NGOs ask Europe for faster integration of Western Balkans

TIRANA, June 2 – More than 140 non-governmental organizations have sent a letter to the EU Council, governments and other top EU officials calling on them to speed up efforts to ‘absorb’ western Balkans in the bloc.
The letter was sent to the Sarajevo summit discussing on EU prospects for the Balkan countries.
“We strongly believe that the time has come to open a new chapter in relations between the EU and Western Balkan countries. The Sarajevo ministerial meeting is an excellent opportunity to create a new impetus to the process of accession of the Western Balkan countries to the EU, and define the road toward their full-fledged membership in the European Union,” it wrote.
The NGOs said that during the past decade all the countries of the Western Balkans have advanced considerably in their reform agendas, and made notable progress in their pursuit of the priorities set by the Thessaloniki Agenda and the ensuing European Partnerships. They note that the EU’s commitment to the European future of the region has contributed to the fruitful development of regional cooperation, democratization and developmental processes in each of the countries concerned, as well as in bringing stability to the region.
The governments of the region have demonstrated that they can deliver if the conditions are clearly defined, transparent and measurable as in the case of visa liberalization.
The NGOs also state that the Zagreb Declaration and Thessaloniki Agenda are not enough to further consolidate democracy in the Western Balkan countries, neither do they ensure implementation of reforms, enhancement of regional cooperation and preservation of the hard-won progress on peace and stability.
The Sarajevo ministerial meeting is a unique opportunity to revitalize a lagging process.
They wanted the summit to emphasize the importance of preserving stability in the region and strengthening the prospects for its further democratic development and economic recovery; Reaffirm the commitment of the EU and countries of the Western Balkans to work together to accelerate the process of accession and condemn any further fragmentation and division along ethnic lines. Encourage the countries of the region to strive for the candidate status for all the countries by the end of 2011, and opening of accession negotiations with Macedonia by the end of 2010 followed by other front-runners by the beginning of 2012 at the latest.
They also urged the EU to define clear, transparent and measurable benchmarks, which should allow civil society organizations to monitor the progress their country has made and hold their governments accountable, and allow scrupulous in-country monitoring by the EU and CSOs which will facilitate holding the governments accountable for their progress.
They also urged the EU countries to give new impetus to the completion of the visa liberalization process for all Western Balkan countries, including Kosovo, and encourage national governments to enable visa-free travel in the region, so as to improve mutual communication and cooperation.
The countries of the Western Balkans will benefit from a reinvigorated and clarified policy towards EU accession, the NGOs statement said. Equally, the current realities of economic instability and the internal reform prerogative for EU institutions and member states under the Lisbon Treaty will benefit from stable and committed partners in the enlargement process.
The statement concludes asking that “the support and assistance to Western Balkan countries in preparing for their EU membership is a leading priority for the EU, just as it is integral to a stable, prosperous and cooperative future for the Western Balkan region.”