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| Borut Pahor in a public speaking |
The countries of the Western Balkans are at risk of instability due to the war in Ukraine and also new divisions that threaten the bloc of 27 member countries. This was said by the Slovenian President, Borut Pahor, at the Bled Strategic Forum.
"Today, 30 years after the fall of the "iron curtain", especially due to the war in Ukraine, Europe faces the possibility of new divisions. It is also possible that these new divisions in the bloc will also penetrate the Western Balkans, and this is worrying. I find it hard to imagine that there won't be security risks. In this aspect, Bosnia-Herzegovina seems to be of key importance", said the President of Slovenia, accordint to media.
Pahor demanded the rapid integration of the countries of the Western Balkans into the European Union and NATO and said that Brussels should convince Serbia to choose the path of the EU instead of the alliance with China and Russia, a move that would benefit both Kosovo and Serbia: "The longer the expansion process lasts, the more these countries are the target of Russia's growing aspirations and influence. Therefore, Slovenia has been working for years for a rapid expansion of the European Union with the Western Balkans".
The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, said that the progress of the Western Balkan countries towards membership has been slowed down by international actors, including Russia, which tries to undermine democratic institutions and the rule of law: "We know that in recent years progress has been slowed down also because of international actors, including Russia, who want to undermine democratic institutions and the rule of law. However, we have a clear and strategic interest in all Balkan countries advancing on the path to EU membership, as the stability and prosperity of the region are also the stability and prosperity of Europe".