PM Dancila: Romania and PSD will be permanent, involved advocates of EU expansion to Western Balkans

Romania and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) will be the permanent and involved advocates of the EU's expansion to the Western Balkans, the PSD's leader, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, stated on Tuesday, at the Regional Forum with the topic "The Integration of the Western Balkans in the European Union", organized by the Social Democratic Party at the Palace of the Parliament. "Romania and the Social Democratic Party will be the permanent and involved advocates of the expansion of the European Union towards the Western Balkans, towards the Republic of Moldova and Georgia. (...) Regarding political realities on our continent, we must admit there is need for a much stronger impetus in what regards the enlargement policy of the European Union. The last EU enlargement, that of 2013, when Croatia became an EU member state, opened up the way of the European Union towards the Western Balkans, and it is our duty to continue this direction," Viorica Dancila stated. According to the Prime Minister, the EU is facing currently a series of complex problems and internal and external pressures that are putting to the test the solidarity of the member states and, in this context, the appetite for expansion of the Union seems diminished while attention is focused on other topics. "To not decide now the integration of the Western Balkans in a credible formula and with a predictable agenda would be a major strategic mistake, given that the EU is no longer the only player in the Western Balkans. From my point of view, however, the EU project is a promise to all democratic European states, a promise which, as I've mentioned, must be honored, because it is part of the fundamental nuclei of European values. Referring to the position of those who say that the states of the region are not prepared for integration, we remind them that the accession negotiation process is a complex one. During its course it is essential to use the positive energy spawned by the start of negotiations to accelerate progress, otherwise the states in the Balkans will become the theater for confrontations between the fatigue of expanding the EU, manifested at the level of the states in Western Europe, and the expectations of the Balkan states. It's in our interest, as Social Democrats from this region, to support this promise and to support the EU's expansion towards the Western Balkans," Dancila emphasized. Viorica Dancila recalled that the history of Romania's integration with the European Union was marked by the solidarity manifested by the Social Democrat family with our country. "I believe that the Social Democratic Party of Romania has the political and moral duty to return this solidarity towards the friends of center-left parties. For this we have the duty of strengthening regional cooperation and to give a strong signal towards Brussels that the enlargement project must remain at the top of the European agenda. We must state clearly in Brussels the right to a European future for the entire Balkan region, the right to peace and prosperity for each Balkan country," the PSD's chair stated.AGERPRES(RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - author: Razvan-Adrian Pandea, editor: Maria Voican)