Merkel: The integration of the Balkans into Europe helps their geo-strategic interest

Belgrade – AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday stressed that the annexation of the western Balkans to the European Union is in the “absolute global strategic interest” of other powers in the region.
After meeting with Serbian President Alexander Vucci in Belgrade, Merkel said, “We Europeans, especially members of the trade union, need to keep in mind that there is a complete geopolitical interest in the union’s acceptance of these countries.” Is. “
“We must always remember the geo-strategic importance of these countries’ compliance with the Union,” he added. Merkel will complete her last foreign trip, which began Monday in Serbia, to Albania on Tuesday, before resigning following the September 26 election. In Tirana, Merkel will meet with leaders of six countries in the region on Tuesday: Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, northern Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia. These six countries began a process of reconciliation with Europe, but they each went down a different path in the path of joining the alliance.
Leaders in the race for European membership between these countries are Serbia and Montenegro, which began merger talks several years ago. Last year, the union gave the green light to start talks with northern Macedonia and Albania, but these talks have not yet begun.
As for Bosnia and Kosovo, they do not yet have the status of a candidate for membership in the Union. Merkel agreed that these countries still had “a long way to go” to join the union. But it needs more progress to build a common economic market in the Balkans, which was started by Serbia, Albania and northern Macedonia.
Slovenia, currently the rotating leader of the European Union, is preparing to hold a summit with regional countries next month with the aim of resuming the expansion process.