Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 November 2012
62. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which the EU and the UN continues to monitor the situation in the western Balkans with particular reference to the need to ensure continued stability and progress through democracy in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50463/12]
View answerOn 10 October the European Commission published its annual Enlargement Strategy including Progress Reports on each of the countries of the Western Balkans. The substance of the reports will be discussed by the General Affairs Council and European Council in December. The decisions reached by the Council will shape the agenda on the EU’s enlargement policy during Ireland’s Presidency in the first half of 2013.
On the positive side, the Commission’s assessment noted that further progress had been achieved in the Western Balkans in the last year in particular with regard to regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations. Nevertheless it recognised that issues stemming from past conflicts, together with other open bilateral issues remain key challenges to stability in the Western Balkans and need to be urgently addressed.
The EU has been active in seeking innovative approaches to dealing with difficult situations or blockages in the accession process. In the course of 2012 the Commission has launched a High Level Accession Dialogue with Macedonia; worked closely with the government and opposition in Albania to overcome political obstacles to further electoral and parliamentary reforms; launched a High Level Dialogue on the Accession Process with Bosnia and Herzegovina; and launched a Structured Dialogue on the Rule of Law with Kosovo. High Representative Ashton and the European External Action Service continue to facilitate a Dialogue between the governments of Belgrade and Pristina in an effort to improve relations between their two countries.
Despite positive progress in most of the region, the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina has stalled in recent months. The International High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, presented his six-monthly report to the UN Security Council on the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords on 8 November. In it he noted that the political dynamic in Bosnia and Herzegovina during this reporting period had stagnated. The Commission similarly noted that there had been limited progress towards meeting the political criteria for EU accession. Campaigning for the local elections held on 7 October diverted political attention away from the pressing reforms needed. It is to be hoped that with the elections complete the government can give renewed attention to these outstanding issues.
