BRUSSELS – French President Emmanuel Macron’s view that the Western Balkans should be “anchored” to the EU is by no means a substitute for the region’s EU accession process, says MEP Tanja Fajon.
“Sometimes it seems to me that Macron is not quite aware of what reconciliation, peace and stability in the Western Balkans mean and why enlargement is significant for entire Europe,” Fajon told Tanjug.
France has a firm position on enlargement and it is concerned by security and the issue of false asylum seekers, most of whom still come from Albania and Kosovo, she said.
“However, France is not the only country here. There are also other countries that have major interests. Still, I am hoping France will soften its stance on the issue of Albania as well,” Fajon said.
The Sofia summit has sent a “perhaps not too ambitious”, but “clear” message that the Western Balkans has a European perspective, she said.