America News Agency

George Gerapetritis made assessments on the integration process of the Western Balkans into the European Union during the session titled “EU Enlargement - Western Balkans” at the Delphi Economic Forum 11.

Gerapetritis stated that the Western Balkans are an inseparable part of the European family and that the process has experienced various delays since the Thessaloniki Agenda of 2003. He said the European Union has sometimes struggled to present a clear vision for enlargement.

He noted that Greece plays an active role in revitalizing the process and that the Delphi Declaration is a continuation of the Thessaloniki Agenda and was signed together with the Western Balkan countries.

In his speech, he emphasized that enlargement is not only a political process but also a strategic necessity for Europe’s stability, prosperity and security, adding that EU membership for the Western Balkans should be “a one-way path.”

Referring also to the EU Council Presidency in 2027, he said the aim is for at least one Western Balkan country to reach a significant stage in the accession process.

In the second part, addressing implementation, Gerapetritis stated that the enlargement process must be turned into a concrete action plan. He added that technical support will be provided in areas such as democracy, rule of law, common foreign and security policy, as well as infrastructure, energy and connectivity.

He also added that the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU is of critical importance for Europe to become stronger and more resilient in the future.