Prague, May 16 (CTK) – The Czech Republic will support the EU enlargement to Balkan countries at the forthcoming EU summit, according to the empowerment for Prime Minister Andrej Babis, the government approved on Wednesday.
The stable and secure Balkans is a key to the security of Europe, the government said.
The joint summit of the EU and six Western Balkans countries starts in Sofia on Thursday.
“The topic of EU enlargement is for the Czech Republic one of the most important spheres of its European policy. The Western Balkans is a region needing our support,” Babis said about the Czech Republic’s position in a press release.
“A stable and secure Balkan is a key to the secure EU. Moreover, the Western Balkans is our ally in the solution to the migrant crisis,” Babis said.
In general, the mood in Europe is quite different than it was in 2014, when it comes to the solution to the migrant issue, Babis said.
He told journalists that the current Bulgarian presidency would not manage to achieve a negotiated compromise on the reform of the EU asylum system, acceptable to all EU countries.
The summit, presided by Bulgaria, focuses on the cooperation between the EU and the representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia in the spheres of security, infrastructure and digital agenda.
On Tuesday, chairman of the EU summits, Donald Tusk, said the EU was the only partner with a real interest in the stability of the region and the prosperity of its population.
The debate is also expected to deal with the termination of the U.S. nuclear deal with Iran. The EU is set to observe it.
