EU summit: VDL shamed as Kosovo PM calls out bloc's 'great injustice'
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen was shamed by the Prime Minister of Kosovo on Wednesday, ahead of the EU summit in Slovenia, as he called the fact that 5 EU states still do not recognise Kosovo's independence from Serbia a 'great injustice'.
Ursula von der Leyen on EU Covid digital certificates
The EU-Western Balkans Summit will be held in Slovenia on Wednesday, which currently holds the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Discussions will revolve around regional investment, security, and the socio-economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
Delegates will also assess the progression of six of the Balkan states (Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) towards becoming future EU members.
The summit will be chaired by European Council President Charles Michel.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will also be present.
The EU Environment Council meeting will also be held earlier in the day.
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Serbian President says issues need to be resolved with Kosovo before it can join EU
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters after the EU summit in Slovenia that Serbia needs to resolve its issues with Kosovo before it can join the EU.
"There is enlargement perspective, but it is clear that not all (EU) member states have same appetite," he said.
"Without resolving issues with Pristina, Serbia would not be able to join EU."
Macron says Balkans deserving of short term perspective
Following the EU summit on the Western Balkans in Slovenia on Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the Balkans should be shown that they are deserving of investment, trade and eventual membership into the EU.
"We had a good discussion ... Our wish is to give the Balkans a (European) perspective again in the short-term, who are at the heart of Europe," he said.
Merkel says EU should not set a date for enlargement
Speaking at the EU summit on the Western Balkans in Slovenina, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she did not think a date should be set for the enlargement of the EU.
"I don't really believe in setting dates, I believe in making good on our promises: Once the conditions are met the accession can take place," she said.
Merkel added that a deadline would put the EU under pressure, regardless of whether the Western Balkans fulfilled the conditions set out by them or not.
VDL says EU has donated 3.3 billion euros to Balkans to help with pandemic
President of the European Commission Ursula von de Leyen told the EU summit in Slovenia that the EU has donated 3.3 billlion euros to the Balkans to help them deal with the pandemic.
She said they have donated 2.9 million vaccine doses and have proven that they are the Western Balkans' most reliable partner.
VDL says lack of decision on opening negotiations between countries jeopardising leverage
President of the European Comission Ursula von der Leyen said that a lack of decision on opening up negotiations between North Macedonia and Albania has jeopordised the EU's leverage in the Balkans.
She said intensive work is being done by the commission to solve these problems.
VDL says she feels Balkans frustration
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that when she visited the 6 Balkans countries last week she felt their impatience.
She said the Balkans have made a lot of progress in reforms and it is important for them to stay the course in key areas such as justice, media freedom and economic reforms.
VDL says EU can leverage up to 30 billion euros for Western Balkans
President of the European comission Ursula von fer Leyen said the EU can leverage up to 30 billion euros for the Western Balkans.
She said the EUs priority is the deeper integration of the common regional market which she said will be as beneficial to the Balkans as the single marker is to the EU.
VDL says EU not complete without Western Balkans
Speaking at the EU summit President of the European commission Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is not complete without the Western Balkans and that there is no doubt that their plan is enlargement.
President of European commission says it is not a question of NATO or European defence
Speaking at the EU summit in Slovenia the President of the European commission said it is not a question of NATO or European defence.
He said: "We want a strong European Union including in matters of defence.
"A strong European union in defence is a way of strenghtening and bolstering our alliances."
President of European Council says there is a will for Europe to continue to grow its influence
Speaking at the EU summit in Slovenia, the President of the European Council said: "There is a will for Europe to remain engaged in the process, to continue to grow our influence in the world in line with our values, working with our partners and in particular our allies."
President of EU council says EU needs to encourage reforms in Balkans
Speakign at the EU summit on the Western Balkans in Slovenia, the President of the European council said the EU must encourage reform in the Balkans.
He says their priorities must be the Green Deal and the Digital Agenda.
He also said the comission has provided an unprecendented amount of money to facilaitate regional cooperation.
President of European Council says Balkans has a strategic importance for EU
Speaking at the EU Western Balkan summit in Slovenia, the President of the European council said the EU wishes to work towards enlargement and that the Balkans has a strategic importance for the EU.
Cyprus' president denies wrongdoing when asked about Pandora Papers on arrival at EU summit
The President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades denied any wrongdoing when questioned about the Pandora Papers upon his arrival at the EU summit in Slovenia on Wednesday.
Accusations involve a law firm that bears the President's name.
However, the President pointed out that there are nothing in the papers about him building an offshore company to transfer money out of the country.
Kosovan MP says EU blockade of Western Balkans will have strategic consequences for region
Police checkpoints and limited traffic set up around venue of EU summit after protests
Police have set up checkpoints around Slovenia's capital city and around the venue where the EU Western Balkans summit is taking place on Wednesday.
This is in reponse to protests which broke out on Tuesday over Slovenia's Covid-19 restrictions.
#Slovenia: Officers also set up checkpoints & limited traffic around the capital city & at the venue where #EU summit will take place
\u2014 \ud83c\udf0e Sarwar \ud83c\udf10 (@ferozwala) October 6, 2021
EU leaders have been gathering in #Ljubljana to discuss how to keep engaging with Western Balkans neighbours that hope to join the 27-nation bloc pic.twitter.com/I96mjcxxfz
Heads of state arrive for the EU summit in Slovenia
Heads of state have arrived in the pouring rain for the EU summit in Slovenia, where the Western Balkans' accession into the EU will be discussed.
