The European development and prospect for the Western Balkan countries is impossible without the support of national parliaments and the EP, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva. She attended the Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy in Sofia. The two-day conference, organised by the parliamentary Defence Committee, is the second event of the Parliamentary Dimension of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva emphasised that the European prospect for the Western Balkan countries was not only a priority of the Bulgarian Presidency but also of the European Commission. This is what we learned yesterday from EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, she added.

It is essential to find a way to support reforms in the Western Balkan countries, emphasised Ekaterina Zaharieva. She explained that the EU Foreign Ministers had reached an agreement at the meeting in Sofia that the European prospect for the Western Balkans was a top priority, connected with the stability, security and prosperity of the whole EU. At the same time, we agreed that as a union, we have to be prepared to accept them when they fulfil the criteria for membership, added the Bulgarian Foreign Minister.

The European Commission’s strategy for the Western Balkans is comprehensive, long-term, timely, honest, without giving empty hopes, but very encouraging and motivating, said Ekaterina Zaharieva. It has six main initiatives, which will support the European prospect for the Western Balkan countries, she added. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister praised the possibility envisaged in the strategy for the countries to participate in different events of the EU institutions. This will not only help them prepare for membership, but also enable them to express opinions on issues related to the future of the EU and to its policies, added Ekaterina Zaharieva.

In her address to the participants in the inter-parliamentary conference, Ekaterina Zaharieva said that the building of Corridor VIII would increase by 6 per cent the GDP of the countries on its route and create 200,000 new jobs.

Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee Eduard Kukan said that during its first presidency of the Council of the EU Bulgaria had a chance to show leadership and that the focus on the Western Balkans would be taken up by the Austrian and the Romanian presidency. He said that the Western Balkans were at the top of the EU agenda and expressed his hope that this message would be loud and clear, so that the partners in the region realised that there was a momentum.

The conditions and criteria for accession and clear enough, emphasised Eduard Kukan and added that the Copenhagen criteria from 1993 were the fabric of our common project and were valid even today. He recalled that the first criterion was related to stability of the institutions which guaranteed democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respecting minority rights. In his words, improving regional cooperation was also of key importance for the future enlargement of the Union.

Eduard Kukan said that the year 2025 should be viewed as orientation and not as a deadline for accepting new members in the EU family. If someone believes that they will automatically join in 2025, then he is wrong, he added. Instead of focusing on the date, we should rather focus on reforms and what should be done to support enlargement, said the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.

We need to strengthen cooperation between EU member states in the area of security and defence, said Thomas Mayr-Harting, Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Europe and Central Asia.

Today we are witnessing economic growth and decreasing unemployment, but these two are not enough for European citizens, because at the same time, there is more insecurity in our countries, added Thomas Mayr-Harting. He emphasised that one of the most important tasks of parliamentarians was to understand the change of public attitudes. In his words, citizens want something new, they want security. They are aware that the situation around the world is different and the new times bring new dangers that could destroy what we have achieved in Europe, added Thomas Mayr-Harting. As politicians, we have to understand and embrace the idea of protective Europe, he said.

According to him the whole security environment is changing and this calls for a strengthened cooperation in this area, said the Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Europe and Central Asia. We need a clear commitment from all member states to improve our partnership on these issues, he added.

Thomas Mayr-Harting emphasised that the Western Balkans region also had its problems with organised crime and was vulnerable to the influence of external religious ideologies, being a part of refugees routes. That is why it is very important to find the right instruments to keep the Western Balkan countries stable, he added. In his words, there is a political momentum in the region now and this opportunity should be seized. It is especially important to guarantee that all who want to join the EU really share our European values and their policies are in line with ours, said Thomas Mayr-Harting and added that having fair and open discussions on security issues was one possible approach.