed to opening EU membership to the countries of the Western Balkans.
“It became a beacon that inspired and guided the policies of the countries of the region to reform their economies and societies, motivating them to overcome the divisions of the past and prepare for the European future. If Europe closes its doors, this is a huge difficulty,” Bildt said.
He points out that a French veto on Macedonia and Albania could change the overall situation in the Western Balkans.
“Indirectly, this means veto power for Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. And this will have consequences,” Bildt concluded.
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