Italian politician: Italy should support 2014 agenda for Western Balkans

Italian politician Gianni de Michelis believes that Italy should follow the Greek initiative which pushes for all Western Balkan countries to become EU members in 2014.

“That year carry certain symbolism that a hundred years after assassination in Sarajevo the process of the EU enlargement is finalized with admission of the West Balkans’, Gianni De Michelis, former Italian foreign minister says.

According to De Michelis the key obstacle might be lack of arguments by which the public of the EU countries would be convinced to accept the initiative.

“They view the Balkans as a pile of problems. Apart from the problem of Serbia with Kosovo, there are also problems of Bosnia/Herzegovina, Macedonia and even Montenegro. Although the year of 2014 does not seem realistic it does not mean that it cannot be achieved”, Michelis said.