(Hina) - Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle supported further European Union enlargement in Dubrovnik on Friday, saying it was time the EU embraced the Western Balkans more firmly.
The enlargement process is the most successful mechanism, he said at the Croatia Forum at a panel on the EU integration of the Western Balkans.
He said the enlargement process was not on auto pilot but must be steered, underlining the importance of strengthening the credibility of candidate states.
Füle conceded that talk about enlargement fatigue was loud in the EU, one of the reasons being the fact that the EU had been faced with a long financial and economic crisis which politically put enlargement on the back burner. He said, however, that everything must be done to look upon this issue as part of the solution and not as part of the problem.
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić said the integration of "the so-called Western Balkans, as we now call it," was developing well, recalling the effect the European prospect had on the launching of Serbia-Kosovo dialogue.
A standstill in the integration process would send a very bad message to the public of the countries in the region and be completely counterproductive, Dačić said, adding that the European prospect had made Belgrade-Pristina dialogue possible.
He said progress towards the EU should be based on performance and reform, adding that an artificial equalising of the European integration pace of aspirants was not good.
Dačić said the toughest negotiation chapters for Serbia were 23, 24 and 35 which referred to the judiciary, fundamental rights, justice, freedom, security, and Kosovo.
He said it would be useful if "regular checkups" were introduced for EU member states, adding that many "wouldn't pass" in many areas but had it easy because they were the founders.
Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčak said enlargement was a deeply political process which would not be complete without including the Western Balkans.
It is about the will to adopt reforms, build a modern society, he said. The EU is attractive and relevant, membership gives you a place at the table, not on the menu, he added.
Lajčak said cooperation between neighbouring countries was key for the Western Balkans' progress. Regional cooperation must be strengthened to show that you fit in the European family, he said, adding that the EU must keep the region's countries positively motivated to pursue reforms.
The rules must be the same for different countries in the enlargement process, he said, conceding that enthusiasm for enlargement was waning in the EU and that the focus on Europe's east and the Middle East.
Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Vesna Pusić said Euroscepticism was present in both old member and candidate states.
Old members have their public who has become suspicious of enlargement for various reasons, she said, adding that old and new member states and candidates were not opposing sides and that their alliance was essential for making new headway in the EU together.
Pusić said Euroscepticism should be replaced by Eurorealism, warning that refusal to ratify an accession treaty in just one of the 28 member states would change the EU in the long term.