EU enlargement is no longer just a technical process. It is a strategic investment in Europe’s security, stability and competitiveness. A secure and prosperous Europe cannot be complete without the full integration of the Western Balkans, Macedonian Foreign Minister TimchoMucunski noted in his address at the Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), held Wednesday in Sofia under the Bulgarian Chairmanship of this oldest and most significant political initiative for regional cooperation in South-East Europe.
Referring to the current geopolitical and security challenges, FM Mucinski stressed that in conditions of war in Europe, hybrid threats, disinformation, energy insecurity and cyber risks, European integration and regional cooperation are gaining even greater strategic importance.
The FM points out that the credibility of the enlargement process depends on consistent respect for the commitments undertaken, the predictability of the process and the principle of merit.
“We need to be honest: the credibility of enlargement depends on delivery. Merits must matter. Obligations must be respected. The rules of the process must be predictable. The Western Balkans need a European path based on results, not constant postponement,” Mucinski underlined.
At the end of his address, the FM said that the future of Southeast Europe is inextricably linked to the future of Europe and that the region has the potential to be an active contributor to European security and prosperity.
“With support from our European partners and through our own commitment to reform and cooperation, Southeast Europe can no longer be a periphery of Europe, but an integral contributor to European security, prosperity, and future development,” added Foreign Minister Mucunski.
