Slovenia, Poland, BiH urge EU enlargement to Balkans

Slovenian President Borut Pahor, visiting Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda and Chairman of the Bosnia-Herzegovina presidency Mladen Ivanic urged on Sunday an EU enlargement including the Western Balkans that will contribute to peace and stability in the region.

The call was made by host President Pahor, Duda who is on a two-day official visit and Ivanic at Strmol Castle in central Slovenia, saying that "the situation in the Western Balkans was deteriorating", according to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).

He is convinced that a European context to this exists and that further EU enlargement would help stabilize the situation in the Balkans, said STA.

"If the conviction prevails that this is not probable or not possible, the situation could worsen much more," Pahor warned, while acknowledging the EU's internal crisis played a role in there being less enthusiasm about enlargement.

Duda echoed to Pahor's idea during the joint press conference after their meeting. Duda pointed to the active engagement of Polish soldiers in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of NATO.

Ivanic, who was accompanied by Bosnian Foreign Minister Igor Crndak, said the meeting confirmed that some politicians and leaders understood the importance of the EU for the Western Balkans and Bosnia in particular.

"We in Bosnia-Herzegovina need this support, as an isolated Bosnia will face internal tensions and differences," the STA reported quoting Ivanic.

source: Xinhua