Berlin – AFP
German Chancellor Olaf Scholes on Monday called for speeding up the process of entry of the Western Balkans into the EU, which has been stalled for years, pointing to a “new era” in the context of Russian action in Ukraine.
During a press conference with his Albanian representative in Berlin, Eddie Rama, the Social Democratic president promised to help advance the file “with all strength”.
“My opinion is that we are living in a new era, which is also related to the Russian invasion,” he said in Ukraine.
He emphasized the need to look for common ground within the EU, and said that it was time to “move forward” with the Western Balkans’ accession process.
In October, EU leaders renewed their commitment to the expansion process at a summit in Slovenia. Set a timetable for their admission.
In light of this situation, Russia and China have been working for years to strengthen their presence in the strategic region, especially by sending millions of vaccines to fight the “Kovit-19” epidemic.
Albania, northern Macedonia and Montenegro are members of NATO, while the Moscow region maintains close ties with Serbia, a legacy country.
Moscow’s influence in Serbia is strong, and Russia is an important energy partner for the country. Moscow, which has a veto on the UN Security Council, is Belgrade’s key ally in refusing to recognize Kosovo’s independence declared in 2008.