In today’s communiqué of the meeting between the foreign ministers and the development ministers of the seven most industrialized countries of the world, a special place is occupied by the statement on the Western Balkans.

Western Balkans

“We reaffirm our common commitment to the security, economic recovery and European perspective of the six Western Balkan countries as an essential investment in peace and stability.

We emphasize the importance of advancing the necessary internal reforms, especially in the rule of law, including tackling organized crime, illicit finances and corruption, with tough action taken against the most important issues.

Therefore, we support the official opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. We support further progress in regional cooperation especially through the Common Regional Market, the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and the Berlin Process.

We urge Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in negotiations within the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue and to fully normalize their relations through a comprehensive and legally binding agreement that contributes to regional stability.

We support the implementation of the reform agenda regarding the EU accession negotiations with Montenegro and Serbia.

We call on countries in the region to expand their domestic political space and improve the environment for civil society and independent media. Unwarranted speculation about border changes along ethnic lines is not the answer to the challenges facing the region. Such changes will pose a threat to regional security.

We resolutely reject any attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We urge all parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina to agree and implement electoral and limited constitutional reforms, to implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and to work closely with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Venice Commission to move the country closer to the realization of its democratic aspirations. We welcome the candidacy of Christian Schmidt as High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

/Klara Ruci/