West Balkan importance stressed at FMs meet in Helsinki

The growing importance of the West Balkan area to the European Union was accentuated in Helsinki in the informal gathering of EU foreign ministers on Friday.

Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told a press conference that she had seen "an increased support and awareness among the EU states" on the strategic importance of the next EU enlargement.

"Normally the EU has considered these from the point of view of the applicants and their aspirations, and forgetting the importance to the EU," she said.

Breaking away from its standard protocol for the informal meetings, the EU invited representatives of all the six EU partner countries in West Balkan to attend.

The talks underlined the need to be consistent on their side on the reform processes, including regional integration, reconciliation, but also the requirement to have a consistent approach from the EU.

North Macedonia and Albania are considered as the next countries in the area to apply for the EU membership.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said in the press conference that Western Balkan is not a vacuum. "If not the European Union, it could be someone else."