Meta-Pendarovski: The EU is the only alternative

Stevo Pandarovski (left) and Ilir Meta

 Albanian President Ilir Meta and that of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski expressed they regretted today relating to the lack of a positive decision by EU leaders last week in favor of opening membership talks with the two Balkan countries.

President Meta says neither is happy, but the two countries share a common view that the only way out and the only alternative that is not incompatible with any other idea, for them, but also for the Western Balkans region, remains the EU membership. Any other idea - Mr. Meta stressed - would be unacceptable for a region that is so vital to the future of the continent itself and even more in a time when today is surrounded, even geographically, by the European Union itself, the head of the Albanian state said.

For his part, President Pendarovski stressed that both countries tried to convince EU countries that it was not about full membership but only the beginning of a process that would continue for years. He said the lack of a decision was an undeserved punishment for the entire region, which, he added, should not be forgotten. If there is no stable Balkans, neither can the European continent be stable, the Macedonian president stressed.