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President Ilves: The future enlargement of the European Union is in the interests of the Community

06.11.2009

“The European Union has the opportunity, and we also have the responsibility, to support and assist those European countries that have chosen democracy and a path towards the Community,” President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said at the meeting with the EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn yesterday.

The Estonian Head of State expressed his satisfaction at the recent agreement reached by Croatia and Slovenia, which enables Croatia to continue its accession talks with the European Union, while providing the way to resolve the border dispute between the two countries. He acknowledged the European Commission for its activities in brokering the agreement.

“Such an extremely positive development should serve an incentive, for instance, to overcome the obstacles hindering the progress of Macedonia* and Serbia. Cases where we can currently see a reserved attitude on behalf of some members of the Community,” President Ilves said.

“It is the European Union’s responsibility to see that the reforming countries – and Macedonia and Serbia are definitely among them – do not tire or lose sight of their future goals. This could result in unwanted consequences for both the European Union and these countries themselves,” the Estonian Head of State warned. “I am confident that we will overcome all this and we are heartened by the success stories of the past enlargements of the Community.”

* Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

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