France has to focus on the Western Balkans which have become “a diplomatic dead end," French European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau said, the Belgrade-based Beta news agency reported.

The EU has not engaged itself enough in reinforcing the peace in the region, she told the French daily newspaper La Croix, adding it was impossible to maintain status quo in the region.

“Things can either go in a good direction, or deteriorate,” she said.

Loiseau warned that EU member countries do not share a common view on membership for the countries of the Western Balkans. She added that, despite differing views, all 27 member states agree that more aid has to be secured for the countries of that region.  

According to the Beta news agency, officials close to the EU High Representative, Federica Mogherini, said there was no doubt that all EU members support the clear prospect of membership for those Western Balkans countries which meet the necessary conditions, especially the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, fight against corruption, freedom of the media, and the resolving of bilateral disputes, such as the issue of Kosovo and Serbia. 

The officials said that Loiseau was only repeating French President Emmanuel Macron’s view that the EU won’t be able to accept new members until it resolves its internal crisis and the consequences of Brexit.  

The French minister told La Croix that the two sides should not be left to fend for themselves, but that other countries should not be deciding the conditions to resolve the dispute.

“Leaving Kosovo as an open wound is not a solution and the Balkan countries should be the ones to resolve their disputes,” she said, adding that the dispute over Kosovo should not overshadow necessary progress in rule of law.

Loiseau confirmed that France and Serbia had signed an agreement to open offices of the French Development Agency in Belgrade, but only after Serbia is taken off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list of countries with a high risk of money laundering.

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