EUROPEAN COMMISSION: SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES CAN COUNT ON EU MEMBERSHIP

BRUSSELS, Belgium (November 6,2007) – Expansion towards the Southeastern European countries is necessary because it is the only instrument serving the strategic stability of the European Union, the European Commission (EC) announced.

The Southeastern European countries can count on the EU membership but only in the mid-term or longer period of time, the EC document, which is to be announced today, commenting the expansion strategy states.

”Although the European perspective is tangible for every country of the region, all those countries are slow in implementation of the reform processes”, the document states.

”The current situation on Kosovo is unsustainable. The region’s status needs to be solved as soon as possible”, the document concludes.

”Functioning of the Bosnian state institutions is threatened because of the ethnic divisions in the country. Serbia's democratic forces are fragile. Increased tensions in Macedonia influence normal functioning of institutions. Delays in the process of adoption of the Montenegro constitution is a challenge for democracy”, the EC stated.

According to the EC analysis, all the countries of the region have a serious problem – corruption and organized crime. The most advanced country is Croatia, which should engage more in the sector of jurisdiction and fight against corruption”, the European Commission’s report states.

According to the document, other countries face serious problems. Regardless of all this, the European perspective needs to be tangible.

”That perspective needs to be combined with the conditions-making policy. It has shown results in the past few years. The perspective of full membership has never been more important than it is today, for that will help those countries overcome the crisis, state weaknesses and democratic challenges”, the European Commission stated.