European integration of the Western Balkans does not mean territorial changes but fundamental reforms oriented towards European values, newly appointed Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Begu said addressing a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday.
“The EU (the European Union) has been the single most important leverage in the region to promote democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and minorities. EU’s enlargement policy has for fact delivered in shaping the region’s reality,” said Bregu, speaking at the 16th Vienna Congress, titled Shaping the Future.
According to her, the people of Kosovo supported EU membership the most among the countries in the region, with 84 percent of its population. They are followed by Albania with 83 percent of residents supporting membership.
At the bottom of the scale are Bosnia and Serbia, with 45 percent and 29 percent of the population, respectively, considering the membership in the Union a good thing.
Europe is a state of mind. This is the daily plebiscite! Either you are on Europe or you are off it!
EU integration like it or not means the real democratic transformation of #Western Balkans! @rccint pic.twitter.com/mA1pelZz9F— Majlinda Bregu (@MajlindaBregu) January 29, 2019
The RCC official told the Congress that attention should be shifted from “the date of joining the EU, the unfounded fear of enlargement fatigue to the real democratic transformation of the Western Balkans.”
“An empowered Western Balkans shall speak the language of unity among citizens, by enhancing national reforms and regional cooperation with effect to the economic development of the region,” added Bregu.
