Czech Republic President Petr Pavel spoke of the need to expand the European Union (EU), as the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia “cannot be left to powers like Russia that do not want good” in Europe. His speech on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU was quoted by the agency DPA.
According to him, expanding the political union is a “geostrategic imperative”.
“If we leave the Western Balkan countries of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on the brink for a long time, [вступления в ЕС] we will leave them to powers like Russia, which do not want the well-being of Europeans and Europe in general,” says Pavel.
Exactly 20 years ago, on May 1, 2004, the largest enlargement in the history of the European Union took place. 10 countries, including former members of the Eastern Bloc, joined the association simultaneously. A few more countries later joined the EU, but the process actually stalled in 2013. Now there is talk of enlargement again in Brussels: 10 countries want to join the bloc. Should we wait for new countries to join the EU and will the union survive?Newspapers.Ru»
Previously At the EU summit, no date was given for the start of accession negotiations between Ukraine and Moldova.