EU "must not forget about Balkans"

(Beta/AP)

EU "must not forget about Balkans"

BRATISLAVA -- The EU must not forget about the Balkans because of the crisis in Ukraine, Slovakia's Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčak has said.

Lajčak opened the international conference on security GLOBSEC in Bratislava on Wednesday by calling for the EU to again reconsider its policy towards Russia and the Eastern Partnership, but adding that it should not distract its attention from the needs of the Balkans.

"One thing is clear. In the 21st century, we cannot allow violations of international law, redrawing of borders, imposing of constitutions either through various referendums or by means of weapons, to go without consequences," said Lajčak, adding that Ukraine should represent a wake-up call for the whole of Europe.

He at the same time warned that the EU must give diplomacy a chance and expressed full support for the new plan of the OSCE meant to deescalate the crisis.

The new instability that Ukraine brought to the neighborhood of the EU and the need to reconsider what relations the Union will have with Russia, as it is not possible to continue with "business as usual, should, in Lajčak's opinion, not be allowed to occupy all of EU's attention.

According to him, the Balkans still requires attention, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, while the EU should not "disappoint" those Eastern Partnership countries that had made progress toward the EU.

"They deserve to be rewarded. We must not disappoint them," said Lajčak, and mentioned Moldova as an example.

Ukraine will be the main topic of this year's GLOBSEC and of discussions of some 800 participants from more than 60 countries. This is despite the fact that due to the events in the...

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