Riga, Nov 6 (CTK special correspondent) – The involvement of Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro in the European Union (EU) is important for the stability of Europe, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said after a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Riga yesterday.
They met during the summit of 16 Central and Eastern European countries and China.
The talks on the Balkan countries’ EU entry must not get stuck and they must remain the Union’s priority, Sobotka said.
“They are preparing for their EU entry. If we are to be considering some permanent stabilisation of the Western Balkans to be better prepared for various crises, the Western Balkan countries play an important role and they should be admitted to the EU,” Sobotka said.
Apart from Vucic, Sobotka met his Macedonian counterpart Emil Dimitriev and Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic during the Riga summit on Saturday.
They discussed tackling the migrant crisis.
“All three countries have appreciated the activity and help of the Czech Republic,” Sobotka said.
In late October, 55 police left Prague for Serbia and Macedonia to help protect the border during the migrant crisis.
Fifteen Czech police officers operate in Serbia now.
Sobotka invited Vucic to the Czech Republic yesterday.
Their talks focused on the strengthening of relations between both countries and their citizens, government spokesman Martin Ayrer tweeted yesterday.
Both PMs also talked about other possible forms of Czech aid, Ayrer added.
Sobotka ended his stay in Riga in the Bauska Castle where he saw an exhibition on the position and importance of Prague during the reign of Charles IV, Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor, in the 14th century. It also highlights contacts between the Czech Lands and the Baltics then.
The exhibition will be held in Latvia by the end of November and then it will move to Tallinn.
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