Kurz backs greater EU involvement in enlargement in Balkans

VIENNA - In response to the report on progress achieved by Western Balkan countries, Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz called for greater involvement of the European Union (EU) and countries in the region with a view to ensuring success of the EU enlargement process in the region.

Kurz expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved by Western Balkan countries on their EU path, but he added that a lot of work is still ahead of the countries in the region.

In the coming years, we need greater involvement of all EU institutions and member countries so that the enlargement process in the Western Balkans could prove successful, Kurz said in a release.

He underscored that Western Balkan countries have to focus on tangible reforms, especially those that aim to strengthen the rule of law and intensify the fight against corruption.

He expressed satisfaction over the success achieved by Serbia and Montenegro and noted that Albania and Kosovo are also on the right track in terms of EU accession.

At the same time, he expressed disappointment over the delay in the accession process in the cases of Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) and the continued block on initiation of Macedonia's accession talks over the unresolved dispute (with Greece) over the name of the country.

This all calls into question the already achieved results and it could destabilise the entire region in the long run, Kurz said and called on the EU Council to renounce the block.

When it comes to BiH, Kurz expressed the hope that the government would be set up after the elections on Sunday and that it would finally assume the reform path.

He noted that he understands the scepticism of many Austrians...