Reuten says Western Balkans membership is in the EU’s interest

Reuten says Western Balkans membership is in EU interest

NEWS

Express newspaper
23/08/2025 20:21

I want to see results from member states in relation to the Western Balkans’ membership in the European Union.

This is the request of the Member of the European Parliament, Thijs Reuten, from the bloc’s countries.

In an interview for Info Magazine in Klan Kosova, he says that the European Commission and the Council of Europe should function as one when it comes to the inclusion of the countries of the region in the Union.

“It is always good when responsible ministers say that they want to be the engines of a good EU enlargement process, but I have heard many ministers declare this before and I want to see results. I want to see a united Commission and a Council involving all member states that work seriously in the interest of the countries that want to join the European Union but also in the interest of the EU itself, because it is important that we maintain or restore credibility in this process, and this means that the European Union must be more attractive,” Reuten said.

Furthermore, he says that there is a need for results now, for credible actions and credible policies to bring the countries of the region under the right circumstances to respect democratic order and the rule of law.

“I think many countries in the region are seizing this opportunity, but we need to seize the opportunity together, current EU member states and candidate countries, this is the moment, and not the moment as I said before on your show, not to give hope to those who want to undermine the European Union, people like Putin, autocrats who want to see us fail.”

“We need to be stronger than that, we need to show them that we will complete the EU unity project, and if it’s up to me, including the countries of the Western Balkans region,” declared MEP Thijs Reuten.