WB6 Conference in Vienna: Paneuropa Demands Concrete Steps

Austria’s Role as a Strong Partner Demanded – Strategic Perspective Must Be Clarified!

The Western Balkans Conference taking place tomorrow, Friday, in Vienna is seen by the Paneuropa Movement Austria as a positive sign that Austria continues to live up to its traditional role as a strong ally of the Southeast European states. “Vienna already played a decisive political role in the EU accessions of Croatia and Slovenia,” comments Rainhard Kloucek, Secretary General of the Paneuropa Movement Austria. This role for Austria is still needed now, and even more so.

The states that have not yet joined the EU, whose heads of government are now gathering in Vienna, were already offered the prospect of accession in Thessaloniki in 2003. “Since then,” says Kloucek, “progress has been modest. The EU states are strategically too divided and, like France or the Netherlands, are in truth playing domestic politics when they block concrete steps towards rapprochement.” In addition to welcome bilateral conferences, a clear strategic perspective is needed to finally tackle enlargement. Concrete steps are now required to give these countries the progress in rapprochement that they have earned through their many reforms.

According to Philipp Jauernik, Chairman of the Paneuropa Youth Austria, it is crucial “that Europe must export stability instead of importing instability. The Western Balkans will not be a geopolitical power vacuum. The countries concerned are looking for a strong partnership, and we as the EU are their first choice. This is good and right, but not guaranteed: Russia, China, and the USA are also offering them partnerships. If we keep them at arm’s length for much longer, we should not be surprised if they accept other offers.”

For the Paneuropa Movement, the Western Balkans Summit is further proof that the EU is establishing a truly European foreign policy, as demanded by Karl von Habsburg in his Speech on the Future of Europe. To achieve this, however, it will be necessary for all EU capitals to be prepared to think beyond the horizon of short-term national interests and myths.

Featured image: c European Union