The European Union is not doing enough to make its policy more attractive in the region, believes Democratic Party of Socialists leader Milo Djukanovic.
“Have we optimally used the time to close the remaining issues arising from the Dayton Agreement during the enlargement of Europe? My answer is no. Unfortunately, we in the region, as well as the EU and the leading NATO countries, had to be more efficient and do more. Today, all outstanding issues are still open,” Djukanovic said at the panel on the geopolitical framework of the region’s integration into the EU which is being held in Budva.
He called to mind that the EU’s enlargement enthusiasm has been dampened.
“I think this is a very dangerous situation,” he said.
He also mentioned that European politics got competition in the Western Balkans.
“The crisis has obviously led to the articulation of others who offer an alternative. I primarily mean the Russian interests, but also we must not overlook the others, like China, which exposes its economic interests in Europe as a whole, as well as Turkey. It seems to me that the European Union has not registered these circumstances, because it does not do enough on the attractiveness of its policy for the countries of the Western Balkans. It seems to me that the EU acts as a young bride from the time after the Cold War, when it was clear to everyone that it was the only target and the only target. But today we live in some other circumstances,” said Djukanovic.
It is up to us to estimate what the content of these alternatives is.
“We live in a place where it is possible to cause doubts even about unquestionable values such as belonging to European and Euro-Atlantic values. We need to understand these two dimensions. Europe needs to constantly work on an offensive policy of enlargement in the Western Balkans and to be persistent in raising the level of attractiveness of its policy. And we on the Western Balkans need to persevere in this vision and to understand that we do not belong forever to an unstable part of Europe that needs a guardian. We should rather start responsibly, decisively and cleverly say – we are Europeans,” said Djukanovic.
He believes that Montenegro can be an example of a country that has clearly defined its vision.
