McAllister: EU committed to enlargement to Western Balkans

Despite internal and external challenges, the EU remains committed to enlargement - to all six Western Balkan countries in particular, European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia David McAllister said Thursday.

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The UK's departure is the greatest internal challenge in the history of the EU, he said.

The British referendum is an issue the EU is facing for the first time but, despite internal challenges, we are sending a clear message that the EU remains committed to our enlargement policy, especially as regards all six Western Balkan countries, McAllister told a joint press conference with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.

Congratulating Dacic in the Serbian language, McAllister said he was pleased Serbia would next week open Chapters 23 and 24 in its EU accession talks.

McAllister said he hoped Serbia would open more chapters during the Slovak EU presidency, but that this was up to the EU member states.

(Telegraf.co.uk / Tanjug)