Plakolm Tour Through Western Balkan States Started

"Austria will advocate for the qualified majority in the accession process," said the spokesperson for European Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) on Monday to the APA. "For over 20 years, we have been stuck in the promise that North Macedonia will become part of the EU," Plakolm said accordingly.

Further Travel of European Minister Plakolm to Kosovo

The European Minister further pointed out that Austria and North Macedonia are connected by close economic and human relations. More than 27,000 North Macedonians have found a new home in Austria, and at the same time, Austria is the largest investor in North Macedonia. "One only needs to look at the map to realize that a large piece is missing in the middle of Europe (in the European Union, note), and that is the countries of the Western Balkans."

After the discussion with her counterpart, Plakolm planned a one-on-one meeting with Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski. The visit to Skopje concludes with a company visit to the energy provider EVN Makedonija, which Energy Minister Sanja Bozhinovska will also attend. Afterwards, the journey continues by car to the Kosovar capital Prishtina. The Slovenian State Secretary for European Affairs will also accompany the minister there. They will start with a working discussion with Besnik Bislimi, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo.

Plakolm will also visit an initiative of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) in Lipjan. There, the ADA supports particularly disadvantaged youth. Subsequently, an exchange with the head of the EU Rule of Law Mission EULEX, Giovanni Pietro Barbano, is planned, followed by a meeting with President Vjosa Osmani. Plakolm will also meet representatives of Austrian companies and civil society. After a short stopover in Vienna, the minister will travel on Tuesday to the Montenegrin capital Podgorica, thus reaching country No. 3 of her six-country tour in six days.

European Minister Plakolm Visits Six Countries in Six Days

With her trip, Plakolm follows in the footsteps of Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), who also visited all EU candidate countries of the Western Balkans in six days as Foreign Minister at the beginning of 2016. Ten years later, the same states are still waiting for EU accession, but at least two of them - Montenegro and Albania - can hope for full membership before the year 2030. For the other four, this is still a long way off for various reasons.

The Austrian government is among the strongest advocates for the rapid EU membership of the Western Balkan states, but it also has to do some convincing in its own country. The Austrian population is particularly skeptical about EU enlargement compared to the rest of Europe.

(APA/Red)

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