EU has "no alternative" to enlargement - ex-commissioner

EU has "no alternative" to enlargement - ex-commissioner

As former EU enlargement commissioner who held office for a number of years in the past during which he conducted the preparations for the accession of central and eastern Europe countries, Gunter Verheugen expressed his belief that in case the EU was "seriously approaching consideration of its future and role in the world, it has no alternative to the enlargement policy."

"The idea of European unity belongs to every nation in Europe and this is why the question as to which country can be part of the process does not demand an answer based on charity but an answer based on the fact that all European nations have the same rights," Verheugen said.

He recalled that "the conflicts in Kosovo and the crisis in Ukraine" gave ground to a widespread belief that peace is not a given in Europe and that the European integration process is the only instrument for and guarantee of lasting stability.

"Enlargement is not something that we can opt for but do not have to complete, it simply has to go on in case there are countries that are interested in the membership status," Verheugen said.

On the other hand, there is also the fatigue and the president of the European Commission is not ranking enlargement at the top of its agenda, he noted and added that it is perhaps true that EU enlargement will not take place in the next five years, but this does not rule out enlargement policy.

The conference opened by speeches of representatives of the Belgrade-based Center for Foreign Policy and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation as conference co-organisers. Director of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Serbia Heinz Albert Huthmacher stated that the future of the EU enlargement process and economic recovery of the Western Balkans are deeply connected.

"The crisis in Ukraine introduced fundamental changes in the security environment and it calls for a peaceful solution," Huthmacher said and added that he believes the outcome will exert a deep impact on the future of the Western Balkans.

On the other hand, Western Balkan countries need to complete thorough reforms and reconciliation process because these constitute the prerequisite for stabilisation in the region and continuation of the process of economic recovery which has full support of the EU.

Commenting on the message from Brussels that there will be no enlargement in the next five years, President of the Center for Foreign Policy Aleksandra Joksimović said that Western Balkan countries "will need over half a decade to prepare for membership which is why the message, primarily addressed to the audience within the EU, does not essentially change anything."