The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has asked the European Union to ensure the integration of the 6 Western Balkan countries by 2023. In an article published in ‘Politico’ before the summit being held in Thessaloniki, Mitsotakis considered this an ambitious step, but necessary.

According to him, the next step should be the holding of the first Intergovernmental Conference with North Macedonia and Albania.

“My message today is clear: in accordance with the set criteria, let us seek the integration of the entire Western Balkans by 2033. This is an ambitious but achievable schedule. We are already too late. And the first step should be the decision, after two weeks in Brussels, to unlock the course of North Macedonia and Albania. It is time for the European Union to recognize the existential importance of integrating this region into the European family and to confidently accelerate its steps towards achieving this, starting with the Western Balkans. “It’s time to put European enlargement back into orbit,” Mitsotakis said.

The Prime Minister of Greece also said that such profound changes, referring to the war in Ukraine, require the EU to immediately have a serious and honest internal debate on the future of enlargement.

“In the Balkans, as everywhere, there are hostile elements who seek to undermine our efforts. They have a competitive perception of the world and aspirations that violate human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms. They use the language of imperial anger, revisionism and nostalgia. They think they can suppress the human soul by intimidating and displaying military power. We can not allow a vacuum to be created in which such factors will find room to act. A place where they think they can succeed “, said Mitsotakis./ CNN.gr