Those Countries that have still not become EU members can be relatively satisfied with the outcome of the European Parliament election, the President of the European Movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Predrag Prastalo, told the Fena news agency on Monday.

Right-wing parties have not won as many seats in the EP as was feared although they did gain more presence in the institution, he said.

The majority belongs to pro-EU parties, he said, mentioning the success of the European People’s Party (EPP), the Social Democrats and the Liberals. He expressed hope that the outcome will not result in the blocking of EU expansion in the Western Balkan region, as he said would have surely happened if right-wing parties would have been more successful.

The EPP won 178 seats, which is lower than the 216 it won in 2014.

Because of that, Prastalo said that it can be expected that the EU expansion process in the Western Balkans will continue in the future.

“The European Union must have an interest in the accession of new states because of the strengthening of the interests of other powers, such as China, Russia and Turkey, which are trying to achieve their geopolitical positioning on the Balkan peninsula,” Prastalo said.

Although the EPP and the Social Democrats will not be able to form a majority alone, the liberal option was also strengthened in the election and it is expected that three or four pro-EU parties will form the majority and that it will be possible to make important decisions, including those regarding the Western Balkans, he said.

He also estimated that any strengthening of right-wing parties is unlikely because of the strong motivation among pro-EU parties and the high turnout after warnings of a strengthening of right-wing forces in Europe.

Fewer people voting tends to strengthen right-wing parties, he concluded.