"The EU enlargement policy represents a geo-strategic investment for peace, stability, security and economic growth. All the Western Balkan countries should become EU members and their accession would be good for those countries and also for the EU, but those countries must fulfil all the criteria for membership in the EU." Nikola Dobroslavić, President of Dubrovnik-Neretva and Rapporteur on the Enlargement Package 2020 made these remarks during a CoR plenary session held online.
Dobroslavić added that the economic and investment plan for the Western Balkans, which announces EU help for investments of 9 billion EUR is most welcome and can foster the accession process. The Rapporteur emphasized that local and regional authorities in enlargement countries remain key stakeholders of an open, inclusive and responsive process. "Political will and determination by partner countries remains key to success. We hope those countries will recognize this opportunity and exploit it." he concluded
Franz Schausberger, Representative of Salzburg Province said "The clear indication of insufficient reform progress in the individual candidate countries is essential. But it is also urgently necessary that all EU member states - regardless of their individual national interests - seriously express their willingness to support the accession process for the Western Balkans."
Referring to actions from Turkey, Eleni Loucaidou, Municipal Councilor of Nicosia Municipality said that aggressive action on EU territory should not be tolerated. In this regard, Dobroslavić said that Turkey has to first convince the EU that it is ready to accept all EU standards and share European values.
Dobroslavić's opinion reiterates that public administration reform in the Western Balkan countries, cannot be implemented without good governance at local level. The rapporteur calls on the European Commission to incorporate into its public administration reform support more precise performance indicators on fiscal decentralisation, on the empowerment of local and regional authorities to provide quality services to citizens and businesses. Part of those benchmarks should also be the promotion of inclusive and evidence-based policy-making at local and regional levels.