Fidesz MEPs: Accelerating W Balkans’ European integration Hungary’s strategic interest

MEPs of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz said in their statements on Wednesday that accelerating the European integration of Western Balkan countries is a primary strategic interest of the EU and Hungary, in reaction to the European Commission’s announcement concerning the EU’s further enlargement.

The EC announced earlier in the day that it proposed granting Bosnia and Herzegovina the status of candidate to join the European Union. Olivér Várhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, told a press conference in Brussels that the EC also pledged to accelerate the EU integration of the Western Balkan region on the whole.

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MEP Kinga Gál said in her statement that given the region’s increasing geopolitical importance, its accelerated EU integration could be an important step from an economic and strategic as well as from a defence and security point of view.

MEP Andor Deli said that the EU integration of Western Balkan countries has “no alternative”. The EU can only be strong again if it integrates those countries, primarily Serbia which is a key country in the region, he added.

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Source: MTI

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2 Comments

Norbert says:

13/10/2022 at 19:03

Well that is easy! Meet the criteria.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/glossary/accession-criteria-copenhagen-criteria.html

“Certain criteria must be met for accession. These criteria (known as the Copenhagen criteria) were established by the Copenhagen European Council in 1993 and strengthened by the Madrid European Council in 1995.

They are:

1. stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
2. a functioning market economy and the ability to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the EU;
3. the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including the capacity to effectively implement the rules, standards and policies that make up the body of EU law (the ‘ acquis ’), and adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.”

From reading the above, you may gather that it is questionable whether we still meet these – hence the EU’s excitement re what we get up to …
Dari says:

17/10/2022 at 02:58

Great minds think alike. 🙂 😀

But seriously, @Norbert, you hit the nail on its head.

Why do I have a feeling that it would be even more of a “strategic” interest of Hungary (read: V.O.) to see some of these Western Balkan countries in the EU (to side with V.O. when he needs them to).

Like @Norbert wrote: One could very well wonder if the Hungary of today was to apply for EU membership (now), if it would meet the set criteria – methinks not. 🙁