Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 June 2023
152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree to which he and his EU colleagues continue to positively influence the political situation in the Western Balkans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29031/23]
View answerThe Western Balkans lies at the heart of Europe. Its future is unquestionably within the European Union. Given that, Ireland has a clear strategic interest in fostering good relations between the communities in the Western Balkans, and between the EU and the region.
We do this in numerous ways. First, by facilitating intra-regional dialogue, such as the EU-chaired Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue. Across all our engagements with the Governments of Kosovo and Serbia, Ireland emphasises the need for concrete progress on the Dialogue, as a key step towards EU membership. Following recent clashes in northern Kosovo, we have called for de-escalation of tensions and a return to the Dialogue.
The EU accession process requires all Western Balkans states to demonstrate their ability to cooperate with their neighbours. For example, the Western Balkans Common Regional Market was established as a catalyst for deeper regional economic integration and as a stepping stone towards EU Single Market membership. President von der Leyen's recent outline of a Growth Package for the Western Balkans, which is under active consideration, re-emphasises the importance of regional integration.
Ireland also participates in the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), which is the EU’s primary support tool to assist states in the implementation of reforms. Regional cooperation, good neighbourly relations and reconciliation efforts to overcome open bilateral issues and the legacy of the past are priority objectives for the instrument, which for the period 2021-2027 has a budgetary envelope of over €14 billion.
In recent months, we have had a significant degree of political engagement with counterparts from the region; I met with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic when she visited Dublin in April, and with the Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, during his visit in May. The Taoiseach met with the newly elected President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic earlier this month, while the Minister of State for European Affairs, Peter Burke TD, is travelling to Serbia and North Macedonia this week to meet with regional interlocutors and attend the Prespa Forum Dialogue. This intensified level of engagement shows the priority that we are placing on the region.
Ireland will continue to support a swift EU accession process for the countries of the Western Balkans, provided that they meet all the necessary criteria. We will continue to offer our full support to candidate and potential candidate countries in the Western Balkans as they advance on the path to EU membership. I remain strongly of the belief that it is through EU membership that peace and prosperity can best be ensured in the Western Balkans.
