BALKANS

Autumn 2010

by Štefan Füle

Credibility: we need to maintain the credibility of the enlargement process. On the EU’s side, we must continue to honour our existing commitments. At the same time, the countries that aspire to EU membership need to prove they can take on the rights and obligations of membership, and that will depend on the credibility of their own reform processes.

Consistency: the rules of the game must be applied consistently, with no short-cuts and no fast-tracks. The same conditions should apply to all countries seeking EU membership, and each country's progress should be based on its own merits.

Commitment: candidate countries’ commitment to reform is crucial for progress, both at home and within the EU. It should be said, too, that all the countries of the western Balkans region are now moving closer to the EU, but at different speeds. Quality, though, is more important than speed.

Courage: The western Balkans carry heavy historical baggage that needs to be addressed in parallel to the EU integration process. The countries of the region all need to make peace with their pasts and so find the courage to move towards their future with the EU.

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