Ibrahimović in Rome: Western Balkans in the European Union a common interest, expansion as investment in security

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ervin Ibrahimović participated today in Rome at the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the "Friends of the Western Balkans" group and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Western Balkans with the European Commission.

The meeting was hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Tajani. In addition to the heads of diplomacy of the Western Balkan states and members of the Friends Group, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, and the Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, were also present.

The accession of the Western Balkans to the European Union will contribute to strengthening common security, and accelerating the negotiation process is a common interest of the EU and candidate countries, it was stated today from Rome.

The focus of the discussions was the preservation of common security, strengthening cooperation with the Western Balkan states, accelerating the accession process, as well as common priorities for the further course of negotiations.

Participants in the high-level meeting agreed that it is important to work on affirming gradual integration, based on the principle of individual merit, with the aim that citizens feel the concrete benefits of membership even before joining the Union.

High Representative Kallas assessed that the Western Balkan states are today important partners in improving common security and emphasized the need to work on strengthening the resilience of the Western Balkan states, with the aim of more successfully facing hybrid threats and challenges. She stated that EU enlargement is a common interest and that "it represents an investment in security."

It was stated that, despite numerous challenges, enlargement represents one of the most successful policies of the Union and that the states of the region will have the full support of the member states and EU institutions on the further path of reforms.

Minister Ibrahimović emphasized that it is very important that the Western Balkans remain at the top of the European Union's agenda, assessing that the "Friends of the Western Balkans" group significantly contributes to the realization of the European perspective of our region. He thanked his colleagues, the heads of diplomacy, who maintain this format of cooperation and thus send a clear message – that the Western Balkans belong in the EU.

"A strong European Union is needed by the world today more than ever, and there is a positive momentum towards enlargement, so we have no time to lose. Any distraction or missed opportunity that jeopardizes the European integration process benefits third parties. Therefore, we have a common responsibility to seize this opportunity. This is what the citizens of Montenegro expect from us, as well as our international partners and friends who stand shoulder to shoulder with us," said Ibrahimović.