Orbán: It is time for the EU to include Serbia and the other W Balkan countries among its members
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Tuesday that Hungary has a vested interest in the accession of the Western Balkan countries to the European Union as soon as possible.
In a video posted on Facebook ahead of a EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, Orbán said he would represent a “firm and strong position” as regards the Western Balkan countries’ EU integration.
Their integration is for Hungary essential in terms of the country’s security because “we can close off the migration route entirely only with Serbia’s help” and in terms of its energy security because “Hungarian families and businesses receive gas from the south, via the Balkans and Serbia”, he said.
“Serbia and the Western Balkans could serve as a gate for cheap energy coming to central Europe from the south, and this could ensure the energy independence of Hungary and the entire region,” said Orbán.
“The time has come, and this is what we are going to press for. Let’s not hesitate any longer! It is time for the EU to include Serbia and the other Western Balkan countries among its members,” the Hungarian prime minister said.
Read alsoCommissioner Várhelyi: Russian gas influence on Europe must be completely eliminated, Western Balkans is the key
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1 Comment
Our Politicians in their Facebook Fairyland with its Unicorns and Dual Sunsets…
Back to the Real World, certain criteria (known as the Copenhagen criteria) must be met for EU accession. 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
4) adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/glossary/accession-criteria-copenhagen-criteria.html
I’d say most if not all Members want these criteria to be adhered to on an ongoing basis. By their actions, our Politicians appear to think we’re exempt to more than a few…