Kristian Vigenin: EU enlargement can prevent destabilisation in the Balkans

„The enlargement of the European Union can prevent destabilisation in the Balkans. For the first time since the Cold War, the Balkan countries have one common foreign policy goal, accession to the EU.“ This was stated by the head of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament and former foreign minister Kristian Vigenin at the conference „Geopolitical transformations: consequences for the Balkans“, which was held at the University of National and World Economy.

The MEP commented that the economic crisis, the lack of sufficient cohesion and joint action on various topics, and the crisis of confidence in the EU in recent years have cooled the enthusiasm of European politicians and strengthened the voices of the eurosceptics. „As of today, however, there is no alternative to the European integration process as a guarantor of the stability of South East Europe“, he noted. At the same time, the Balkan countries have to solve a number of problems, such as the fight against organised crime and corruption, in order to prepare for accession to the European Union.

„The Western Balkans hold many hidden reefs before a stabilisation process that is already moving with difficulty there. The battle for regional leadership, Serbian and Albanian nationalism, and the interference of external factors carry dangerous potential“, Kristian Vigenin outlined another part of the risks. He recalled that for years the peoples of the Balkan Peninsula have been hostages in the struggle for supremacy among the great world powers, but that in the end they themselves bear responsibility for their own fate.

Vigenin presented data on foreign direct investment and the trade turnover of the various Balkan countries with the global players competing for influence in the region, which in his view are an important indicator of how far each of them is succeeding in building its own economic base.

„The best answer to external influences is regional cooperation and integration, an awareness of the common interests of the Balkan peoples and their joint work towards economic and social development, peace, stability and security“, the Bulgarian MEP concluded, stressing that according to Eurobarometer data almost 80% of people in the Western Balkans support regional cooperation as a means of improving the politics, economy and security of their countries, and just as many believe that what brings the citizens of the Western Balkans together is more important than what divides them.

The conference was opened by the Rector of UNWE Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, and taking part were the Dean of the Faculty of International Economics and Politics Assoc. Prof. Svetla Boneva, the Director of the Centre for Balkan Studies Prof. Dinko Dinkov, the Chair of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds in the National Assembly Dimitar Gardev, Assoc. Prof. Plamen Ralchev, the diplomats Boyko Kotsev and Lyubomir Kyuchukov, experts and academics.