Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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82. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he continues to pursue and advance the cause of the Western Balkans in the context of EU enlargement, having particular regard to the sensitivities of the region and its geopolitical importance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28040/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement. We believe it is a transformative driver for stability and peace, and that it will enhance stability and economic growth in the Western Balkans while also shoring up security on the borders of Europe. It is our strong view that providing the countries of the Western Balkans with a credible membership perspective is essential. Both the Taoiseach and Minister McEntee made this point when attending the EU-Western Balkans Summit on 17 May, during which they were able to productively engage with our EU and Western Balkan counterparts. I had the honour to host my Albanian counterpart in Dublin on the eve of the summit.

The General Affairs Council is meeting today in Luxembourg and is looking at the opening of accession negotiations with both Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Ireland is a strong supporter of opening negotiations, as we feel that while considerable efforts need to be made in certain areas, both countries had made sufficient progress to warrant opening and that such a step was important in order to provide momentum to the enlargement process. We also believe that FYROM deserves praise for the considerable political courage it has shown in reaching the historic agreement with Greece in regard to the name issue.

Concerning Serbia and Montenegro, Ireland shares the view of the EU that the 2025 date given in the Commission’s Western Balkans Strategy represents an indicative – and ambitious – perspective to conclude the accession process for Serbia and Montenegro, rather than a deadline or target. We believe that setting an indicative date provides Montenegro and Serbia with a concrete EU perspective that should reinforce the reform process in those countries. We have also been very clear that all benchmarks and criteria must be met before accession can be agreed.

In regard to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland is a strong supporter of Bosnia’s European perspective but we recognise that significant work will have to be done across multiple areas before it can advance on its European path. Progress has been made and we hope that this progress gathers momentum and is supplemented by practical efforts to ensure real reform.

On Kosovo, Ireland was one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence, and we were represented at the celebrations of Kosovo’s 10th anniversary of independence in February this year. As a supporter of enlargement, we fully support Kosovo’s joining the EU, provided that it meets all the relevant requirements, which include a normalisation of relations with Serbia. It is Ireland’s hope that a normalisation of relations with Serbia, resulting in a bilateral agreement that is mutually acceptable to both sides, will lead to Kosovo’s eventually joining the EU with the unanimous consent of all Member States. Of course, all of the other requirements for accession would also need to be met in full.