Future of the Western Balkans lies in Europe

"The European Parliament remains strongly committed to the European future of the Western Balkans," EP President Jerzy Buzek said at the Joint Parliamentary Meeting bringing together politicians from the EU and Western Balkans Wednesday and Thursday. Participants agreed that the future of the countries lies with the EU but underlined some of the challenges and problems that still have to be overcome.

"The reunification of Europe will not be completed without the Western Balkans as part of the European Union...But each of these countries holds its European future in its hands. And the pace of accession depends on progress on key reforms. They have to deliver on their commitments," Commission President José Manuel Barroso added.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned, "If EU does not integrate them, someone else will." The Western Balkans has potential, but it has to accept and respect common EU values. Croatia can provide an example to the other countries in the region, he added.

Challenges for the region

"The region still shares many challenges: enacting judicial reforms, stepping up the fight against crime and corruption and continuing regional reconciliation and cooperation with the Hague Tribunal," Mr Buzek, who co-chaired the meeting, said.

"Cultural cooperation and reconciliation between the peoples of the Western-Balkan is crucial," added László Kövér, co-chair and President of the Hungarian National Assembly.

The speaker of the Croatian Parliament Luka Bebić said the Western Balkans has economic potential, but infrastructure development is crucial. He also said that regional cooperation should help foster peace, stability and prosperity and added that Croatia is ready to support other Western Balkan states in their EU aspirations.

The Western Balkans has not lived up to its potential, according to Sonja Biserko, the Head of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia. A number of states are fragile and there are still problems of ethnic tensions. She said a new approach is needed with reform at a local level, since there is a lack of political will to implement reforms. Citizens should fell that they belong to the European family, a stronger link to the idea of law and democracy would help prevent radicalisation, she added.

Country-specific problems

Bosnia and Herzegovina: the political stalemate, with no government since elections in October must be resolved.

Kosovo: since several EU states don't recognise it as country the EU can't establish formal relations.

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is a candidate country but a resolution has to be found to the dispute over the country's name in order for accession negotiations.