Kukan: “There is no EU without a respected rule of law”

In an interview for European Western Balkan, Kukan sees the situation in the region very concerning, especially due to the political crises in Macedonia and Albania, and even in other countries where there is parliamentary boycott.

“We are seeing a concerning trend for the entire region, visibly related to the functionality of parliamentary democracy and specific institutions. This creates a vicious circle with weak democracies creating weak institutions, and vice versa. We are facing serious political crises in Macedonia and Albania. Other countries, such as Montenegro and Kosovo, are facing Parliamentary boycotts. It looks like a regional trend, which is counterproductive for developing democracy in countries that are about to become EU members. I hope to see a change of this trend in the next months. After all, this is the first and most basic criteria of Copenhagen”, Kukan said.

He explained the reasons why the leadwers of these countries were not invited in the celebrations for the Rome Treaty, which marked the 60th anniversary of the creation of EU.

“The EU enlargement is an ongoing process, as you can see from the concrete advances of Serbia, Montenegro, and the success of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2016. The celebrations for the Rome Treaty were not just an opportunity to see the achievements of the integration process of our continent, but also a way to see the future in the next decades. This is the reason why I think it is a pity that Western Balkan leaders were not invited in Rome. It would be a good encouraging signal from our part”, Kukan said.

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