TIRANA – During his four-day visit to the Western Balkans Six, António Costa, President of the European Council, conveyed the message that the region should seize the current enlargement momentum and implement the reforms, particularly in the domain of the rule of law. Together with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Costa hosted the dinner for the WB leaders on Thursday night in Tirana.
The dinner, attended by Albanian Prime Minister and President, Edi Rama and Bajram Begaj, Chairwoman of the Presidency of BiH Željka Cvijanović, Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, was organised prior to tomorrow’s summit of the European Political Community in the capital of Albania.
Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: “In Tirana for the meeting of the European Political Community. It is the first one in the Western Balkans. What a powerful symbol. Our European family of values extends well beyond the borders of the European Union. We share a continent. And a common future”.
“Albania embodies the EU’s enlargement momentum, North Macedonia should invest in the rule of law”
In the late afternoon of 15 May, Costa met with the Albanian leadership and visited the College of Europe in Tirana.
“Albania embodies the European Union’s enlargement momentum and Albania is on track to join the European Union”, he said at the joint press conference with the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Costa also congratulated Rama on “the impressive election victory”.
“The result of the elections this week reconfirms the desire of Albanians for European Union integration… Albania’s accession to the European Union is our common goal. It’s not a question of ‘if’ or ‘how’; it is a question of ‘when’. You know exactly what needs to be done; I can only encourage you to keep your eyes on the objective and deliver on these last milestones. Keeping up the pace and intensifying work on European Union reforms is now key, particularly the rule of law and the fight against corruption”, he remarked.
Prior to his trip to Tirana, Costa travelled to Skopje to meet with the North Macedonian officials.
“I commend the excellent work made by North Macedonia and your government on the Reform Agenda and the progress already achieved. We need to use this opportunity to conclude strategic investments, such as the Corridor 8 and Corridor 10”, he said at the joint press conference with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.
Costa assessed that it was crucial “to press ahead with reforms and invest in the rule of law and fight against corruption”.
“Kosovo must strengthen its democracy, political consensus vital for the EU accession of Montenegro”
On 14 May, Costa travelled to Pristina to meet with the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani and the Acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.
“Kosovo’s place is in the European Union family. This also requires you to deliver on your commitments and strengthen your democracy. Building consensus among political forces is essential”, Costa said at a joint press conference with Osmani.
He stressed that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia was crucial for further EU integration of both sides.
Earlier in the day, he visited Podgorica to meet the Montenegrin officials.
“It is inspiring to see how Montenegro has advanced on its European path. It is the result of your ambition, hard work and focus to become an EU member state”, Costa said after the meeting with the President Jakov Milatović.
Speaking about the European aspiration of the country, he noted that “to be the 28th EU member state by 2028 is a very good slogan, but it could be a better achievement to get there before 2028”.
“Political consensus and institutional stability are vital to complete accession”, Costa stressed.
“Seccesionist rhetoric run counter to BiH’s European path, Serbia to focus on reforms”
On 13 May, Costa travelled to Sarajevo to meet the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The European Union remains committed to the European future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this year of the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide and the Dayton-Paris Agreement, it seems to me that this message is important to remember. I have come to Sarajevo to express our continued cooperation, but also our concern about recent developments in the Republika Srpska”, he remarked.
According to Costa, “secessionist rhetoric and actions against its territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional order run counter to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path”.
Earlier in the day, the President of the European Council visited his WB tour by visiting Belgrade, to meet both the Serbian officials and the opposition politicians.
After the meeting with the Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Costa said that “the EU remains strongly committed to the accession of Serbia as a stable, peaceful and prosperous country, having dealt with the legacy of the past and having chosen to embrace its democratic and European future”.
“I was glad to hear that EU integration remains a top priority for you and the new government. What is important now is that this swiftly translates into concrete actions and acceleration of reforms”, António Costa noted at the joint press conference with Vučić.