EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak said in Podgorica today that there is no alternative to the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU.

- You should not look for an alternative, Mr. Djukanovic. The process is much slower than we expected and wanted, Lajcak said, addressing the Montenegrin president at the Balkan Integration Forum in Podgorica, citing "the objective circumstances that influenced it" - Brexit. , the migrant crisis, but also the skepticism of certain members, transmits Vijesti.

- I have not heard any official from the EU member states say that there is an alternative. "The only alternative is the full membership of these countries in the EU," Lajcak said at the Podgorica Forum.

He stressed that the EU must be sure that the new members will not bring additional problems. He says the EU is not satisfied with what is happening in the Balkans.

- Functionality must be strengthened and they do not introduce internal problems. What I am afraid of is that we are losing the Western Balkans, which is committed to our values. Instead of creating the rule of law, independent media, civil society, depoliticized judiciary, we are moving towards strengthening illiberal, authoritarian tendencies. Such a Balkans will be an "instrument of bribery" for the strategic interests of other players. That is why we need to speed up the enlargement process. We need to see things realistically and how strong positive signals the region is sending to the EU, stressed Lajcak.

"We need to speed up the process, but not only to criticize the EU, but to really see how many positive signals the region is sending," Lajcak said.

He also assessed that the countries of the Western Balkans should restore the credibility of the process.

- The EU is not satisfied and now we need to help each other, said Lajcak.

He added that all countries in the region have enough work to do in the integration process and that the EU will use that time to solve its problems. Lajcak also concluded that the EU has enough capacity to lead both processes at the same time.

Source: MIA