Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-19-Speech-3-300"
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"en.20031119.11.3-300"2
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"Madam President, when debating the Lagendijk report, we undoubtedly note that the present situation in the Western Balkans, in the Stability Pact countries, is clearly better than it was a year ago. It is a serious step in the success of the policy applied in the region by the European Union which, basically, has the main responsibility for the area.
Already, Croatia has applied to join the European Union. The new constitutional institutions in the FYROM and the new form of Serbia with Montenegro appear to be starting to work. There also appear to be signs of economic mobility. However, the situation is far from qualifying as stable from every side. None of us should entertain any false notions. The Stability Pact is being applied to an area which continues to be politically fragile and unstable. The only line of approach of our policy must be the interest of the citizens and peoples in the area. There can be no thought of special benefits or interests. Insistence on democratic procedures, human rights, regional cooperation, respect for minorities, the return of refugees, the jurisdiction of the Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague and, generally, the full application of all the UN Security Council resolutions is the only way forward.
I should like to mention here with both regret and seriousness the unacceptable conditions in Himara – and elsewhere in Albania – during the recent local elections, when every concept of electoral procedure was violated by the official authorities, as was respect for the rights of the Greek minority. It would be good if the Albanian authorities helped their country to improve its democratic institutions if they want to proceed positively in the twenty-first century.
There are some who speculate about the future of crisis areas such as Kosovo and others who hint at either the creation of a new state entity or broad autonomy which will basically be equivalent to independence. They must realise that the constitutional and state regime, be it in the FYROM, be it in Bosnia-Herzegovina, be it in Serbia-Montenegro, is based on fine balances, with concealed nationalisms, and that time is needed for the new institutions to stabilise and mature. It is positive that there is contact between Belgrade and Pristina within the framework of the UN and this must be supported. However, every new superficial movement will result in a new domino effect with unforeseeable consequences. In all the countries of the Stability Pact, there are close ethnic minorities which are the local majority and border other countries in which the corresponding ethnic groups are in the majority.
All the states should protect their minorities living within them. They are also their citizens. All the state borders should remain stable. Care must be taken not to expound theories which lead to concepts such as city-states, or may even go as far as state-neighbourhoods or state-families. We must prevent the mobilisation of forces by neighbouring countries to protect national minorities inadequately protected by the countries of which they are citizens.
We must insist on 'peace, democracy, security, cooperation, stability' and the only message to all the countries is that the European Union is waiting for them, they just have to speed up their efforts.
And now, a comment outside my speech. There is a technical issue. On certain sides, the official name of the FYROM is not used correctly. It would be good if the texts were corrected as usual."@en1
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