The German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, called for the rapid acceptance into the European Union of the candidates for membership from the Western Balkans.
Today, the bloc marks the 20th anniversary of its enlargement by 10 countries in 2004 - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Malta and Cyprus.
"Political and geographical "gray zones" in the Balkans or in the eastern part of the EU are extremely dangerous. We cannot afford such gray zones, because for Russian President Vladimir Putin they are an invitation to intervention, to destabilization," said Berbok in an address. published on the occasion of the anniversary, DPA reported.
"We know at least from the time of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine: The expansion of our EU today is also a geopolitical necessity. Just like 20 years ago, millions of Europeans today see an opportunity in this to become EU citizens," the diplomat wrote.
"We cannot afford another whole generation to languish in the EU's waiting room again, as was the case with the Western Balkans. We must not waste the opportunity to make our union bigger and stronger - and therefore more secure. The generation of the 2004 enlargement round had to muster the courage not to succumb to headwinds and populist slogans," added Baerbock.
"Our generation now faces the task of defending and strengthening the European project of peace and freedom, even if it costs an incredible amount of energy. To succeed, reforms are needed, including fewer veto powers in the European Council ", she emphasized. /BGNES
