Pellegrini: V4 Supports Opening Talks with Albania and North Macedonia

Pellegrini: V4 Supports Opening Talks with Albania and North Macedonia

Prague/Bratislava, September 12 (TASR-correspondent) – Through Thursday’s meeting, the Visegrad Four (V4) countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) are sending a clear signal to the European Union that the V4 is keen to welcome new members of the European Union and fully supports the opening of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania later this year, Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) said following the meeting of the V4 prime ministers and the leaders of the Western Balkan countries at Prague Castle on Thursday.


According to the Slovak premier, the V4 countries will also try to convince other members of the European community that enlargement of the EU towards the Western Balkans will not be a problem for the EU and, on the contrary, it is a strategic investment of the European Union, in terms of both economy and security.

The Slovak prime minister is pleased that the Hungarian commissioner will be in charge of the new portfolio of EU enlargement. In his words, this is the most optimal combination: a European commissioner who comes from the region and who is in favour of further EU enlargement.

The main topics of the V4 prime ministers’ discussions were current European issues, such as the composition of the new European Commission, the multi-annual financial framework after 2020, financial stability and the Brexit situation.

The meeting also discussed migration. According to Pellegrini, the V4 leaders agreed that “tackling migration can’t be in the hands of the EU alone, that is, it can’t be an EU strategy, but a European strategy”.