"Europe's future is closely linked to the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU," underlined Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis at the EU-Serbia Intergovernmental Conference held in Brussels today in the margins of the EU General Affairs Council.
In particular, Mr. Varvitsiotis underscored that Greece has always been an ardent supporter of the European perspective of the Western Balkans, having taken intense action and initiative from the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003 until today, recalling that Serbia participated together with other countries in the Special Event for the Future of Europe, which was held on September 15 in Thessaloniki, at the invitation of the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In his remarks, Mr. Varvitsiotis noted that the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU is important from a political, economic, but also from a security point of view for the Union and it is not just another enlargement, but rather a geopolitical strategic choice that strengthens the EU’s role as a major regional and global player. As for Serbia in particular, the Alternate Minister said that for EU it is a key country in the region and has made tangible progress, accelerating reforms with a focus on rule of law. Serbia has made efforts which are currently being recognized by the EU with the opening of Chapter 4 of the accession negotiations.
The Alternate Minister stressed that at a time when the countries of the Western Balkans are losing momentum regarding the implementation of EU-oriented reforms, it is necessary to enhance the Union's credibility in the region and to send a message to Serbian citizens that we share a common future.
Prior to the Conference, Mr. Varvitsiotis held a brief meeting with Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, to whom he reaffirmed Greece's firm support for Serbia's accession to the European family.
December 14, 2021