EU Says Crime, Corruption Remain Key Obstacles to Balkan Integration
"Organized crime and corruption is a real obstacle to democratic stability, the rule of law, economic development and development of civil society in the region and is a source of grave concern to the EU," said a joint statement issued after a brief summit between EU leaders and their Balkan counterparts.
"Combating it constitutes a major priority," said the statement, issued after leaders from Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro met for the first time with EU leaders to press their ambitions of joining the enlarging European Union, AFP reported. However, the statement added: "The EU reiterates its unequivocal support to the European perspective of the western Balkan countries. The future of the Balkans is in the European Union."
In the five-page declaration, the Balkan countries pledged to pay particular attention to combating people trafficking, illegal immigration and improving border security, while the EU also called for efforts to address ethnic tensions.
Brussels wants political, economic and judicial reforms in the region after the bloody wars that broke up the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s and is demanding full cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague. "The Western Balkan countries pledge full and unequivocal cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia," the declaration said, including the transfer to The Hague of remaining fugitive war crimes suspects "without delay." "Providing justice for war crimes is a legal, political and moral imperative to which we are all committed."
Turning to the economy, the statement said Balkan governments must press ahead with reforms. "Persistent efforts and structural reforms are required to establish functioning market economies and to achieve sustainable development and to ensure employment," it said.
"Economic prosperity is essential to long term stability and democracy in the region," it added.