The countries of the Western Balkans are part of Europe and should become members of the European Union as soon as possible, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said.
Speaking during a dialogue titled “Accelerating the Integration of the Western Balkans: A Strategic Choice for Europe’s Future,” Tajani said the accession process should remain rigorous, but should not become an obstacle to membership.
“Europe must not take a hostile approach in this regard. In the accession procedures, we must be rigorous, but not obstructive. If we delay the process through a bureaucratic approach, we risk losing the Balkans politically, because there are different interests from Russia, China and the Arab countries. For Italy, this is a political priority,” Tajani said.
His remarks came during the Annual Forum of the Observatory for Southeastern Europe, held in Trieste. Montenegro’s Foreign Minister Enver Ibrahimović also took part in the discussion.
Tajani also highlighted Italy’s engagement in the Western Balkans, pointing to its presence in Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to the Italian foreign minister, integrating the Western Balkan countries into the European Union would contribute to strengthening both Europe and the broader Western alliance.
