European integration

The reform of the Schengen area must help EU countries create the necessary conditions for more effective control of external borders. This was stated on Wednesday in an interview with reporters by French President Emmanuel Macron, who is attending an informal meeting of EU interior ministers in the French municipality of Tourcoing.

He said at a press conference on the occasion of the official visit of the Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, Jri Ratas, that the country has always been a sincere supporter of the enlargement policy.

The Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) rejected remarks in a French Senate report about the work of the Institut du Bosphore (Paris Bosphorus Institute), saying its claim does not comply with the facts and aim to restrict the freedom of expression.

As Western Balkan and EU leaders meet in Slovenia to discuss the stalled European integration process, experts told BIRN how the frustrations caused by the stalemate could jeopardise essential reforms, exacerbate authoritarian tendencies and endanger regional security.

Ljubljana/Brussels – EU leaders will gather in Brdo pri Kranju on Tuesday for a strategic debate on the EU’s international role in the light of developments in Afghanistan, the AUKUS security partnership and relations with China. On Wednesday, the Slovenian EU presidency will host an EU-Western Balkans summit, but no significant developments are expected.

Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) deputy Biro Rozalia, chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, said on Monday that he has recently proposed the establishment of a Carpathian Mountains brand at the Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland.

Karpacz – Prime Minister Janez Janša has received the award for person of the year in Central and Eastern Europe at the Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland. In his speech, he underlined the region’s key role in the bloc and its Christian heritage.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu participated today in the 16th Bled Strategic Forum - Slovenia, where he was invited to speak at the panel on "EU's Challenging Eastern Partnership Summit 2021: Calibrating its Agenda".

Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu will attend an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Gymnich format, September 2-3, in Kranj, Slovenia, under the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Bled – Developments in Afghanistan could be an opportunity to strengthen the EU, was one of the views presented at the former leaders’ panel at the Bled Strategic Forum on Wednesday, where the importance of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans and differences on European values in the EU were also highlighted.