#instantan\u00e9 les chefs d'\u00e9tats et de gouvernements arrivent sous la pluie pour la 1\u00e8re s\u00e9ance de travail du sommet europ\u00e9en en Slov\u00e9nie #EU #eusummit #Slovenia #slovenija pic.twitter.com/jA5dQvYePF
\u2014 Ludovic Marin (@ludovic_marin) October 6, 2021
Northern countries fear letting Balkans into EU could see repeat of Romania and Bulgaria
Some Northen countries such as Denmark, France and the Netherlands fear the accession of the Balkans into the EU could see a repeat of the rushed accession of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007, which led many Brits to turn away from the EU due to the poorly managed migration of EU workers to the UK.
Foreign policy should start in 'our backyard' say EU leaders
Several EU leaders have said that if they want to make Europe stronger, they must allow the Balkans to join so they do not turn to other superpowers such as Russia and China instead.
"We spoke at great length about the role of Europe ... Here is an example of where, if we want to make Europe stronger and also extend our geopolitical influence, this is our backyard," Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said, referring to a meeting of EU leaders held on Tuesday.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz echoed these views: " If the European Union does not offer this region a real perspective, we have to be aware that other superpowers - China, Russia or Turkey - will play a bigger role there. The region belongs to Europe geographically, and it needs a European perspective," he said.
Kosovo's Prime Minister calls EU's treatment of state a 'great injustice'
Speaking ahead of the EU summit in Slovenia on Wednesday, the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said it was a "great injustice" that 5 EU states still do not recognise Kosovo's independence from Serbia, which took place in 2008.
"It has been a great injustice, a lack of fairness towards citizens of our country," he said.
"I advocate for a lack of fear on the EU's side, and a lack of bitterness on the side of the Balkans.
"I am still hopeful".
The EU has also failed to live up to promises such as allowing visa-free travel for Kosovo.
VDL tells Balkans they are 'family'
European Comission President Ursula von der Leyen, tried on Wednesday to reassure the Western Balkans that they will one day be part of the EU.
Speaking ahead of the EU summit in Slovenia, she said: "The message is that the Western Balkans belong to the European Union. We want them in the European Union. We are one European family.
"We share the same history. We share the same values, and I'm deeply convinced we share the same destiny too."
However, with the enlargement process having been blocked by various disputes, many in the Balkans feel this is an empty promise.
VDL says EU must invest in renewables to prevent further energy hikes
Speaking ahead of the EU summit in Slovenia on Wednesday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU must invest in renewable energy to prevent further energy spikes.
I think we have to be very clear that the gas prices are skyrocketing. But the renewables, the prices have decreased over the last years and are stable", she said.
"So for us it's very clear that with energy in the long term it is important to invest in renewables that gives us stable prices and more independence because 90% of the gas is imported to the European Union".
Footage of protestors in Slovenia
Footage of protestors in Slovenia on Tuesday, the eve of the EU summit.
Demonstrators were protesting the country's Covid-19 restrictions and protests led to clashes with the police, who used tear gas and water cannons.
\u2757\ufe0f BREAKING: Slovenia: A protest against the health pass and the government degenerates into clashes with police in Ljubljana on the eve of an EU summit in the country. Police repeatedly used tear gas and water cannon \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddee
\u2014 Fra \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f (@FrancescComito) October 6, 2021
- AnonymeCitoyen pic.twitter.com/gkVLWwocwU
Summit will aim to ease tensions between Bulgaria and North Macedonia
The EU summit, held in Slovenia on wednesday will aim to ease tensions between Bulgaria and Macedonia.
In October 2019, Bulgaria said that it would block North Macedonia's EU accession process if North Macedonia did not fulfil demands regarding what Bulgaria saw as "anti-Bulgarian ideology" in the country.
Bulgaria then offered a compromise in October 2020 and agreed to recognise the Macedonian language and Macedonian identity if North Macedonia recognised that historically, their roots were Bulgarian.
Macedonia rejected this proposal and therefore, in November 2020 Bulgaria refused to approve the European Union's negotiation framework for North Macedonia, essentially blocking the official start of accession talks with the country.
It is hoped that today's summit will help to resolve this ongoing dispute.
No concrete progress expected to be made at summit
No concrete progress is expected to be made on allowing the 6 Western Balkan states into the EU on Wednesday.
However, reassurances that the states' futures are in the EU are expected.
This will likely cause frustration for the states, who have been waiting since the early 2000s to be let into the club.
How close are the Western Balkan states to getting into the EU?
Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia all have "candidate status", and have started accession negotiations.
North Macedonia has been waiting since 2004 to become part of the EU, so its a pretty long process.
However, Bosnia is still a potential candidate and some EU members do not even recognise Kosovo as an EU state.
Covid protestors clash with police ahead of EU summit
Hundreds of protestors, demonstrating against the Slovenian Government's Covid-19 restrictions, have clashed with police, ahead of the EU summit on Wednesday.
Tear gas and water cannons were fired by police and the portest's leader has reportedly been arrested.
Police fired tear gas and water cannon on Tuesday and a leader of the protest movement has reportedly been detained.
The protests were not linked to the EU summit, but protestors used the opportunity to gain more media attention.