Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia asked Brussels institutions and other European Union member states to involve the Western Balkan citizens in the debate on the bloc's future.

In the working document, the five asked for the support of other member states to demand from the European Council, the European Commission (EC) and the European Parliament (EP) that the candidate countries be part of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

„Since the future of Europe is our common future, the participation of our partners from the Western Balkans is essential,“ read the document N1 had access to.

Austria and the four Visegrad Group’s member states said the topics to be addressed at the Conference coincided with the priorities set for the Western Balkans.

„We believe that the inclusion of the Western Balkans is important in all five areas highlighted in the Council’s revised position on the Conference on the Future of Europe, especially those that have a direct impact on future generations. It would be necessary for both current and future member states to work together to succeed,“ the document said, adding that the EU should show solidarity with the Western Balkans region.

The Conference on the future of Europe was officially launched on Europe Day on May 9 in Strasbourg and is planned to last for two years.

It will be a series of debates with citizens on various topics, which should point out the problems and shape the UU’s reform in line with the citizens’ expectations.

The Conference’s constitutive plenary assembly is scheduled for June 19, and Croatian politician Dubravka Suica, Vice President of the EC and Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, will preside.