News Feature

Balkans countries continue EU progress

27 May 2008

The Western Balkans is making progress towards European Union (EU) membership, it has been revealed.

EU commissioner for enlargement Oli Rehn told the European Parliament their membership faces challenges but added the region has a bright future, Thomson Financial reports.

He said this will be a decisive year for Croatia in its accession negotiations, with plans in place to formalise an agreement next year.

Mr Rehn explained: "Provided a number of conditions are met by Croatia, in this autumn's enlargement package we will present an indicative timetable, or a conditional road map, for a technical conclusion of the negotiations during the course of next year."

Croatia has been praised for already implementing the stabilisation and association agreement, which several others in the Balkans have still to do.

Gordan Jandrokovic, the country's foreign minister, recently stated there will be "no alternative to the goal of joining the EU".

He said accession will improve standards of living for people in the country.

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