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K. Mitsotakis: Some people think that they will intimidate with the demonstration of military power

It is time to put European enlargement back on track, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an article on the Politico website.

More specifically, the Prime Minister, on the occasion of the Summit of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Thessaloniki, states:

“Today ‘s Summit of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), held in the ancient seaside town of Thessaloniki, a great center of trade and ideas for many centuries, comes at a critical time. It is an opportunity to meet and exchange in-depth ideas. leader level and take stock of where we are and what we need to do urgently.

History teaches us that there are periods of rapidly accelerating change, which require immediate awakening. The world has changed a lot in recent months, and so we are at a crucial juncture – especially for the Western Balkans and wider Southeastern Europe.

It is time for the European Union to recognize the existential importance of integrating this region into the European family and to confidently accelerate its steps towards achieving this, starting with the Western Balkans.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the prevailing perception in the West – it has since proved naive – was that the battle for values ​​and ideals had been won. The history of Europe, marked by violent conflict in both World Wars, was considered to have finally taken the path of peace, prosperity, cooperation and the rule of law.

The unprovoked, illegal and horrific war in Ukraine has exposed in a crude way how misguided such perceptions were.

Although the end of the Cold War was a moment of great hope and optimism, it also fostered a dangerous complacency. It is complacency for which we now pay a heavy price and we have no room to be complacent again.

Today’s meetings take place less than two weeks before the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels and the European Council meeting, where important decisions on the region and the future of the Union could be taken. And the Balkans, as many times in the past in their history, are once again at the forefront of competing spheres of influence – threatening shocks are felt beneath the surface.

It is therefore time for the European Union to be honest with itself and with the region.

In 2003, again in Thessaloniki, the EU offered a political vision of integration and proposed a process that would lead to the integration of the Western Balkans into the European family.

But in the nearly 20 years that have passed, the accession process has become increasingly complex and demanding, and the vision has blurred, fading in the eyes of frustrated and discouraged citizens.

The EU continues to speak of a clear commitment to the Western Balkans and looks forward to the full implementation of the reforms and prerequisites it has set. However, the Western Balkans region interprets this attitude as European enlargement fatigue and a constant shift in goals. The war in Ukraine has intensified the feeling that the EU’s focus is changing.

Considering all the above now in 2022, once again from Thessaloniki, where the President of the European Council and the German Chancellor will be, it seems to me that we, as member states of the Union, must take the bold but necessary step. towards the completion of the political vision of 2003. And we must do so in a meaningful way both historically and politically, finally defining a tangible perspective, with a specific deadline for fulfilling our promise. We need to build confidence that when the EU sets a vision, it has the intention and the capacity to make it happen.

I will defend what I am saying, not only to those who will be attending today’s Summit, but also to other leaders from across the EU, including my good friend, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. He is a man of deep thought but also a man of action, who has already put forward ambitious and innovative ideas for the future of Europe, which could serve as inspiration for our consultations.

My message today is clear: in line with the criteria set, let us pursue the integration of the entire Western Balkans by 2033. This is an ambitious but achievable timetable. We are already very late. And the first step should be the decision, in two weeks in Brussels, to unblock the course of Northern Macedonia and Albania.

Turning our attention to the wider region, the EU must accept the fact that the new geopolitical landscape has imposed a different reality – a reality that includes countries such as Ukraine and Moldova in the EU perspective. This is also reflected in its Joint Declaration. Session to be adopted today. The EU should not interpret it as a deviation from its evolution but as an opportunity for transformation.

Taking stock, the EU should be proud of what it has achieved. The European project is a unique experiment that has proven to be the most successful guarantor of peace, stability, economic growth and social prosperity on the continent. But the future does not wait and we can not stop time. After all, life is, above all, an evolution.

It is clear that such profound changes in the world around us require the EU to immediately have a serious and honest internal debate on the future of enlargement. Both for how and when. We need to think and decide how we want to grow and evolve.

In the Balkans, as everywhere, there are hostile agents seeking to undermine our efforts. They have a competitive perception of the world and aspirations that violate human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms. They use the language of resentment, revisionism and imperial nostalgia. They think they can crush the human spirit with intimidation and the display of military power. We can not allow a vacuum to be created in which such factors will find room to operate. A place where they think they can succeed.

I will take these thoughts with me from Thessaloniki to Brussels. I want to believe that the EU is ready to rise to the challenge of shaping the future of our continent in a way that ensures stability and prosperity for future generations. It is time to keep Thessaloniki’s promise. ”

Source: Capital

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