European Union ministers said today they remained committed to the integration of the Western Balkans into the bloc, dismissing fears of "enlargement fatigue" in the wake of the Greek financial crisis, according to Reuters. "The Western Balkans region is the top priority for the external policy of the European Union," Reuters quoted EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule as telling a news conference. Wednesday's meeting of EU and Balkan foreign ministers aimed "to show clearly that there is not that much ground for enlargement fatigue among the member states", he said. Of the nations that emerged from the violent collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Slovenia has already joined the EU, Croatia is close to membership and Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia have applied. To the south, Albania has also applied. Bosnia, which remains an international protectorate divided along ethnic lines, and Kosovo, whose independence Serbia and some EU states do not recognise, are lagging behind. "Today in Sarajevo the European Union and the Western Balkans decided to have a new deal on the future, a future of hope, a future of peace, a future of full integration into the European Union," said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country initiated the meeting. In a statement, the EU said the region faced "major challenges" including fighting organised crime and corruption, rule of law and judicial reform. -- SPA
